Qantas Business Lounge, Wellington (WLG) – Review
The Qantas Business Lounge at Wellington International Airport (WLG) is a handy stop before your flight, whether you’re crossing the Tasman to Australia or setting off on a longer international trip.
Tucked away beside Gate 28/48 on the airside of Wellington International Airport, the lounge was already filling up when we arrived for a mid-afternoon flight to Sydney. Although we were flying economy, our frequent flyer status and Qantas Club membership gave us access. It’s not the biggest space, but this Qantas business lounge still provides the essential comforts travellers expect — from a place to sit back before boarding to the convenience of food, drinks, and Wi-Fi.
The Wellington Lounge in the wee hours of the morning. It gets crowded in the afternoons.
Location
Terminal / gates: Airside, near Gate 28/48
Access method: QF, JQ, or oneworld Business Class passengers, Qantas Gold/Platinum members, Qantas Club, guest pass. Full details on Qantas site.
Design & Atmosphere
The Qantas Business Lounge in Wellington is a fairly compact space, but it manages to offer a decent variety of seating and dining options.
As with most Qantas and oneworld lounges, entry begins at a small foyer desk. On our visit, the staff member checking us in was upbeat and joking despite being near the end of a long shift, noting we were among the last Qantas departures of the day.
Inside, seating is mostly made up of single armchairs paired with small round tables — perfect for solo travellers or pairs having a quiet conversation. A window-side section provides views of the tarmac for a spot of plane-watching, while also letting in plenty of natural light during the day. A long bench seat divides the main area from the bathrooms, working well for both groups and solo travellers; one passenger even managed to stretch out and grab a nap, proving its multifunction appeal.
Crowding can be an issue. On our Sunday afternoon visit before a flight to Sydney, the lounge felt packed — as if both the Melbourne and Sydney departures had descended at once. Even after the Melbourne passengers cleared, the space never truly felt empty. By contrast, a previous early-morning stopover ahead of a 6am departure was a far quieter, breezier experience.
Food & Beverage
The buffet offers a modest but reliable all-day selection. You’ll find a few warm dishes alongside cold cuts, sandwiches, cheeses, dips, and crackers. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options were easy enough to spot, even with the lighter spread. Desserts are limited to biscuits/cookies and sweet slices.
Drinks include the usual tea and coffee, with cold options available self-serve from the fridge. We’re always glad to see sparkling water when travelling, though here it comes in cans rather than from the Zip tap dispensers found in many other Qantas lounges. Alongside the mineral water were soft drinks, soda, and a basic beer selection. A tap option would have been more convenient, as our small table quickly filled up with empty cans.
Service on this visit was a little patchy. Perhaps due to the weekend timing or the late-afternoon rush, tables weren’t cleared promptly and replenishment of certain dishes lagged. It didn’t ruin the experience, but it did stand out compared to other lounges in the Qantas network.
Facilities & Amenities
The Lounge provides the core conveniences you’d expect from a modern business lounge: bathrooms, showers, and a dedicated Wi-Fi network. The Wi-Fi is generally reliable, and because it’s reserved for lounge guests only, we had no issues with speed or connectivity during our visits.
Power outlets are available, though not at every seat. We had to relocate to recharge our phones, as the cables we’d brought for the weekend didn’t quite stretch.
There’s a generous amount of coat-rack space for hanging jackets or carry-ons. Nearby shelving sat mostly empty, with no signage to indicate its intended use — leaving us to wonder whether it once held something else or was simply there for ad hoc storage.
A small library adds a thoughtful touch. The selection ranges from glossy travel books and coffee table titles to children’s literature. It was especially nice to see kids’ books that acknowledged country and ceremony, a welcome nod to inclusivity and representation.
Overall value
Is it worth arriving early for? Well, we always get to the airport early purely for the lounge. It helps us calm the anxiety of being in a liminal space. Given that it is only one of two lounges in this international terminal, the other being the Air New Zealand International Lounge, it’s almost certainly worth arriving early to get a seat.
Best suited to: Short layovers, business travellers, light lunches
Verdict
The Qantas Business Lounge at Wellington (WLG) isn’t the biggest in the network, but it provides the essentials — food, drinks, Wi-Fi, and a spot to relax before boarding. At busy times it can feel crowded and service a little stretched, yet it’s still a convenient stop for Qantas Club members and oneworld travellers looking for comfort on their way out of Wellington.
