The 6 best lounges at Delhi Indira Gandhi International in 2026

How Delhi's terminals shape the choice

Delhi runs three separate terminal buildings, and they do not connect airside. Terminal 3 handles every international flight and most full-service domestic ones. Terminal 1 was rebuilt in 2025 and carries domestic low-cost traffic. Terminal 2 was refreshed in late 2025 and has a single lounge. If you fly from Terminal 1 or 2, the Terminal 3 rooms below are out of reach, so check your terminal before you plan a lounge stop.

Encalm Hospitality now runs most of the independent lounges at the airport. That means the same two-hour stay limit and the same Priority Pass rules repeat across terminals, with one lounge standing far above the others. For context on how card access works in India this year, read Axis Bank's Priority Pass change and our guide to the best lounges in India.

1. Encalm Privé (International T3)

Encalm Privé (International T3) is the highest-rated lounge in the city at 4.9. It opened in 2022 on Level 3 of the Terminal 3 international departures area and holds about 100 guests. It has a craft cocktail bar, four showers and five-star scores for food, quiet, service and workspace. DragonPass members get in, and airlines send some business class passengers here. Walk-in access is sold for up to two hours, and children under six enter free. It is small, so arrive early on a busy evening.

2. Encalm Lounge (International T3)

The larger Encalm Lounge (International T3) scores 4.7 and is the Priority Pass room for international flights. It sits in the security hold area on the food court level, next to the Encalm Spa, and is open 24 hours. There are six showers, a full bar and space for 400. Stays are capped at two hours and premium spirits cost extra. Cleanliness, coffee and seating all scored five, which puts it well ahead of most card lounges in the region.

3. The Maharaja Lounge

Air India opened The Maharaja Lounge on February 16, 2026, as its new flagship. The 16,000 square foot space in the Terminal 3 international pier has separate business and first class sections, craft cocktails, four showers and sleep suites in the first class wing. It rates 4.6. Entry is for Air India First and Business passengers, Maharaja Club Platinum and Gold members, and Star Alliance Gold flyers on a same-day Star Alliance ticket. Food and service both earned five.

4. Encalm Lounge (Arrivals)

The Encalm Lounge (Arrivals) rates 3.6 on seven metrics and is a landside room before the Terminal 3 exit gates, near the food court. It takes Priority Pass, but every guest must show a boarding pass for same-day travel, so it mainly suits people with a long gap before an onward flight. Free luggage storage is a real perk. Food scored five and restrooms scored two. It is open around the clock.

5. Encalm Lounge (Domestic T1)

Terminal 1's Priority Pass option is the Encalm Lounge (Domestic T1), reached from Levels 4 and 5 of the domestic departures area. It scores 3.3 on three rated metrics, with food and seating at four. The two-hour limit applies, children under six are free, and alcohol costs extra. It is open 24 hours. We have few ratings here, so treat the score as early.

6. The Centurion Lounge

American Express closed its Terminal 3 lounge at the end of 2025 and opened The Centurion Lounge in Terminal 1D in 2026. It sits on Level 4 near Gate 2 in the domestic security hold area and is open 24 hours. Amex lists a full bar, artisanal coffee and a quiet room. Only one metric has been rated so far, which is why it sits at 3.0. Eligible cardmembers need a same-day boarding pass, and guest rules follow the card's current terms.

What did not make the list

Two well-rated rooms were left out because we do not yet have a photo of them: the Encalm Lounge in Terminal 3's domestic zone, which rates 4.7, and Encalm Privé in Terminal 1. The old American Express lounge in Terminal 3 is closed. The domestic lounge on the Terminal 3 mezzanine and the Encalm Lounge in Terminal 2 are open and photographed, but both rate below 2.5 and are not rooms we would send you to on purpose.

Where to look next

Our scores come from ratings across fourteen metrics, described on the methodology page. The generated page at the DEL top five refreshes as reviews come in, and the airport page lists every lounge in all three terminals, including the ones that missed this cut.