Review: The T1 Lounge Dublin Airport
The T1 Lounge Dublin Airport Review
Quick Verdict
Basic but functional with no views. The staff are friendly, but a quick stop is enough. I fly through Terminal 1 at least once a month and only go to the lounge if I'm early for my flight to avoid the crowds of T1.
Score 6/10
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T1 Lounge Dublin Airport location
It's immediately after security in Terminal 1. It's quite hidden, look for this sign. Then go up the stairs or the elevator. The entrance is in front of you.
If you are not familiar with Terminal 1, you should ask the lounge staff how long it will take you to walk to your gate and plan accordingly. The Ryanair gates are a 15 minutes walk away for example.
Readers of my Dublin Airport Guide will know I'm not a fan of Terminal 1 anyway.
T1 Lounge Dublin Airport hours
The lounge is open from 4am-9pm every day. Maximum stay is 2 hours.
The first flights from DUB are at 5am, so you may not have time to visit for the very early flights. I take the 6am Paris flight quite often and have just enough time for a quick breakfast here.
T1 Lounge Dublin Airport entry requirements
- Included with most business class tickets Air France, Lufthansa, KLM and other airlines flying from Terminal 1
- Priority Pass Member
- Dublin Airport Gold or Blue Airport Club members
- Buy a pass online from €26 per person (Current Summer 2025)
- Pay at the door for €40
There is a check-in desk when you walk into the lounge. You scan your boarding pass and you are invited to enter.
👉 Book Lounge Access with Priority Pass
T1 Lounge Dublin Airport Seating & Layout
The lounge is an internal lounge, so there's no views. It feels like a corporate break room that is trying hard to be cool with lots of grey with wooden tones and modern bright art on the wall.
The seating is not good. Many of the leather or more likely, faux leather seats are cracked and should be replaced. The fabric seats have stains.
People don't linger long here and I think it's designed that way so you don't get too comfortable.
Left Not Right
The check-in desk divides the room in two. Most people go right because that's where the best food selection is. But I only go there to get food and then sit on the left side of the lounge. It's always quieter. And added bonus the bar is there too!
There were only two of us on this side during my last visit and of course the other gentlemen was playing his phone without speakers. It was 5am. I was not in the mood for this and asked him to turn it off. He did and left in a huff to the other side. Double win!
T1 Lounge Dublin Airport Food & Drinks
It's busy in the mornings. Not an overcrowding issue, but there's always a short queue for the food because it's so early that no one has eaten breakfast at home.
The staff struggle to clean up the plates with such a high turnover in the morning.
I couldn't even take any food photos on my last visit without including a lot of people which I don't like to do.
Food
The food selection is good. They have a hot breakfast buffet including sausages, bacon, beans, potatoes which I appreciate on an early flight. There's scones, overnight oats, cold meats and a lot of fruit in the morning.
I'm still amazed that Aer Lingus' newly renovated Liffey Lounge lounge doesn't have hot food.
A very nice touch is they have packaged sandwiches so you can take them to go if you're in a hurry.
Drinks
They used to have a barista but not anymore, which is a shame. It's self service from a machine for the coffee. They have a nice selection of tea to choose from. There are apple, orange & cranberry juices
There is a nice bar tucked away on the left side. They have a two drink limit on alcohol but you can have a final Guinness before you leave here.
T1 Lounge Dublin Airport Bathrooms & Showers
The toilets and showers are actually outside the lounge, at the top of the stairs that you walked up to reach the lounge. Ask at the desk for access to the showers. I don't see them used much because most folks have just come from home.
They're nice if you are using Dublin Airport to connect and want to freshen up.
Other Dublin Airport Lounges
This is probably the worst one! But T1 itself is never a great experience.
51st & Green is the lounge in the US Preclearance Boarding area and is the best in the airport. It has views, showers, hot food, and a good bar.
The Liffey Lounge midway between T1 & T2 is an alternative to this if you have Oneworld status or Priority Pass. It's a nicer aesthetic but lacks hot food. Here's my review for it.
Bottom line
The lounge is fine. It's mostly short haul passengers killing time here. But I wouldn't pay in here. But if you have access via a business class ticket or Priority Pass then it's worth stopping by for some food or a shower if you need it. But don't get here early just for the lounge. They need to repair the damaged seating.
Score: 6/10
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