Review: 51st & Green Lounge at Dublin Airport

One of the fantastic things about flying from Dublin to the United States is the fact that Dublin has US Preclearance. All immigration formalities occur before you leave, which is just great. Even better is that there is now a lounge after this called 51st & Green.

When Terminal 2 first opened, premium passengers waited in the gate area with everyone else, which could be quite some time. Happily this has been addressed with the 51st & Green lounge, so let’s have a look.

Arriving at 51st & Green

US Preclearance consists of another security check where you need to do the US thing of removing your shoes. From there it is off to the Passport control machines, then a queue. After this you see an officer and you’re officially in the USA even though you’re still in Ireland.

From here you need to walk to the end of the pier where you’ll find the lounge. Access is granted to business class passengers as well as high level frequent flyers such as oneworld Emerald and Sapphire. While I was being let in, someone actually tried to walk straight in without being checked but the lady at the desk caught him and sent him on his way. Some people!

Lounge Decor

Having the lounge situated at the end of the pier means there are windows with views of the apron on all sides. This makes for a space absolutely drenched in natural light which is excellent. There are numerous places to sit, each with different kinds of seating.

Since the lounge is relatively new, there are device charging ports everywhere which I was pleased about. These charged my phone fairly quickly which is needed as I take photos on it when flying. The lounge is split level also, with the dining tables and some seating on the lower level and other seating raised above. It makes the space feel less like one big room which works quite well.

How About A Shower?

Making a good use of space is important and the shower facility also doubles as the disabled bathroom and baby changing room. It’s quite large and decked out in a marble looking tile.

I do wonder how much the shower in 51st & Green gets used, since most of the US bound flights leave in the morning. I guess if you were after having a hard night out before heading to the airport, you might want to sluice off, but otherwise not so much.

Barista Coffee and Cocktails

A barista tends the bar where you can get coffee and cocktails. Since it was morning, I opted for a latte, which is always my favourite coffee. It comes in the appropriate glass and you can choose a biscuit from the jar to go with it.

Cocktails are complimentary in the lounge as are all the drinks, so of course I had a Mojito later on. This was quite delicious and the perfect start to the trip!

Food, Glorious Food

51st & Green doesn’t skimp on the complimentary food options either. There is a decent selection of hot and cold options available for you before your flight. Since some people would have missed their hotel breakfast due to an early start, this is probably very welcome.

From nutella filled crepes to baked beans and hash browns, there is something for everyone here. It certainly has a more American slant than a typical Irish breakfast – there is no black and white pudding for example – but that’s no quibble. The spread is very good!

Modern and Clean Toilets

Important for any space that serves food and drink are the bathroom facilities. These are not large, but are more than adequate for the passenger traffic passing through the 51st & Green lounge.

What about that view outside? I did mention that you can see all the airport action from the lounge and this is certainly true. As the lounge is positioned next to the active runway, the view is cool. Certainly one for the aviation geeks! Happily, you can pay in to this lounge which is €35 per person pre-booked or €39 per person if you pay at the lounge entrance.

Overall Thoughts

Is 51st & Green the best lounge at Dublin Airport? Well, having not visited the Etihad lounge, I can’t make that call. However out of all the other lounges – the two Dublin Airport Authority operated lounges and the Aer Lingus lounge – this is easily the best.

This lounge has the best views by a long shot for a start, is the most modern and also has the best food selection. It is only available to passengers departing for the USA and is technically on US soil. Since these are premium services it is nice to see a premium lounge to match.

Have you experienced the 51st & Green lounge in Dublin? What did you think? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.

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