Guide to Paid Lounges at Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB)

O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) is the main airport in Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa, and a key gateway to southern Africa. This modern facility serves more than 20 million passengers each year, making it the 2nd-busiest airport in Africa (by passenger traffic).

When departing Johannesburg or transferring between flights, you can make your waiting time much more comfortable and enjoyable by visiting one of O.R. Tambo International Airport's 17 lounges.

7 of these Johannesburg airport lounges offer paid, one-time access. This means you can get into a lounge regardless of the airline you're flying with, the type of ticket you have, or any memberships you have.

This guide takes a detailed look at all your options for purchasing airport lounge access in Johannesburg.

O.R. Tambo International Airport has two terminals:

• Terminal A handles all international flights

• Terminal B handles all domestic flights

Note that check-in for some international flights takes place in Terminal B. However, after checking in, international departing passengers must clear passport control and security in Terminal A.

Both terminals are located within the same physical building, and you can easily walk landside between the domestic and international terminals.

In total, there are 17 airport lounges at JNB. 11 are in Terminal A, including an international arrivals lounge, while 6 are in Terminal B.

This guide focuses on lounges that you can purchase access to. Nonetheless, here is a complete list of the lounges at O.R. Tambo International Airport. We've sorted the lounges below by terminal, in alphabetical order:

Of the 11 lounges available in Johannesburg's International Terminal A, 4 offer paid one-time access to passengers flying with any airline in any cabin class. A 5th paid option, the Emirates Lounge, is available only to Emirates passengers.

Here are all the options:

The Bidvest Premier Lounge is arguably the best of the paid-access international lounges at JNB, accessible to passengers flying on any airline. It's a bit more expensive than some other paid lounge options, but if you have enough time before your flight to fully enjoy everything it offers, it could be well worth it.

This large lounge offers lots of facilities and even complimentary à la carte dining, with freshly prepared dishes available to order from the kitchen via QR code and brought directly to your table.

Airside, upper level, above the retail area, just after duty-free

24 hours daily

• Buffet with hot and cold food

• A la carte dining with table service

• Staffed bar serving barista coffee and alcoholic beverages

• Hot and cold non-alcoholic drinks

• Showers (subject to availability)

• Restrooms

• Smoking area

• Wi-Fi

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Online Advance Purchase Methods:

  • Bidvest Premier Lounge 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:

  • Air Austral, Condor, LATAM, Malawian Airlines, RwandAir, and Uganda Airlines passengers in business class or holding eligible status can access this lounge.

• 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 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.

Named after the Zulu word for millipede, the Shongololo Lounge stands out for its quirky design.

Airside, departure level, on the left side as you walk towards Gates A7-A18, at the bottom of the escalator that takes you to the international pier.

04:45-21:00 (4:45am-9pm) daily.

• Buffet with hot and cold food

• Alcoholic, hot, and soft drinks

• Showers (subject to availability)

• Restrooms

• Wi-Fi

This video shows what to expect inside the Shongololo Lounge:

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Online Advance Purchase Methods:

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

  • Lounge Pass offers 3 hours of access for US$35 (573 ZAR) per adult or US$19 (311 ZAR) per child aged 2-11. You must pre-book for a specific date and time.

  • Plaza Premium sells 3 hours of access for 620 ZAR (US$38) per adult or 320 ZAR (US$20) per accompanying child. Reservations for a specific date and time are required.

• Airline Status/Class:

  • Air Austral, Air Botswana, Airlink, Air Mauritius, Air Seychelles, Cathay Pacific, Fastjet Zimbabwe, Qatar Airways, Saudia, and TAAG Angola Airlines passengers in business or first class, or holding eligible status, can access this lounge.

• Memberships & Cardholders:

  • A Dragonpass, DreamFolks, LoungeKey, 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.

  • Complimentary guest entitlements will depend on how you have obtained your membership with any of these programs.

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

Just above the Shongololo Lounge at OR Tambo International Airport Terminal A is the Aspire Lounge.

Airside, departure level, on the left side as you walk towards Gates A7-A18, just before the escalator to the international pier.

