Metro Manila, Philippines – A new shared premium lounge at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 is now being used by seven international airlines less than a month after opening, with more carriers expected to join in the coming months.
Located on Level 4 of Terminal 3, First Meridian Lounge is a 2,600-square-meter privately operated third-party facility serving eligible business class and premium passengers of participating airlines, including Thai Airways, Emirates, Japan Airlines, Vietnam Airlines, Cathay Pacific, KLM and Qatar Airways.
The lounge operates under NAIA’s commercial arrangements with airport concessionaires and forms part of a broader terminal space optimization effort by New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), the private operator of NAIA.
NNIC said the effort is aimed at improving the passenger experience while making better use of limited terminal space. This includes repurposing offices, former lounge areas and other spaces into amenities that can serve more passengers throughout the day, including additional food, beverage and retail options.
The common-use model consolidates premium lounge services into one larger facility that can serve multiple airlines, instead of maintaining separate spaces that may only be active during certain airline flight windows. This allows eligible premium passengers to continue enjoying lounge access while freeing up space for amenities that can benefit a wider range of travelers.
“This shared lounge supports our effort to improve the passenger experience at NAIA while using terminal space more efficiently,” NNIC said. “It gives eligible passengers of participating airlines a more comfortable and reliable pre-flight experience, while allowing us to create more space for food, beverage, retail and other amenities that benefit more travelers.”
First Meridian Lounge offers eligible premium travelers a larger common-use space to dine, work, rest and recharge before boarding. Along with spacious seating areas, high-speed Wi-Fi, workstations, shower facilities and real-time flight information displays, the lounge features amenities not typically available in smaller dedicated airline lounges, including infant care rooms, sleep pods, private rooms, children’s play rooms, game and golf simulators and quiet zones.
Its expanded food and beverage offering includes local and international selections, a bakery, teppanyaki station, halal section, full-service bar and wine cellar.
NNIC said the larger shared lounge brings NAIA closer to the premium lounge offerings found in major international airports, where common-use and third-party operated facilities serve eligible passengers across airlines, lounge memberships and access programs. The model allows airports to improve passenger amenities while managing limited terminal space more efficiently.
First Meridian Lounge is one of several collaborations between NNIC, concessionaires and service partners aligned with NAIA’s modernization program. NNIC said it will continue working with airlines and commercial partners to enhance comfort, convenience and efficiency across the airport.
