Ever since Mumbai Airport opened the new Terminal 2, it has also opened a new concept for airport lounges in India: airport-owned premium lounges for airline customers.

Mumbai T2 Sahar had lounges for British Airways and Emirates, amongst other carriers. However, in the new version of the Terminal, only the airport runs the lounge, and everyone pays the airport to bring in their guests. Some of those lounges, such as the Mumbai West Wing Adani Lounge (earlier GVK Lounge), are amazing.

This was also bad news for those who did not have status or were not travelling in a premium cabin. Credit card-based lounge access was effectively withdrawn from international travellers, except for the Oberoi-operated Loyalty Lounge, which had a contract that outlived the airport’s transition from AAI management to GVK Management (now Adani management). Most people do not like this lounge because of the lack of windows and the fact that it is claustrophobic. But that is how it has been for over a decade.

Adani management is opening up a better lounge with credit card-based lounge access.

Initially, there was only one set of lounges for airline frequent flyers and premium cabin travellers (First, Premium, Business). However, given that Mumbai was the hub of Jet Airways, which used to fly then and had many frequent flyers moving through the airport, GVK opened a second lounge (East Wing) to reduce the crowding out of their lounges. The unsaid motivation was to provide a cheaper alternative to airlines that wanted to avoid paying the big checks to host their members at the West Wing lounges. Apart from Jet Airways, Turkish Airlines and other airlines used the lounge.

Since then, Jet Airways is dead, and there have not been too many takers for the East Wing post-pandemic. So, just like the Mumbai Airport opened up the Domestic Terminal 2 Adani Lounge for Credit Card Customers, they have now repurposed the East Wing Lounge and offered it to Credit Card customers.

 

The lounge is available for Visa and RuPay customers on eligible cards (debit and credit). You can read our review of this lounge here.

New Restaurant Options are also available at Mumbai Domestic / International Airport Terminal 2

If you prefer to avoid lounges in general, you have even more options at restaurants in the Mumbai Airport. The following restaurants/food court options are now available at Mumbai Airport (Terminal 2).

• Indi Tapas: Domestic Departure, Security Hold Area, towards Gate 48
• Dosa Plaza: International Departure, Security holding area, Near gate number 43, Next to McDonalds

While I haven’t tried the new options, these should usually be offering a drink and an eat option against a card swipe.

Bottomline

Mumbai Airport now has new restaurant and lounge options available, in addition to the Loyalty Lounge, which has been there forever. The GVK Lounge, East Wing at Mumbai Terminal 2, is now a credit-card lounge, and restaurant options are available at T2 Domestic and International.

Have you tried out the new Lounge options at Mumbai Terminal 2? Do share your feedback in the comments.

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