Prior to taking an Airlink flight from Johannesburg to Nelspruit on a trip to South Africa with my dad earlier this year, I briefly visited the Bidvest Sky Lounge in Johannesburg Airport’s domestic terminal.
Continue reading this review to see what the lounge was like and whether it is worth a visit.
Location & Opening Hours
The Bidvest Sky Lounge at Johannesburg Airport is open from 4:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. every day.
It is located airside (i.e., after security check) in Terminal B, the domestic terminal at Johannesburg Airport.
Getting to the lounge is easy – either walk up the stairs or take one of the elevators located on your right immediately after you get through security check. The Bidvest Sky Lounge is located in the same general area as the South African Airways lounge.
Keep in mind that there is a separate Bidvest Premier Lounge on the floor below the main departures level, on the way to the terminal’s bus gates. At the time of my visit, however, it was being renovated.
Entry Requirements
The Bidvest Sky Lounge (and the Bidvest Premier Lounge when open for that matter) can be accessed using Priority Pass, DragonPass, and some other similar membership programs. It is worth mentioning that on the Priority Pass website it is listed as “ORT Sky Lounge.”
In case you are not eligible for free access, you can also pre-book a visit to the lounge for 270 ZAR (approximately $15) for two hours or pay 300 ZAR (approximately $17) at the reception.
Layout, Seating & Other Facilities
The Bidvest Sky Lounge essentially comprised of one room with a buffet counter in the middle.
Seating included pairs of sofa chairs separated by a coffee table, coffee tables with four sofa chairs around them, a few dining tables for two, and a counter along the lounge’s windows, which overlooked the security check area.
At the time of my visit on a weekday morning, nearly all seats in the lounge were taken.
There was also a rack with a selection of newspapers and magazines.
Drinks
There were a couple of refrigerators with canned soft drinks and bottled beer along the sides of the lounge. Additionally, there were Heineken beer on tap, a coffee machine, a selection of teas, a pitcher with orange juice, and a water dispenser.
Soft drinks included Coke, Coke Zero, ginger beer, Fanta, Sparletta (cream soda available in South Africa and Zimbabwe), lemonade, tonic, tomato juice, and club soda.
Bottled beer included seven or eight different products from multiple brands. Non-alcoholic beer was available too. Wine and liquor were not available.
Food
When I visited the lounge during breakfast time, the available food included a limited selection of bread, muffins, and pastries, as well as waffles.
A selection of yogurts, cereals, and cut fruits was available as well.
There were also cold cuts including ham and cheese, and light bites like olives.
Lastly, warm items included scrambled eggs, beef sausages, and chakalaka.
I did not eat in the lounge so cannot talk about the food quality with certainty, however, it looked to be average contract lounge food – nothing to write home about but at the same time more than good enough to fill one up if needed before a flight.
Bidvest Sky Lounge (Domestic) Johannesburg Summary
All in all, the Bidvest Sky Lounge in Johannesburg Airport’s domestic terminal was your typical contract lounge. There was nothing that stood out about it in terms of design and ambiance or food and drinks selection. It was also fairly crowded during the time I visited.
As such, I would only stop by the lounge if you want to grab a quick bite to eat or have something to drink (except for wine or liquor). When it comes to waiting for your flight, there were some sofas just past security that also served as a charging spot. I found those more comfortable than the lounge but whether that is the case for you too will depend on how crowded that area and the lounge are.
