Complete Guide to Cape Town International Airport (CPT) Lounges

Cape Town International Airport (CPT) is the 2nd-busiest airport in South Africa and the 7th-busiest in Africa (by passenger traffic).

The airport serves an important role in connecting the city of Cape Town, located on Africa's south-western tip, with the rest of South Africa.

It is also served by a wide variety of international airlines, including intercontinental flights to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Brazil. This reflects Cape Town's popularity with both tourists and business travelers.

When flying from Cape Town, you can enjoy a more comfortable and relaxing experience by spending the time waiting for your flight in one of the airport's 7 lounges. Several of these lounges even offer paid one-time access passes, meaning you can enter the lounge when flying with any airline, without any membership.

This guide shows all the lounges available in both the domestic and international terminals at CPT, including the different ways to access them.

Cape Town International Airport has an International Terminal on the north side and a Domestic Terminal on the south side. They are connected by a Central Terminal Building, where all passengers check in for their flights.

All terminals are within walking distance of each other.

Cape Town's international terminal has 4 lounges in total. There are two different Bidvest Premier Lounge locations, as well as a British Airways Lounge and an Emirates Lounge.

Departing international passengers will spot the first Bidvest Premier Lounge location right after clearing security and immigration. This is the smaller of the two Bidvest lounges in the international terminal, and is the only one to feature a smoking area.

Airside, right after security and passport control

• Monday to Friday: 05:30-23:30 (5:30am-11:30pm)

• Saturday and Sunday: 06:00-23:30 (6am-11:30pm)

• Buffet and à la carte dining options, with hot and cold food

• Alcoholic, hot, and soft drinks

• Smoking area

• Showers (subject to availability)

• Restrooms

• Wi-Fi

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Online Advance Purchase Methods:

  • Bidvest sells corporate passes for up to 4 hours of access to this lounge on its website for 638 ZAR (US$40).

  • Dragonpass Go sells 4 hours of access to this lounge for US$55 (900 ZAR).

  • Lounge Pass sells 3 hours of access for US$41 (670 ZAR), with pre-bookings for a specific date and time required.

• Airline Status/Class:

  • Star Alliance passengers flying Singapore Airlines or Turkish Airlines in business class, or holding Star Alliance Gold status.

  • SkyTeam passengers flying Air France, Delta, Kenya Airways, KLM, or Virgin Atlantic in business/first class, or holding SkyTeam ElitePlus status.

  • Condor, Edelweiss, Qatar Airways, and TAAG Angola Airlines passengers flying business class or holding eligible status.

• Memberships & Cardholders:

  • A Dragonpass, DreamFolks, LoungeClub, LoungeKey, LoungeMe, or Priority Pass membership will get you into this lounge.

  • A credit card that gives you access to any of the above programs, including American Express Platinum cards, will also provide access.

  • Some South African premium credit cards grant access, including selected cards from Absa Private Bank, Bidvest Bank, and Nedbank.

  • Complimentary guest entitlements and the number of included visits will depend on how you have obtained your membership with any of these programs.

• Walk-Up Access: Walk-in access may be available up to 4 hours before your flight's departure time for 708 ZAR (US$44).

Children under 2 years old can enter for free when accompanied by an adult.

The second Bidvest Premier Lounge in the international terminal, on the upper mezzanine level, is a larger space with longer opening hours. It also has a better drink selection and better views. However, this lounge does not have a smoking room.

As this lounge is farther from the security checkpoint, it's often a bit quieter, because many people with access to both just go to the other Bidvest Premier Lounge, since it's the first one they see.

Airside, Mezzanine Level. Turn left after passport control and proceed down the corridor past Gate A3. Near the escalator to Gate B.

04:00-00:30 (4am-12:30am) daily

• Buffet and à la carte dining options, with hot and cold food

• Alcoholic, hot, and soft drinks, including spirits and barista coffee

• Showers (subject to availability)

• Restrooms

• Wi-Fi

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Online Advance Purchase Methods:

  • Bidvest sells corporate passes for up to 4 hours of access to this lounge on its website for 638 ZAR (US$40).