10:00-22:00 (10am-10pm) daily

• Buffet with hot and cold food

• Dedicated bar area serving alcoholic drinks

• Hot and cold non-alcoholic drinks

• Day beds

• Showers (subject to availability)

• Restrooms

• Newspapers & magazines

• Wi-Fi

This video shows what you can expect inside the Aspire Lounge:

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Online Advance Purchase Methods:

  • Aspire Lounges sells up to 4 hours of access on its website for US$36 (590 ZAR) for adults or US$25 (400 ZAR) for children aged 3-11. You must pre-book at least 24 hours in advance for a specific date and time.

  • Dragonpass Go sells 3 hours of access to the Aspire Lounge for US$55 (900 ZAR).

• Airline Status/Class:

  • Air China and Kenya Airways passengers in business or first class, or holding eligible status, have access to this 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.

  • Complimentary guest entitlements will depend on how you have obtained your membership with any of these programs.

• Walk-Up Access: Subject to capacity, walk-in customers may be accepted at a cost of US$36 (590 ZAR).

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

Featuring zebra-striped windows and named after the mopane worm, the Mashonzha Lounge is the other paid access option for passengers flying internationally from Johannesburg with any airline. It is best known for its dedicated smoking lounge area within the lounge.

Airside, upper level, near Gate A6 and the Emirates Lounge.

06:00-22:00 (6am-10pm) daily

• Buffet with hot and cold food

• Alcoholic, hot and soft drinks, including South African wines, draft beer, and spirits

• Smoking area

• Restrooms

• Wi-Fi

• Newspapers & magazines

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Online Advance Purchase Methods:

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

  • Lounge Pass offers 3 hours of access for US$35 (573 ZAR) per adult or US$19 (311 ZAR) per child aged 2-11. You must pre-book for a specific date and time.

  • Plaza Premium sells 3 hours of access for 620 ZAR (US$38) per adult or 320 ZAR (US$20) per accompanying child. Reservations for a specific date and time are required.

• Airline Status/Class:

  • EgyptAir and Qatar Airways passengers flying in business or first class or holding eligible elite status can use this 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.

  • Complimentary guest entitlements will depend on how you have obtained your membership with any of these programs.

Children under 3 years old can enter for free when accompanied by an adult.

Emirates has its own lounge at O.R. Tambo International Airport. This is only accessible to passengers flying with that airline.

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

Airside, upper level, near Gate A6, between the British Airways and SAA lounges.

06:00-10:00 (6am-10am) and 15:00-22:00 (3pm-10pm) 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

• Business center with computers and printing facilities

• Prayer room

• Wi-Fi

• Newspapers & magazines

• Airline Status/Class:

  • Emirates passengers in business/first class (excluding 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

For domestic flights, there are 2 lounges that offer paid access to passengers flying any airline within South Africa.

The Bidvest Premier Lounge is the larger and more modern of the 2 Bidvest-operated lounges located in Johannesburg's domestic Terminal B.

Airside, lower level, take the escalator near the sweet & card kiosk.

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

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

• Buffet with hot and cold food

• Alcoholic, hot, and soft drinks, including beer, wine, and spirits (alcohol is available after 10am)

• Showers (subject to availability)

• Restrooms

• Smoking area

• Meeting room

• 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 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, and Nedbank.

  • Complimentary guest entitlements 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 Bidvest Sky Lounge looks out over the terminal concourse, due to its location on the upper level of Terminal B. This is smaller than the Bidvest Premier Lounge and offers fewer facilities, but it is sometimes a bit quieter.

Airside, upper level, turn right after security and take the lift to the 4th floor.

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

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

• Buffet with hot and cold food

• Alcoholic, hot, and soft drinks, including beer, spirits, and a self-service wine dispenser (alcohol is available after 10am)

• Restrooms

• Wi-Fi

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Online Advance Purchase Methods:

  • Bidvest sells 2-hour corporate passes for 300 ZAR (US$19) on its website.

  • Dragonpass Go sells 2 hours of access 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.

• 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 will provide access.

  • Complimentary guest entitlements 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.

O.R. Tambo International Airport offers an impressive selection of lounges for departing travelers. Not only do numerous airlines operate lounges at this airport, but a wide variety of third-party lounges are accessible through membership programs or by buying a day pass for passengers of any airline.

If you have a long layover in Johannesburg and don't otherwise have access to a lounge, buying a lounge pass through LoungePair could be the ideal way to make your wait more enjoyable with access to unlimited food, drinks, and shower facilities — away from the busy terminal.