Ultimate Guide to Nairobi Airport (NBO) Lounges

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) is the main airport in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, and a major gateway to East Africa. A hub for Kenya Airways, it's also served by major international airlines including Air France, British Airways, Emirates, KLM, Lufthansa, and Qatar Airways.

You can make the time spent waiting for your flight from Nairobi more comfortable and enjoyable by using one of the airport's 9 lounges. This includes lounge options in both the international and domestic sections of Terminals 1 and 2.

Even if you don't already have lounge access through your airline, credit card, or another kind of membership, LoungePair sells flexible one-time access passes for all of the lounges at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

This guide shows you what to expect in every airport lounge in Nairobi and all the different ways to access them.

The airport lounges available to you in Nairobi will depend, firstly, on which terminal your flight departs from.

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport has two terminal buildings, each with separate areas for domestic and international departures:

• Terminal 1 is the main terminal, serving Kenya Airways and most international airlines.

• Terminal 2 handles flights for several low-cost and regional airlines, including African Express Airways, Fastjet, and Fly540.

Terminal 1 has 5 interconnected sections that combine to make a horseshoe shape:

• Terminals 1A, 1B, and 1C are used for check-in for international departures

• Terminal 1D is for domestic flights

• Terminal 1E is for international arrivals

You must check in for your flight at the section of the terminal where your airline operates. In fact, you will only be allowed to enter the building if you have a ticket for a departing flight from that specific terminal section.

However, after clearing passport control and security, departing international passengers in Terminal 1 can walk freely between Terminals 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1E. This means you can access a lounge in a different section of Terminal 1, as long as it's within the international departures area. In practice, many people still choose to use the lounge that is closest to their departure gate — but you don't have to.

If you're departing from Nairobi on an international flight from Terminal 1, there are 6 different airside lounges that you can access across Terminals 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1E. Amenities, pricing, and access options vary, so let's take a closer look at your options.

The Pride Lounge is Kenya Airways' main lounge in Nairobi. It has great aircraft views and different areas for relaxing, dining, working, and napping.

This lounge was refurbished in recent years and has plenty of food and drink options, including a staffed bar serving cocktails and several live food stations. A particular highlight is the shawarma station, which also serves eggs during breakfast hours.

Airside in Terminal 1A, on the upper level near Gate 17. Turn left after duty-free.

24 hours daily

• Hot and cold food, including items from the buffet and live cooking stations

• Alcoholic, soft, and hot drinks, including those from a staffed bar

• Complimentary showers (subject to availability)

• Quiet area for day beds for napping

• Smoking room

• Restrooms

• Wi-Fi

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Online Advance Purchase Methods:

  • Dragonpass Go offers 4-hour access for US$55 (7,100 KES).

• Airline Status/Class:

  • SkyTeam passengers flying business class or holding SkyTeam ElitePlus status on any alliance member airline, including Air France, KLM, Kenya Airways, and Saudia.

  • Qatar Airways passengers flying business class or holding oneworld Sapphire/Emerald status.

  • China Southern and RwandAir passengers flying business class or holding eligible status.

• Memberships & Cardholders:

  • A Dragonpass or DreamFolks membership will get you access to this lounge.

  • A credit card that includes Dragonpass visits can also get you in.

• Walk-Up Access: Passengers flying on Kenya Airways or a SkyTeam partner airline in economy class can purchase walk-up access, subject to space availability. The cost is US$40 for up to 3 hours, or US$75 for up to 6 hours.

Children under 2 years old can enter for free with an adult.

Keeping with the lion-themed naming convention, Simba Lounge is the smaller of the two Kenya Airways international lounges in Terminal 1A. Although it offers slightly fewer amenities than the Pride Lounge, the Simba Lounge is often quieter, and the food is good.

Note that this lounge closes overnight — if you require lounge access between midnight and 5am, consider purchasing access to a different lounge instead.

Airside in Terminal 1A, on the upper level near Gate 15. Turn right after duty-free.

05:00-00:00 (5am-midnight) daily

• Hot and cold food buffet

• Alcoholic, soft, and hot drinks

• Complimentary showers (subject to availability)

• Family room

• Smoking room

• Private meeting room (available for an extra charge)

• Restrooms

• Wi-Fi

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Online Advance Purchase Methods:

  • Dragonpass Go offers 4-hour access for US$55 (7,100 KES).