  • Dragonpass Go sells 4 hours of access to this lounge for US$55 (900 ZAR).

  • Lounge Pass sells 3 hours of access for US$41 (670 ZAR), with pre-bookings for a specific date and time required.

• Airline Status/Class:

  • Star Alliance passengers flying Ethiopian Airlines or Lufthansa in business class, or holding Star Alliance Gold status.

  • Air Mauritius, Delta, and Qatar Airways passengers flying business class or holding eligible status.

• Memberships & Cardholders:

  • A Dragonpass, DreamFolks, LoungeClub, LoungeKey, LoungeMe, or Priority Pass membership will get you into this lounge.

  • A credit card that gives you access to any of the above programs, including American Express Platinum cards, will also provide access.

  • Some South African premium credit cards grant access, including selected cards from Absa Private Bank, Bidvest Bank, and Nedbank.

  • Complimentary guest entitlements and the number of included visits will depend on how you have obtained your membership with any of these programs.

• Walk-Up Access: Walk-in access may be available up to 4 hours before your flight's departure time for 708 ZAR (US$44).

Children under 2 years old can enter for free when accompanied by an adult.

British Airways operates its own lounge at Cape Town International Airport for eligible passengers on its flights. Eligible passengers flying on another oneworld airline can also use this lounge, if it is open.

Airside, after security and passport control, near Gate A3

14:40-19:30 (2:40pm-7:30pm) daily. Hours may be extended when additional seasonal British Airways flights are operating.

• Buffet with hot and cold food

• Alcoholic, hot, and soft drinks, including champagne and spirits

• Showers (subject to availability)

• Restrooms

• Business center

• Wi-Fi

This video shows what you can expect in the British Airways Lounge at Cape Town International Airport:

• Airline Status/Class:

  • oneworld passengers flying British Airways or Qatar Airways in business/first class, or holding oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status, can access this lounge.

Children under 2 years old can enter for free when accompanied by an adult.

Emirates also has its own lounge at CPT.

If you are flying with Emirates but don't have complimentary access to this lounge through your class of travel or Emirates Skywards status, you can buy access. However, this is an expensive option. You may prefer to purchase access to one of the other (much cheaper) lounges instead.

Airside, after security and passport control, near Gate A3

09:00-13:00 (9am-1pm) and 14:00-18:00 (2pm-6pm) daily, aligned with Emirates departure times

• Extensive buffet with hot and cold food

• Hot, soft, and alcoholic drinks, including champagne and premium spirits

• Showers (subject to availability)

• Restrooms

• Work stations with computers and printing facilities

• Quiet zone

• Prayer room

• Wi-Fi

• Newspapers & magazines

This video shows what the Emirates Lounge is like in Cape Town:

• Airline Status/Class:

  • Emirates passengers in business/first class (except Business Class Special tickets)

  • Skywards Gold/Platinum members flying Emirates in any cabin

• Walk-Up Access: Emirates passengers who aren’t entitled to complimentary lounge access may purchase one-time access at reception with a credit or debit card (including tax):

  • US$144 (2,350 ZAR) for Emirates Skywards members

  • US$179 (2,925 ZAR) for non-Skywards members

There are 3 lounges in the domestic terminal at CPT. However, only the Bidvest Premier Lounge offers paid, one-time access to anybody.

Set over two levels, the Bidvest Premier Lounge in the domestic terminal offers great runway views and a range of seating options.

Airside, after security, on the 4th floor (accessible by elevator)

• Monday to Friday: 04:30-19:30 (4:30am-7:30pm)

• Saturday and Sunday: 04:30-18:30 (4:30am-6:30pm)

• Buffet with hot and cold food

• Alcoholic, hot and soft drinks (alcohol is available after 10am)

• Showers (subject to availability)

• Smoking area

• Restrooms

• Wi-Fi

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Online Advance Purchase Methods:

  • Bidvest Premier Lounge sells corporate passes online for up to 2 hours of access for 300 ZAR (US$19).

