The Dublin Airport Authority operate the DAA lounge in Terminal 1, which many airlines serving the Irish capital use. It has gone through a few design amendments over the past number of years.
For an airport operated lounge in Europe, it is at least on par if not better than others I’ve visited. It’s easily better than the lounge in Toulouse for example.
Entering The Lounge
The lounge entrance is located just beside security in Terminal 1 and you go upstairs to access it. When you arrive, there is a reception desk immediately in front of you and when the lounge opened (hours are 05:30 to 17:00 daily at present, according to the DAA website), there was a queue. Amusingly, you needed to enter the lounge to get into the queue.
The DAA Lounge
One of the features of the lounge is a tended bar, where you can get barista coffee and drinks. The website says you are limited to two drinks per person, but I’ve never tried to see how this works in practice. On the left side where the bar is, there is high seating for working.
Overall Thoughts
I’ve reviewed the DAA Lounge on a number of occasions. The food was much better in 2016, they then did a questionable renovation in 2017. Later the same year, I queried the lack of food choices, but now I’d probably want to go back to those halcyon days, as at the moment it’s meagre compared to then.
I suppose we are lucky to have the lounge at all at the minute, so I’m not complaining. Since I was flying out in business class, I was going to get fed on my British Airways flight anyway, so the food didn’t bother me. It’s always fresh and tasty, so there is that, which is to be expected.
What do you think of the DAA lounge at Dublin Airport Terminal 1? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.
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I’m not a fan of this lounge and have said some harsh things about it in the past.
Relaying a local radio station at one end with Sky News blaring at the other end is, in my opinion, just crass.
However, your damning it with faint praise – “It’s easily better than the lounge in Toulouse for example” – is a wonderfully understated and well deserved put down.
Maybe the DAA could use it in their promo material:
Dublin Airport – We’re not the only airport in Europe without a rail link – Our queues are not as long as Manchester – Our lounge is not as bad as Toulouse.
Same here, I haven’t really held back on this lounge at all. It’s certainly not as nice as the old BMI lounge was, that’s for sure. Hahaha! Love the promo tag line there 🙂 Could you imagine…!!
Whilst the food selection has declined it is still fine (fresh fruit, yogurt and porridge in the morning, two types of sandwiches, one type of wrap and soup in the afternoon and evenings along with some snacks, soft drinks etc.) I would much rather see the lounge extend its closing time past 5pm as there is a large bulk of flights departing Dublin after this to mainland Europe and the UK. It used to be open until 9pm. I understand the logic previously but the lounge is generally full until 5pm and then everyone spills out into the terminal as no other lounges are open any later.
I was in the lounge yesterday (flying BA and using my Silver status for entry) and I noticed that the attendant explained to anyone with a Priority Pass that there was a two drink limit but did not say it to myself, the man in front of me with a KLM gold card or my partner behind me who also has silver BA card. It’s a mute point as I have never witnessed the two drink limit being enforced. The staff in general are very friendly and accommodating.
Oh yes, there is still enough food to not shame the country, which is good. Completely agree on the opening hours, it’s time to extend them now. It’s not too different from other places though, as I was in Hawaii recently and the AA/JL lounge didn’t open until 10:30am despite various oneworld flights leaving before then.
Thanks for the info on the two drinks. It may well be part of the Priority Pass contract and I’d say the same for their own €20 customers, but not for the airline status holders. Interesting to know! Agree on the staff, they’re always great. Thanks for the comment!