• Airline Status/Class:

  • SkyTeam passengers flying business class or holding SkyTeam ElitePlus status on any alliance member airline, including Air France, KLM, Kenya Airways, and Saudia.

  • Qatar Airways passengers flying business class or holding oneworld Sapphire/Emerald status.

• Memberships & Cardholders:

  • A Dragonpass or DreamFolks membership will get you access to this lounge.

  • A credit card that includes Dragonpass visits can also get you in.

• Walk-Up Access: Passengers flying on Kenya Airways or a SkyTeam partner airline in economy class can purchase walk-up access, subject to space availability. The cost is US$40 for up to 3 hours, or US$75 for up to 6 hours.

Children under 2 years old can enter for free with an adult.

Not affiliated with any particular airline, the Aspire Lounge is a popular choice for international passengers departing from Nairobi. Its central location in Terminal 1B makes it easily accessible regardless of which gate in Terminal 1 your flight departs from.

This is one of the smaller lounges in this terminal, but it gets all the basics right. While the food selection isn't as extensive as at some other lounges, the quality is good, and barista coffee is available.

Airside in Terminal 1B, near Gate 11

24 hours daily

• Hot and cold food buffet

• Hot beverages, including barista coffee

• Soft and alcoholic drinks (extra charges apply for premium alcoholic drinks, including champagne, prosecco, and cocktails)

• Complimentary showers (subject to availability)

• Restrooms

• Wi-Fi

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Online Advance Purchase Methods:

  • Aspire Lounges and Lounge Pass both offer 3-hour access for US$36 (4,650 KES). You must book in advance for a specific date and time.

  • Dragonpass Go offers 3-hour passes for US$55 (7,100 KES).

• Airline Status/Class:

  • Brussels Airlines and Lufthansa business class passengers or those with Star Alliance Gold status can use this lounge.

• Memberships:

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

  • A credit card that includes a membership to one of these programs can also get you entry.

Children under 3 years old can enter for free with an adult.

The Asante Lounge, named after the Swahili word for "thank you", is Kenya Airways' other international airport lounge in Nairobi.

This is an older, relatively small lounge in Terminal 1C, but it offers many of the same amenities as the other Kenya Airways lounges and may be less busy. Unfortunately, this lounge does not offer aircraft views due to its internal location within the terminal building.

Airside in Terminal 1C, next to Gate 6

24 hours daily

• Hot and cold food from the buffet and live cooking stations

• Alcoholic, soft, and hot drinks

• Complimentary showers (subject to availability)

• Family room

• Restrooms

• Wi-Fi

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Online Advance Purchase Methods:

  • Dragonpass Go offers 4-hour access for US$55 (7,100 KES).

• Airline Status/Class:

  • SkyTeam passengers flying business class or holding SkyTeam ElitePlus status on any alliance member airline, including Air France, KLM, Kenya Airways, and Saudia.

  • Etihad Airways passengers flying business class or with lounge access entitlements through their Etihad Guest or partner airline membership.

• Memberships:

  • A Dragonpass or DreamFolks membership will get you access to this lounge.

• Walk-Up Access: Passengers flying on Kenya Airways or a SkyTeam partner airline in economy class can purchase walk-up access, subject to space availability. The cost is US$40 for up to 3 hours, or US$75 for up to 6 hours.

Nairobi's Plaza Premium Lounge is one of the best-rated lounges at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

This bright, modern lounge offers great views, plenty of seating, and delicious food and drink options.

Airside in Terminal 1C, near Gate 4

24 hours daily

• Hot and cold food buffet

• Alcoholic, soft, and hot drinks

• Complimentary showers (subject to availability)

• Prayer rooms

• Restrooms

• Wi-Fi

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Online Advance Purchase Methods:

  • Lounge Pass offers 3-hour access for US$45 (5,800 KES), with a fixed date-and-time booking required.

  • Plaza Premium sells access passes for US$47 (6,100 KES) for up to 3 hours, or US$74 (9,600 KES) for up to 6 hours, with a fixed date-and-time booking required.

• Airline Status/Class:

  • British Airways passengers flying business or first class, or holding oneworld Sapphire or Emerald status.

  • Lufthansa business class and Star Alliance Gold passengers.

  • Emirates passengers flying business or first class.

• Memberships:

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

  • American Express Platinum cardholders get access to Plaza Premium Lounges.

• Walk-Up Access: Subject to capacity, you may be able to purchase access at the door.

Children under 3 years old can enter for free with an adult.

