South Africa ranks in first place for another global award
South Africa’s Bidvest Premier Lounge at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg has been ranked as the best airport lounge in Africa.
In the recently released 2026 Priority Pass Excellence Awards, the Bidvest Premier Lounge at Johannesburg’s airport secured first place in the Middle East and Africa.
This year’s rankings are based on over 700,000 reviews from Priority Pass members.
The awards are categorised into five groups:
- Regional Winners: This includes an overall global winner.
- Highly Recommended Lounges: These are the runners-up.
- Pioneer of the Year: This recognition is for innovation.
- All-Star of the Year: This award focuses on outstanding customer service.
- One to Watch: This category honours lounges that have demonstrated significant improvements.
The overall global Priority Pass Excellence Awards winner for 2026 is the Escape Lounge located at Portland International Airport in Oregon, United States.
The regional winners for 2026 are as follows:
- Asia: Lounge Fukuoka at Fukuoka International Airport, Japan
- Latin America and the Caribbean: Club Kingston, Norman Manley International Airport, Jamaica
- Europe: Vienna Lounge at Vienna Schwechat Airport, Austria, which was also the global winner in 2024.
In the category of highly commended lounges for 2026:
- Asia: Kyra Lounge at Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok International Airport ranked first.
- Latin America and the Caribbean: The Advantage VIP Lounge at Campinas Viracopos International Airport in Brazil took the top spot.
- Europe, Middle East, and Africa: No. 1 Lounge Jersey at Jersey Airport in Jersey was ranked first.
- North America: Escape Lounges at Kansas City International Airport in the United States was recognised as the most highly commended lounge.
This year introduced a new category called “One to Watch,” which highlights lounges that have significantly improved their overall experience within the Priority Pass global network, as reflected in customer reviews.
In this category:
- Asia: Kocoo Lounge at Narita International Airport in Japan ranked first.
- Americas: Advantage VIP Lounge at São Paulo Congonhas Airport in Brazil was recognised as the best.
- Europe: VIP Lounge ‘Angelo D’Arrigo’ at Catania Fontanarossa Airport in Italy took the top spot.
Bidvest Premier Lounge South Africa
Bidvest Premier Domestic Departure Lounges are located in all major South African airports, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, George, East London, Mpumalanga, and Bloemfontein.
The group’s International Departure Lounges are located in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Mpumalanga.
“The main purpose of our Bidvest Lounges is to offer an oasis of comfort in the hustle and bustle of the airport. Smoking areas are available in most lounges,” said Bidvest Premier Lounge.
Bidvest said it has established long-standing relationships with various airlines and corporate partners, including Diners Club, ABSA, Investec, Nedbank, Standard Bank, and the Collinson Group.
These partnerships, according to Bidvest, allow cardholders access to our lounges, subject to the specific terms and conditions set by each partner.
Walk-in visits are permitted, and lounge entry is granted on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to availability.
The lounge facilities include:
- Designated smoking areas
- Showers and toilets
- Accessibility options for disabled guests
- Free Wi-Fi
- Complimentary access to Press Reader
- Complimentary food and beverages
The corporate lounge rates are R300 for two hours for domestic flights and R638 for four hours for international flights.
The walk-in rates are R334 for domestic flights and R708 for international flights.
Children under two years old can access the lounge for free, while children over two years are subject to the standard walk-in rates.
Photos of the commercial Bidvest Premier Lounge at OR Tambo International Airport
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