Miami International Airport (MIA) is getting some more lounge capacity, which is desperately needed…
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Avianca & TAP Air Portugal open Miami lounge
Avianca and TAP Air Portugal have opened a joint lounge at Miami Airport. For some context, Avianca used to have its own lounge at the airport, but it closed at the start of the pandemic, and remained closed for years.
Eventually, the decision was made by reopen the lounge, in partnership with Star Alliance partner TAP Air Portugal. Work on the space started in October 2024, and now the lounge has opened as of March 2025.
The new facility is 6,559 square feet, and can accommodate up to 158 guests. The lounge looks rather basic, but has plenty of seating, a buffet and self-serve drink area, showers, a relaxation area, workspaces, and a play area for kids.
It’s located in the South Terminal, in Concourse H & J (which are connected airside). Specifically, it’s near gate J4, right by the LATAM Lounge Miami.
The lounge follows standard Star Alliance lounge access policies, so it’s open to all Star Alliance business class passengers, plus Star Alliance Gold members, on eligible itineraries. On top of that, the lounge belongs to Priority Pass, with members being allowed to visit the lounge for up to three hours. The lounge is open 24/7, so that’s convenient, at least.
I’ll be sure to provide some pictures of the lounge once I have them, but in the meantime, the below is the only one that I’ve seen so far.
More lounge capacity is desperately needed
The Miami Airport Concourse H & J lounge situation is sort of dire. Before the new Avianca and TAP Air Portugal facility opened, there were only three lounges — the Delta Sky Club®, the LATAM Lounge, and the Turkish Airlines Lounge — and I’d also rank them in roughly that order.
I can’t say that the Avianca and TAP Air Portugal Lounge looks particularly inspiring, though I’m happy that it should hopefully help with crowding at the Turkish Airlines Lounge, which is currently where all Star Alliance passengers (and many others) are sent.
In the afternoons and evenings, the Concourse H & J lounges are just a mess. Not only are the lounges so crowded (with endless people yelling on speakerphone, or watching videos without headphones), but there’s just not much in the way of quality. Heck, I’d argue the Delta Sky Club® is the nicest of the lounges, by a long shot.
It sure would be nice if this part of the airport got some sort of a lounge offering an elevated experience, but that’s probably a long shot. We do know that Miami Airport is getting a new Concourse K as part of the South Terminal, which will include a six gate expansion. Could we maybe see some new lounge options as well? One can dream…
Bottom line
Avianca and TAP Air Portugal have opened a new lounge at Miami Airport, in Concourse J. Avianca had a lounge here before the pandemic, but it remained closed for around five years. Now it has opened once again, in partnership with TAP Air Portugal. While the lounge doesn’t look particularly luxurious, more lounge capacity is a good thing, no doubt.
What do you make of the new Avianca & TAP Air Portugal Lounge Miami?
Meant sooo Miami.
Sorry
Yelling into a phone on speaker is just soon Miami.
So glad I left that shithole last year.
they weren't accepting any priority pass users today!!!
Miami is basically a third world country within a country, so would make sense to open another poor lounge offering that matches its extremely poorly managed airport.
Is this literally the first outstation lounge in the history of TAP? They don't even have their own facility at OPO.
For comparison, what are the sizes and capacities of the Delta, LATAM, and Turkish lounges? 158 people doesn’t seem like a lot, especially during the afternoon rush with the Star transatlantic departures on top the steady flow of AV, CM, and AC passengers. But a little more capacity is still better than no more capacity.
Delta Skyclub currently holds up to 300 guests
Having spent a considerable amount of time in this lounge pre-COVID, it does not seem they did much renovation to the space. Just a new coat of paint and new furniture.
I don't understand why all these airlines feel the need to keep opening garbage lounges in Miami. It seems like it would make more sense to just have one very large space and make it be a generic contract lounge. Certainly this isn't helping the TK, TP, or AV brand.