On Monday I was heading out to the Arabian Travel Market for a panel session on Muslim Travelers and since the route from Doha to Dubai is closed, I had to go via Oman.
This on its own is not a bad thing, I love Oman as I country and I had the chance to check out the new airport which opened on the 20th of March and also the Primeclass lounge which is currently the only one available. Though I have to say, I hated travelling for 6hrs for a flight that usually takes 50min my stay in the lounge was great.
I am so happy Muscat got a new airport and it is nice, modern and spacious. I remember the first time I went to Oman several years ago and flew from the new then Abu Dhabi airport and it was almost a culture shock arriving at the old Muscat airport.
The new airport is fresh and new, not all shops are open yet and you can see workers still working around, but terminals, some coffee shops and some duty-free options are open.
The New Muscat Airport Primeclass lounge
One thing that really impressed me though is the new Primeclass Airport lounge which in my opinion is stunning and very high quality plus they have a majlis and also a hotel like rooms to book.
At the moment it is the only lounge open, so all passengers visit there, but there are two more lounges opening soon, one for Oman air passengers and also the Flight club which is for other guests and Priority pass / Lounge key holders. I did ask staff who will have access to which ones but they weren’t 100 % sure. I would assume credit card holders, business class passengers will have access to the Primeclass lounge in Muscat airport. We will find in the near future when the other two are open.
The other two lounges are not open yet
The entrance is open space and airy, I love the plants on the wall and the nice wooden elements.
The entrance
The shape of the lounge is a long one since it is on the corner of the airport, but it is also very bright. However, there are plenty of seating and private corners where you can relax.
main lounge area
I like how they have separated the areas, the bar is tucked away and not central which is nice considering that you are in a Muslim country.
The cool pool area
There is also a cinema
The food choice was great and tasty and they also had a kids corner with food and options next to the play area.
What I really liked is that there is a play area which is still being decorated and I assume they will add more toys but also the fact that next to it there is a majlis. It has closed off space for the families with low seating and also privacy for women. This is a fantastic idea and it’s a shame we haven’t seen this in many other lounges in the Middle East. I love how the kept the traditional element.
As a Muslim female, it is nice to be able to relax your scarf for a few hours and also the fact that Oman has a considerable amount of veiled women so they can enjoy some time relaxed as well. Well done on this Muscat airport!
The Majlis area
inside the Majlis
Another thing I really liked was the long hall and clean design it reminded me of the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque which is designed in a similar style. Bringing these two elements into the lounge is nice to send off visitors with memories of the country.
The other great thing is the hotel rooms they have. As someone who had 2 very long layovers in 1 day having a bed for a couple of hours is great. I didn’t get to use it this time but the room was open and I asked to take photos for you. You can book the rooms if available on the day with layovers longer than 3 hours and they are free.
The hotel room
Next, to the rooms, they also have a seating area and a fresh juice bar, nice idea for some vitamin top up and all this travelling.
Overall I am very impressed with the lounge, the seating, space, the areas and the fact that they have a majlis. From now on I will happily transit from there and with the great Oman air business class, it will be a definitely a good start to any journey.