Four new lounges: JAL's rebuilt Haneda rooms, a second The Club in Lima and Salvador's Amaní Lounge

Two rebuilt rooms in Tokyo, two new ones in Latin America

After a quiet start to October, the past two weeks delivered four lounges worth knowing about. Japan Airlines reopened both of its domestic lounges in Haneda Terminal 1's North Wing on October 8, nine months after shutting them for a rebuild. Airport Dimensions opened a second The Club in Lima's international pier. And Salvador, in Brazil's northeast, got an airport-run lounge called Amaní on October 13.

None of these is a credit card flagship, and none is in the US. Two of them still matter a great deal to anyone who flies through Tokyo, and the other two give Priority Pass and DragonPass holders real options at airports where the choice used to be thin.

Tokyo Haneda: the Diamond Premier Lounge is now the JAL First Class Lounge

The bigger story at Haneda is a rename as much as a rebuild. JAL's press release confirms that the North Wing's Diamond Premier Lounge reopened on October 8 as the JAL First Class Lounge, with about 1.4 times the seating it had before. You reach it through the dedicated First Class and JAL Global Club security lane on the second floor, then ride up one level.

The food changes through the day. Mornings bring curry bread, sushi rolls and hot soup. Tea time means cakes and scones. From late afternoon, the counter switches to savory plates meant to go with a drink, and for the opening weeks there is a pop-up pairing Suntory ROKU gin with Japanese sweets. The work area doubles as a small gallery with rotating exhibitions, and the showers are now booked from your phone, with a QR code that unlocks the suite.

Access is unchanged: domestic First Class passengers, JMB Diamond and JGC Premier members, and oneworld Emeralds, each with one guest. If you qualify, this is now the best domestic lounge in Tokyo and an easy yes before any flight from Terminal 1.

Tokyo Haneda: the North Wing Sakura Lounge gets zones and a kids' area

The North Wing Sakura Lounge reopened the same morning. JAL has split it into dining, relaxation, work and family zones, and the kids' area was designed with the toy retailer Bornelund. Fifteen works by artists affiliated with HERALBONY hang on the walls, and the interiors reuse parts from retired aircraft, down to the window frames. JAL's lounge page notes that the dashi broth at the drinks counter is new.

There is a catch. The South Wing Sakura Lounge and Diamond Premier Lounge closed on October 8 for their own renovation, which runs to about June 2027, so for the next eight months every eligible Terminal 1 passenger funnels into the North Wing. JAL has also suspended paid 3,000 yen entry while the South Wing is shut. Sapphire and above, JGC members and oneworld Sapphires get in with one guest. Expect it to be busy at peak times, and worth it anyway.

Lima: a second The Club in the international pier

Airport Dimensions' announcement dated October 2 describes the second The Club in Lima's international departures area as a 1,311-square-meter room for 374 guests, near the D gates. Regional Gateway and TRBusiness reported the opening in the days that followed.

The point of this lounge is relief. The original The Club LIM holds 454 people and still fills up, because it takes Priority Pass and LoungeKey around the clock. The new room takes the same cards regardless of airline or cabin, sells day passes online, and adds a children's zone, conference rooms and a buffet with two signature dishes by chef Ignacio Barrios. The design moves from the Pacific coast to the Andean foothills as you walk through. If the first lounge has a line, walk to the D gates instead.

Salvador: Amaní Lounge, run by the airport itself

The Amaní Lounge opened on October 13 in Terminal 1 at Salvador, on the first floor of the departures area toward gates 18 to 26. The airport's own announcement says VINCI Airports, which runs the terminal, is operating the lounge directly rather than leasing the space. It cost R$8 million, covers 430 square meters and seats more than 140 people. Architect Thaís Abreu, who also did the airport's food court, designed it as a Bahian living room.

Hours are 8 am to midnight. DragonPass members, including Visa Airport Companion users, scan a QR code at reception and pay R$60 if they want a shower. Everyone else buys a One Day Pass: R$230 for three hours or R$380 for six, shower included, with half price for children aged 3 to 11. There is a buffet with gluten-free options, wine and beer, meeting cabins for calls, and a private room for up to nine people that can be booked ahead. Priority Pass is not listed, so cardholders on that network should still head to the Ambaar Club next door. For a DragonPass holder with a long wait in Salvador, Amaní is the better room.

Coming next

A few openings are close enough to watch. Dnata's Rayleigh Lounge at Western Sydney is due before Singapore Airlines' first flight on November 23, according to Executive Traveller. Emirates has promised its redesigned Istanbul lounge for this month. American Express's Sydney and Melbourne Centurion Lounges should reopen around October 20 after a two-week refresh. Brussels Airlines' THE LOFT is penciled in for November, and Plaza Premium's Brisbane lounge for December 1. We will add each one to the directory as it opens.