Ranking
The 10 best airport lounges in the UAE: 2026
Emirates' First Class and Business Class lounges in Dubai and Etihad's First Lounge in Abu Dhabi lead the UAE's ten best at 4.7.
- 9
- 2
4.7/5 overall
Opened 2013. Rated 4.7/5 across 14 measures. 20 showers. Emirates First Class passengers and Skywards Platinum members; Platinum guests: 1 adult plus 2 children under 17.
Get in with: Emirates Lounge
4.7/5 overall
Opened 2008, renovated 2024. Rated 4.7/5 across 14 measures. 20 showers. Emirates First Class passengers and Skywards Platinum members; Platinum guests: 1 adult plus 2 children under 17.
Get in with: Emirates Lounge
3. Etihad First Lounge
AUH · Terminal A · Abu Dhabi
4.7/5 overall
Etihad's First Lounge at Zayed International has its own reception lobby inside the Terminal A lounge complex and a private lift up to the rooftop lounge.
4. Marhaba Lounge (B)
DXB · Terminal 3 (Concourse B) · Dubai
4.7/5 overall
Rated 4.7/5 across 14 measures. 4 showers. Priority Pass, LoungeKey and DragonPass members: guests per the card's allowance (usually $35 each); Priority Pass…
Get in with: DragonPass, LoungeKey, Priority Pass
5. Marhaba Lounge (T2)
DXB · Terminal 2 · Dubai
4.7/5 overall
Rated 4.7/5 across 13 measures. Priority Pass, LoungeKey and DragonPass members: guests per the card's allowance (usually $35 each); Priority Pass…
Get in with: DragonPass, LoungeKey, Priority Pass
6. British Airways Lounge
DXB · Terminal 1 (Concourse D) · Dubai
4.6/5 overall
Opened 2025. Rated 4.6/5 across 14 measures. 2 showers. Business class passengers: no guests.
Get in with: Galleries Lounge, oneworld Sapphire/Emerald Lounge Access
4.6/5 overall
Opened 2013. Rated 4.6/5 across 14 measures. 20 showers. Emirates first/business passengers (Business Special fares excluded) and Skywards Gold/Platinum; Skywards Silver…
Get in with: Emirates Lounge
4.6/5 overall
Opened 2008. Rated 4.6/5 across 14 measures. 30 showers. Emirates first/business passengers (Business Special fares excluded) and Skywards Gold/Platinum; Skywards Silver…
Get in with: Emirates Lounge
9. Etihad Business Lounge
AUH · Terminal A · Abu Dhabi
4.6/5 overall
Etihad's main business lounge at Zayed International sits in the three-floor lounge complex on the north side of Terminal A, between Piers C and D.
Get in with: Etihad Lounge
The list at a glance#
Dubai's Terminal 3 is essentially one enormous Emirates lounge complex, and Abu Dhabi's Terminal A gave Etihad a new flagship. This list ranks the ten best photographed lounges across both airports, including the independent Marhaba lounges.
The ranking runs from highest overall score down, with ties broken alphabetically. It covers 10 lounges at 2 airports, every one of them photographed, and it is frozen as published.
The standouts#
My shortlist would start with Emirates Business Class Lounge (C). I wouldn't cross terminals just to chase a higher score. The best choice still needs to fit the flight and the entry rules.
- Emirates Business Class Lounge (C) at DXB rates 4.7 overall. It is in Terminal 3 (Concourse C), a full bar, 12 shower suites, opened 2008.
- Emirates First Class Lounge (A) at DXB rates 4.7 overall. It is in Terminal 3 (Concourse A), a craft cocktail bar, 20 shower suites, opened 2013.
- Emirates First Class Lounge (B) at DXB rates 4.7 overall. It is in Terminal 3 (Concourse B), a craft cocktail bar, 20 shower suites, opened 2008.
Between them the 10 lounges offer 128 shower suites, and 3 pour craft cocktails.
How to get in#
Emirates Business Class Lounge (C) admits members of Emirates Lounge. Emirates First Class Lounge (A) admits members of Emirates Lounge. Each lounge page lists every card, membership and status tier that opens the door, plus hours and the nearest gate.
How we score#
Scores are editorial, set by the Lounge Frog team on a 1 to 5 scale across up to 15 measures; our methodology explains each one. For the full ranking see the top 100 lounges.
Putting this into practice#
The names I'd check against the actual boarding pass include Emirates Business Class Lounge (C), Emirates First Class Lounge (A). I would start with the terminal and the time available after security. That turns a directory into a realistic shortlist. A lounge can be excellent and still be a poor choice for this departure if reaching it uses most of the waiting time. The location notes above should do as much work as the overall score.
The access check comes next. I'd identify the exact card, membership, status or ticket being used and read the conditions for that route into the lounge. A lounge appearing on a card's map is a starting point for that check. It is not a reason to assume every fare, guest or departure will qualify in the same way.
I would decide what I want from the stop before comparing amenities. For a meal, the food available during the actual visit matters. For work, I'd look for a suitable seat and power. For a short connection, simply finding a comfortable place near the gate may be the better result. There is little value in an amenity I cannot use.
The trade-offs I would check#
Traveling with someone else changes the calculation. I'd check the party's eligibility together, including any guest charge, rather than discover at reception that only one person is covered. A paid visit needs to make sense for the whole group and the time left. I would compare that total with a meal or a quieter seat elsewhere in the terminal.
Cite this article
Patrick Karsh. “The 10 best airport lounges in the UAE: 2026.” Lounge Frog. Published 2026-09-27. Updated 2026-10-14. https://www.loungefrog.com/news/best-airport-lounges-uae-2026
Wikipedia citation
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Quick answers
What is the best lounge on this list?
Emirates First Class Lounge (A) at DXB, in Terminal 3 (Concourse A), rated 4.7/5 overall. Next come Emirates First Class Lounge (B) and Etihad First Lounge.
Which lounge networks get you into these lounges?
Emirates Lounge opens 4 of the 9; DragonPass opens 2 of the 9; LoungeKey opens 2 of the 9. Each lounge's page lists every program and card that admits you.
Written and checked to our editorial standards. Scores follow our methodology. Join the discussion below.
