Review: Etihad Business Class Lounge Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH)

Nice review. I think you mean "treat" in this sentence: "...floor-to-ceiling windows, which is such a threat..."

@ Adil -- Whoops! Fixed, thanks. Happy (almost) new year!

I know this is an Etihad trip, but do you have any info on other lounges in the new terminal? I hear QR is using a "pearl " lounge or something like that?

@ alex -- Review coming shortly, stay tuned. 🙂

You mention that all of the dining areas had essentially the same dining options. Were you there for multiple meals or only breakfast? Just curious if they maybe are just not very imaginative for breakfast, but do better with other meals.

And Happy New Year! 🙂

Looks lovely.

I just returned from the middle east flying Qatar out (Business), Etihad back (Economy).
As I was not eligible to use the Business Class Lounge (which looks pretty spectacular based on Ben's pictures), I did get to use the Pearl Lounge over my 6 hour layover.

Here are a few summary thoughts:
Among the priority pass lounges, it is definitely one of the better ones, and certainly big. There is a dining area and then a "terrace" that essentially opens onto the terminal but one floor higher.
The food was aplenty and pretty good, and there are a couple bar and kiosks strewn across. The lounge was moderately but not unbearably crowded. They also have shower facilities which is nice. Wifi was decent.

My one complaint-very few staff spoke either English or Arabic.
Noticeably different from Dubai and Doha. While I don't mean to sound disparaging toward those with limited fluency in languages other than their own, an international airport terminal is where this can be a true limitation. Almost no one in the dining room could answer questions; I needed help figuring out how to operate the shower in the bathroom- no one could help. And even in the duty free, some of the simplest questions were met with puzzled stares. my guess is the new airport/terminal required quick influx of new employees and some of them are still being onboarded and trained.

But overall, a good experience.

oh one more thing to add:
Right now because of the transition to the new terminal only select US flights are using the preclearance facility- which involves a bus ride to the old terminal.
My flight to New York EY 103 did not have preclearance (the other, later flight, EY 101 does). If you have global entry or US mobile passport app I would highly recommend NOT opting for the preclearance flights. Those add a ton of time and stress; and only pay off if there is time saving at the other end which with Global entry you are not.

oh I just posted some comments on my view of the Pearl Lounge below- I wonder if we will concur !

My two cents is it's a good airport but isn't (quite) as well oiled a machine as DXB or DOH yet.

Thnks for such detailed review. Do u hv info that do they allow kids with silver members?as I m silver member flying in economy but my kids ( age 4 and 7) r not silver members. They are traveling with me next month. So are they allowed with me free as I hv access to business lounge.

@ Asma -- Unfortunately only children up to two years can enter at no cost with an eligible adult. That being said, I believe access can be purchased for 50% off for young children. Enjoy your trip!

@ Grey -- Great question! I also took a look at the lunch selection, and similarly I didn't see all that much differentiation. There was maybe a little bit more variety than at breakfast, but not much. HNY to you as well, and thanks for reading and participating!

Ah I see it, thanks! Trying to figure out layover scheduling for a SEZ-AUH-DOH-COK trip

Thanks for the detailed review, Ben!

We'll be arriving on Etihad in business class from London at 1 AM. Do you know if any of these lounges can be used on arrival to wait until we can check-in at hotel later or is there a hotel inside the airport? Maybe we can purchase access via Loungebuddy or AmEx Platinum?

@ Alex -- Unfortunately you need a departing boarding pass to use any of these lounges, as far as I know. The in-terminal airport hotel isn't yet open. I'm not sure what time of year you're traveling, but a lot of Abu Dhabi hotels are very affordably priced, so you might be best off just booking an extra night at another hotel on the way to where you're staying, assuming the price is okay?

Appreciate it, Ben!

We'll be there at the end of March going to Dubai, so we'll have to just purchase one night at some local hotel.

@alex-

Abu Dhabi is a highly underrated city. Lots of stuff to see; not quite Dubai but in many ways less artificial. The mosque and the Louvre Abu Dhabi are just two highlights, and lots of lovely beaches. As Ben says, hotels are also not super expensive so you can book a fairly high end experience at not so heavy a cost.
Enjoy.

I had the same experience. I did fly EY a couple times so i got to visit the lounge twice. But, when i was flying Gulf Air i was directed to the Pearl Lounge. I was wondering if any other airlines had access to the Etihad Lounge, or if it's only Etihad passengers.

Ben,
Great review.... much appreciated.
My wife and I will be in AUH in late March - arriving from LHR in F on A380 at 12:45a and departing for Cairo in J at 9:40a later that morning
Are the relaxation/nap rooms in the Business Class Lounge suitable for an overnight sleep? If so, is there a time limit to staying in the rooms? And is it one person per room?
Would prefer to stay in the Airport Hotel but have not found any information regarding possible opening dates.
Thanks,
Paul

Been through there a few times and thought this lounge was top notch. Great review.

BTW if you want to stay relatively close to the airport I would highly recommend the Yas Marina.

I had a similar question. I have a 10+ hour layover at the end of February. Also, I was wondering how many relaxation rooms there are in total.

