Gatwick lounges: every lounge in the North and South Terminals
Gatwick has nine departure lounges anyone can pay to use, five in the North Terminal and four in the South, plus a shower room for arrivals, and they open early: five of them from 04:00. Pick by terminal first, as your boarding pass decides it, then by what you want from the wait: table service, a buffet and a bar, a games room for the children or the only outdoor terrace at the airport. Prices below are the lowest the airport and the operators publish, for entry up to three hours before departure.
The short answer
For a proper meal, book Clubrooms from £44: table service, adults and over-12s only, with Fast Track security included. With children in the North Terminal, Plaza Premium from £40 has a kids' zone; on a budget, Plaza Express from £28. In the South Terminal, No1 from £38 is the all-rounder and My Lounge has the only outdoor terrace.
An easyJet Airbus at a jet bridge on stand at Gatwick North Terminal
After security, upper level of departures; follow signs to the lounge
From £34 on the airport's booking page, £38 direct; Priority Pass accepted; closed on 25 December
Hours: 04:00–20:00
Outdoor terrace (smoking permitted)
Self-service bar
Hot and cold buffet
Games room
Runway views
Wi-Fi
The only outdoor terrace at Gatwick, where smoking is allowed, plus a games room inside.
Best forSmokers, and anyone who wants fresh air before boarding.
Clubrooms
After security, Pier 1: from the upper level of the departure lounge, take the corridor between Dixons and JD Sports
From £44, Fast Track security included; ages 12 and over only; Priority Pass, LoungeKey and DragonPass members pay an extra fee from £10
Hours: 06:00–21:00
Dedicated waiter service
À la carte menu
Cocktails
Quiet business zones
Fast Track security
Wi-Fi
The South Terminal's quietest room, with waiter service and open later than its North Terminal twin.
Best forAn evening long-haul departure, without children.
Club Aspire
After security, Level 1 by stairs or escalator; follow signs to Lounges, between WHSmith and the Sunglasses Boutique
From £34 direct, £36 on the airport's booking page; Priority Pass accepted; smart casual, no sportswear
Hours: 06:00–19:00
Fully tended bar
Hot and cold food
Quiet zones
Airfield views
Wi-Fi
Airfield views and quiet zones: a calm alternative to No1 in the South Terminal.
Best forA quiet hour with a book before a daytime flight.
Is a lounge worth it at Gatwick?
For an early flight or a family holiday, usually. Entry covers up to three hours before your departure, with food, drinks and Wi-Fi, from £28 at Plaza Express to £44 at Clubrooms. Gatwick's security is quick, so you will have time to use it. A Clubrooms booking also includes Fast Track security, normally from £6 a person, which narrows the gap.
Book on the airport's site or the operator's: the airport's prices for No1, My Lounge and Club Aspire differ from the operators' by £2–4, so check both.
Lounges for families
In the North Terminal, Plaza Premium and Plaza Express both have kids' zones, and My Lounge has a games room with video games and foosball, and family seating. In the South Terminal, My Lounge has the same games room. Clubrooms admits only those aged 12 and over, and No1 may ask families with under-12s to use family areas. Away from the lounges, both departure lounges have free Kids Zones.
Arriving: shower and breakfast
Not a lounge as such, but Arrive & Refresh gives you a private hotel room in the North Terminal with an en-suite shower, fresh towels, continental breakfast and the hotel gym, from £109 a stay. None of Gatwick's departure lounges lists showers, so this is the only way to wash after an overnight flight before heading into London.
With Priority Pass or another lounge card
Priority Pass lists eight Gatwick lounges: No1, My Lounge, Clubrooms and Plaza Premium in the North Terminal; No1, My Lounge, Clubrooms and Club Aspire in the South. The No1 group's lounges also take DragonPass and LoungeKey, and cardholders can reserve a guaranteed place from £6. Clubrooms charges cardholders an extra fee from £10. Plaza Express is not on the Priority Pass list.
When the lounge is full
Walk-in card access depends on space, and Priority Pass warns that Plaza Premium restricts entry at peak times. In the summer holidays and at weekends, reserve: it is £6 at the No1 group's lounges for cardholders. If you are turned away, Priority Pass also lists restaurant vouchers at The Breakfast Club and Juniper & Co in the North Terminal.
Clubrooms, in either terminal, for table service and an à la carte menu from £44 with Fast Track security included. For value, No1 from £38; with children, Plaza Premium in the North Terminal from £40.
What is the cheapest lounge at Gatwick?
Plaza Express in the North Terminal, from £28 on the airport's booking page. In the South Terminal, My Lounge from £34.
Can I use a Gatwick lounge without flying business?
Yes. Any checked-in passenger on any airline and any ticket can book the No1, My Lounge, Clubrooms, Club Aspire and Plaza lounges.
Which Gatwick lounges open earliest?
No1 and My Lounge in both terminals and Plaza Premium in the North Terminal open at 04:00.
Does any Gatwick lounge have an outdoor terrace?
Yes: My Lounge in the South Terminal has the only outdoor terrace at Gatwick, and smoking is permitted there.
Are there showers in Gatwick lounges?
None of the departure lounges lists showers. Arrive & Refresh in the North Terminal has a private room with an en-suite shower, from £109.
Can children use Gatwick lounges?
Yes, except Clubrooms, which is for ages 12 and over. Plaza Premium and Plaza Express in the North Terminal have kids' zones, and My Lounge has a games room.