  • With Dragonpass Go, you can buy 2 hours of access to this lounge for US$55 (900 ZAR).

  • Lounge Pass offers 2 hours of access for US$20 (327 ZAR). You must pre-book for a specific date and time.

• Airline Status/Class:

  • Airlink and CemAir domestic business class passengers can access the Bidvest Premier Lounge.

• Memberships & Cardholders:

  • Membership with Dragonpass, DreamFolks, LoungeKey, or Priority Pass will get you access to this lounge.

  • A credit card that gives you access to any of the above programs, including American Express Platinum cards, will also provide access.

  • Some South African premium credit cards grant access, including selected cards from Absa Private Bank, Bidvest Bank, Nedbank, and Standard Bank.

  • Complimentary guest entitlements and the number of included visits will depend on how you have obtained your membership with any of these programs.

• Walk-Up Access: Walk-up access is available for 334 ZAR (US$21) for up to 2 hours, subject to lounge capacity.

Children under 2 years old can enter for free when accompanied by an adult.

"The Lounge" is a joint lounge for customers of South African Airways (SAA) and Discovery Bank. It's a modern space that opened in 2025.

Airside, after security, on the 4th floor

• Monday to Friday: 04:30-21:00 (4:30am-9pm)

• Saturday and Sunday: 05:30-21:00 (5:30am-9pm)

• Buffet with hot and cold food

• Alcoholic, hot, and soft drinks, including barista coffee and spirits served from a staffed bar (alcohol is available after 10am)

• Work booths

• Restrooms

• Wi-Fi

This video shows what you could expect in The Lounge:

• Airline Status/Class:

  • South African Airways business class passengers.

  • Star Alliance Gold, SAA Voyager Silver/Gold/Platinum, and Virgin Australia Velocity Gold/Platinum/Platinum Plus members flying South African Airways.

  • Star Alliance, Voyager, and Velocity Gold members can bring one complimentary guest into the lounge with them who is also traveling on South African Airways. Voyager Platinum members get an additional guest allowance.

• Cardholders:

  • Discovery Bank Platinum, Black, and Purple cardholders flying any airline

  • Investec Visa Infinite, Platinum, Business, and Youth cardholders flying any airline

  • SAA Nedbank Premium credit card holders flying South African Airways

  • Complimentary guest entitlements will depend on your card.

SLOW Lounge is part of a small network of banking-affiliated lounges at the airports of Cape Town, O.R. Tambo, King Shaka, and Lanseria, run with FNB and RMB Private Bank.

It sells no day passes; entry is exclusive to qualifying clients, who also enjoy a quieter space and an on-site spa with complimentary massages (subject to availability).

Airside, after security, near Gates C1/C2

• Sunday to Friday: 04:30-20:30 (4:30am-8:30pm)

• Saturday: 04:30-20:00 (4:30am-8pm)

• Buffet with hot and cold food

• Alcoholic, hot, and soft drinks, including cocktails from a staffed bar (alcohol is available after 10am)

• Showers (subject to availability; note there are no hairdryers in this lounge)

• Restrooms

• Amani Spa with complimentary massage service (subject to therapist availability)

• Wi-Fi

• Memberships & Cardholders:

  • This lounge is exclusively for eligible FNB and RMB Private Bank clients, including FNB Premier, FNB Private Client, and FNB Private Wealth cardholders.

  • Access and the number of included visits depend on your card and meeting certain monthly qualifying criteria.

Paid and walk-up access is not available at this lounge.

Cape Town International Airport offers a variety of lounge access options for travelers in both its domestic and international terminals.

Lounge access is the perfect way to elevate your trip. With a visit to an airport lounge before your flight out of Cape Town, you can freshen up, enjoy a meal and drinks, catch up on work, or simply enjoy your time in an exclusive environment away from the busy terminal.