The Turkish Airlines Star Alliance Lounge is a bit farther from Terminal 1's international boarding gates than other lounges, but it can be worth the walk.

This brightly decorated lounge offers lots of food, a bar, and amenities, including lockers and showers. It is also one of the few airport lounges in Nairobi with a video game play area for kids, as well as prayer rooms for Muslim travelers.

While this lounge is primarily intended for Star Alliance passengers, you don't necessarily need to be flying on a Star Alliance airline to access it using a lounge membership or day pass.

Airside in Terminal 1E, along the corridor between Gate 13 and Gate 4

24 hours daily

• Buffet with hot and cold food

• Alcoholic, hot, and soft drinks

• Complimentary showers (subject to availability)

• Kids play area

• Prayer room

• Luggage lockers

• Restrooms

• Wi-Fi

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Online Advance Purchase Methods:

  • Dragonpass Go sells 3-hour passes for US$55 (7,100 KES).

  • Lounge Pass offers 3 hours of access for US$51 (6,600 KES), with advance booking required for a specific date and time.

• Airline Status/Class:

  • Business class and Star Alliance Gold passengers flying on any Star Alliance airline, including Brussels Airlines, Egypt Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Lufthansa, and Turkish Airlines.

  • Emirates passengers holding Emirates Skywards Gold or Platinum status.

• Memberships:

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

  • A credit card that comes with one of these memberships can also get you access.

Children under 2 years old can enter for free with an adult.

If you're taking an international flight from Terminal 2 of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Mara Lounge is the only lounge available.

Airside in the international departures area of Terminal 2, after security and passport control, on Level 1

24 hours daily

• Snacks and refreshments

• Alcoholic, hot, and soft drinks (premium alcoholic drinks cost extra)

• Wi-Fi

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Online Advance Purchase Methods:

  • Dragonpass Go offers 3 hours of access for US$55 (7,100 KES).

  • Lounge Pass sells up to 3 hours of access for US$29 (3,750 KES), with a reservation required for a fixed date and time.

• Memberships:

  • A Dragonpass, DreamFolks, LoungeKey, or Priority Pass membership gets you into this lounge.

Children under 2 years old can enter for free with an adult. (As an exception, if you access this lounge through Priority Pass, you can bring up to one child under 12 as a free guest.)

Kenya Airways operates the only lounge in Terminal 1 for passengers departing on domestic flights.

The Msafiri Lounge is a basic but comfortable lounge designed for passengers departing on Kenya Airways domestic flights.

Airside in Terminal 1D, after security, on the ground level of the domestic departures area

05:00-00:00 (5am-midnight) daily

• Buffet with snacks and refreshments

• Alcoholic, hot, and soft drinks

• Wi-Fi

• Newspapers and magazines

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Online Advance Purchase Methods:

  • Dragonpass Go sells 3-hour passes to this lounge for US$55 (7,100 KES).

• Airline Status/Class:

  • Kenya Airways domestic passengers flying business class or holding SkyTeam ElitePlus status.

• Memberships:

  • A Dragonpass or DreamFolks membership can get you into this lounge.

• Walk-Up Access: Passengers flying on Kenya Airways in economy class can purchase walk-up access, subject to space availability. The cost is US$25 for up to 3 hours.

Children under 2 years old can enter for free with an adult. (Discounted rates may apply for children aged 2-12 years old when purchasing access directly from Kenya Airways.)

Mount Kenya Lounge is the only lounge available to domestic passengers departing from Terminal 2.

Airside, after security in the domestic departures area of Terminal 2, on Level 1

24 hours daily

• Snacks and refreshments

• Alcoholic, hot, and soft drinks (extra charges apply for premium alcoholic beverages)

• Wi-Fi

• Flexible Day Pass:

• Other Online Advance Purchase Methods:

  • Dragonpass Go sells 3-hour passes for US$55 (7,100 KES).

  • Lounge Pass sells up to 3 hours of access for US$25 (3,f250 KES), with a reservation required for a fixed date and time.

• Memberships:

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

Children under 2 years old can enter for free with an adult.

Regardless of which airline you're flying, or where you're flying to, there are lounges available at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport that can help you relax before your flight.

In fact, if you're departing from Terminal 1 on an international flight, you're spoiled for choice with all the different premium lounge options.

Whether you're starting your journey in Nairobi or transiting between flights, lounge access can make the time spent waiting at the airport much more enjoyable.