Just had the chance to go through the lounge and though it was fantastic, but yes definitely confusing in terms of layout. Evening dining options were good but once again upstairs and downstairs were roughly the same. We stuck to the upstairs space more since it was not nearly as crowded.

Another thing to note - there is a second set of showers in the hidden east wing! When I went to the ones mentioned there was a bit of a wait, so they directed me to find the others (which had nobody using them since.....they're so hard to find).

Ben - thanks for the review, I went to this lounge last night on a layover and without your detailed directions I'm not sure I would have been able to locate it.

Some updates since your review - the lounge was CRAZY CROWDED (I was there between 11pm - 2:30am), with almost nowhere to sit that included both: 1) nearby power plugs; and 2) some serenity. Most groups of travelers spoke extremely loudly and there didn't seem to be any real "quiet area." I also think the "secret" level 5 east has very much been discovered, since it was packed (and loud) as well. The good news is that there's another set of showers over here that you might have missed.

Even worse than the loud travelers, there's some very odd music choice being played at every corner of the lounge -- it sounds like a ukulele playing the first few chords of the "Lion King" on repeat. It would be more appropriate as hold music for calling your travel agent in Hawaii. The music was so loud and annoying that I could hear it through noise-cancelling AirPods, and eventfully I relocated myself to the Pearl lounge for a reprieve from the music.

I’m literally in here right now, eating at the buffet around 1 am and it’s pretty crowded.

Update: It’s $215 USD to upgrade from the biz lounge to the 1st. And economy flyers can NOT pay for entrance!

Just to dispel the rumors floating around…

Sitting in the lounge now, I think this is the best business lounge I have been to of the gulf carriers. Economy tickets on Etihad CAN buy lounge access - I paid $150 for 4 hours.

There is a 4 hour maximum time limit for the relaxation room and it is one person/unit. Very quiet. Dont know how many there are since it's darkened. Bedside lamp to read. Stars on the ceiling. Very neat.

My layover is 13 hrs. Can i stay in the lounge for that period of time? Am flying business

Hi Ben....great review.
My Son, 22, has some questions...
He has a 14hr layover en-route to Narita (Japan) from LHR in July, travelling Business class with Etihad
He has learning difficulties as part of his autism, will he be directed to the lounge by flight crew?
Also, does the 4 or 8hr time limit apply to him or can he stay until his onward flight boards?
If he has any problems whilst in the business lounge, are the any Etihad staff or attendants that will be able to help.

He’s probably best to book into the airport hotel within the complex where he can stay up to 12 hours with its own ensuite and room service.
I did this on the first leg of my flight from Australia to UK.
Coming back I missed out on booking so spent 14 hours in the business lounge. I had 4 hours in a relaxation room which had to be booked on arrival and was able to stay a few hours longer because there weren’t any flights. It was still a terribly long day.

It is probably too late, but let etihad know he has a disability and needs the help and they will put a note (and icon) on his booking.

I have a 9hour layover in Abu Dhabi ,Iam travelling business class with my 90 year old mother .How do i book a relaxation room for us

Disappointing review. I am in the lounge right now, after a fantastic business flight from JNB to Abu Dhabi. Waiting for my connecting flight, 7 hours... No relaxation room available, but on the waiting list (in five hours time, there is a room available...). My poor mother (85 years old) has no chance to relax. Why are there so few of these rooms, really?

Meanwhile, in the "quieter" area of the lounge there is non-stop spa music of horrible quality, for anyone with a bit of a musical ear it is a non-stop pain! And it is truly freezing cold here - I asked for a blanket for my mom, but even the kind lady at the relaxation room desk is not "allowed" to give out blankets. WTF!!! I loved the flight, but will book Qatar again, simply because their lounge is so much more practical. And in the Qatar lounge area, of course there are plenty of blankets etc... VERY disappointed with Etihad and their horrible lounge! Wish I could rely more on facts like these when reading reviews here... Sorry, Lucky! But you need to do better and not just look from your perspective when reviewing.

(By the way, there is no french red wine on offer in the whole lounge, only cheapest new world wines, how is this even possible?).

I loved the detailed writeup covering every aspect of the lounge I frequent at least once every month. Having spent long and short layovers there, I seldom knew the relaxation room. My usual quite spot is the west study area on level 5, where I rest after a good shower. I will try the relaxation room next week during my travel. I appreciate the write-up, and the photos make this review an excellent guide for anyone looking forward to the best lounge experience from the house of Etihad.

hat’s the busiest time of the lounge its always jam packed, thanks to all the transatlantic US flights and European-bound flights that leave between 11pm and 2am. The least busy time I’ve experienced is in the morning hours from 9 AM to 4 PM, when mostly Middle Eastern and Asian flights depart, and the lounge is relatively empty at that time.

These writeups remain the reference standard for learning about lounges before a visit- thanks Ben!

So I guess its cheaper to buy access at the lounge than it is on etihad online. I have a biz class ticet but no lounge access and its charging me $160 for 4 hours to add to my reservation