During my recent trip from Dubai to Kochi, India, I had the chance to check out the SkyTeam Alliance lounge at Dubai International Airport (DXB). Though DXB is primarily home to Dubai-based flag carrier Emirates (EK), there are still multiple lounge options for passengers not traveling with EK or any of its partnering airlines.

Accessibility

The SkyTeam lounge at DXB is located at Concourse D, accessible via Terminal 1. This does mean that you would have to take the intra-airport train to Concourse D. The lounge is situated in the lounge level of the concourse, which is easily accessible via elevators or escalators once you arrive at Concourse D.

Dubai is the busiest International airport in the world; passengers will be transiting at any given hour of the day, and to cater to this, the SkyTeam Lounge is open 24 hours. As the name suggests, the lounge is primarily for first and business class passengers of SkyTeam member airlines, along with the alliance's Elite Plus Frequent Flyer members.

Photo: Abid Habib | Simple Flying

For my trip to India, I was flying with IndiGo which is not a SkyTeam member. However, I could access the lounge because I am a LoungeKey member.

Considering that the Concourse D building is significantly smaller than the actual Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 buildings of DXB, the commute between the lounge and the D gates is very convenient. Of course, for passengers requiring special assistance, the airport does provide free wheelchairs and even buggy transportation to the gates.

Entering the lounge

At first glance, the lounge was welcoming and had a pleasant vibe. Upon entering the lounge, I was greeted by the front desk staff, who checked my boarding pass and my bank card and confirmed I was eligible for complimentary entry as a LoungeKey member. The staff highlighted my gate D17 on the boarding pass and informed me there wouldn't be any boarding announcements.

Photo: Abid Habib | Simple Flying

Photo: Abid Habib | Simple Flying

The lounge looked cozy, with various types of seating available, catering for single travelers to passengers traveling as a couple, family, or in groups. While many seats were located throughout the lounge, it was arranged in a way that didn't feel crowded, making the experience feel comfortable and spacious. As per the SkyTeam website, the lounge at DXB has an overall surface area of 960 square meters (just over 10,000 sq. ft.).

Since it was the middle of the day, passenger traffic across the airport was relatively low, and there were only a few people in the lounge, which made the experience all the better. Because I was traveling with my dad, we occupied a couple of comfortable and colorful sofas around a table.

The atmosphere

An instantly noticeable feature of the lounge was that the atmosphere felt relatively open and airy, even though it didn't have a view out onto the airport apron and was lit almost entirely by overhead lights. The view out the window was onto the train platform, which took passengers from Concourse D back to the main Terminal 1 building.

Photo: Abid Habib | Simple Flying

Nevertheless, the lounge had an elegant ambiance, and the color palette used throughout the space was relaxing. This made the lounge well-equipped for the various needs a passenger might have.

Amenities

As with most lounges, the space came with free WiFi and work spaces for business travelers. There were lots of additional amenities too, such as kids' rooms for passengers traveling with little ones and even a shower facility for passengers who might be transiting and wish to freshen up after a long flight before embarking on the next leg of the journey.

Just past the lounge entrance, passengers can help themselves to a wide range of magazines and newspapers if they enjoy reading and keeping up with the latest information and trends.

Within the lounge, there is also an exclusive area where passengers can browse and select a wide variety of alcoholic drinks along with other soft drinks. This section of the lounge has its own seating arrangement and is equipped with various types of glasses used to consume different beverages.

 Photo: Abid Habib | Simple Flying

Photo: Abid Habib | Simple Flying

Though there were no boarding announcements, screens were placed throughout the lounge showing the status of all the flights, helping passengers to keep track of their time at the lounge. Furthermore, television screens offered news channels for passengers to view.

Meal service

The food available at the lounge is in a buffet format, wherein the food items available are split into different sections, thus making it easier for the guests to know where they can expect to find each food item. From a salad bar to the heated meals section and even a cereal section, the variety and options available by no means were limited.

Considering that it was the morning, the food items were all from the lounge's breakfast menu. Since I wasn't particularly hungry, I decided to have a light meal consisting of scrambled eggs, Indian Punjabi samosa, a beef and gherkin finger sandwich from the light-bites section, and an omelet-cheese-vegetable quiche from the desert section.

Photo: Abid Habib | Simple Flying

Photo: Abid Habib | Simple Flying

Photo: Abid Habib | Simple Flying

Photo: Abid Habib | Simple Flying

I also had a small serving of carrots, celery, and olives from the salad bar, with some apple and berry compote. By the time it was time to leave the lounge (shortly before 11:00), the staff at the lounge had begun setting up for lunch.

Drinks available

This being a light meal for me, and with a plan to sleep throughout the upcoming flight, I decided against coffee and went for a glass of fresh orange juice. There are a variety of fresh juices, and milk is available for guests to enjoy with their breakfast.

A must-try drink when visiting any Middle East country is the traditional Arabic coffee, along with Arabic date fruits. In my opinion, this is a plus point for the lounge that they offer this for passengers. Furthermore, coffee machines are available with various hot beverages for passengers to choose from. A collection of flavored tea bags is available for guests that prefer tea.

Photo: Abid Habib | Simple Flying

Different soft drinks and water (sparkling/regular) can be found in chillers located near the central food station and in the alcohol section of the lounge.

Friendly staff

The staff were welcoming and helpful throughout my short stay at the lounge. The front desk staff were efficient in checking us into the lounge, and a team of staff were positioned across the lounge, always willing to help guests. A personal observation of mine was that I saw a member of the staff help serve food to a couple of senior guests, which indicates the level of customer service offered.

Additionally, the staff had good observational skills and always ensured that the food items were well stocked and, if an item was running low, would have it replenished, ensuring passengers always have all food options available to them. Perhaps most importantly, the staff were always visible and hence reachable.

Conclusion

Overall, my experience at the SkyTeam lounge was extremely pleasant and comfortable. Now if you are flying with Emirates in first or business class or are a Skywards Gold or Platinum member, you would be better off in one of the Emirates lounges located across DXB terminals.

However, if you are traveling on one of the six SkyTeam airlines flying to Dubai (soon to be seven once Virgin Atlantic commences flights) or can access the lounge, I would recommend the SkyTeam lounge.