Plaza Premium Group (PPG) has committed to investing $20 million in its network of Australian airport lounges. The group operates lounges in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Adelaide and has ten lounges across these locations. The investment will support major expansions and improvements to the group’s Australian airport lounges.
Sydney Airport to Receive “Pay-Per-Use” Lounge
One of the projects set to receive a significant share of Plaza’s financial investment in Australia is its new facility scheduled to open at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) in early December. Plaza Premium Group (PPG) is the largest global network of airport lounges, operating in 150 countries.
A new domestic lounge will open in Sydney’s Terminal 2; crucially, it will be an independent “pay-per-use” lounge. This means that regardless of airline or ticket class, any passengers willing to pay to use the lounge will be able to access the facility. The lounge will be 545 square metres and have the capacity to seat 113 people at once.
Cyrus Wong, general manager of Oceania at Plaza Premium Group, celebrated the company’s investment in a pay-per-use lounge:
“A decade after entering Australia, we are proud to launch our biggest domestic project yet. Whether it is a business traveller needing a quiet hour to work, a family heading on holiday, or anyone wanting a comfortable space to relax, we are making a premium airport experience a normal, easy part of domestic travel.”
The lounge will open alongside the completion of Sydney Airport’s AU$200 million Terminal 2 redevelopment. Terminal 2 covers the airport’s domestic services and is a hub for major domestic carriers covering routes like Sydney to Melbourne and Sydney to Brisbane.
Group Executive Commercial at Sydney Airport, Mark Zaouk, said:
“It’s giving passengers more choice in how they experience the airport and forms part of our broader transformation of the domestic precinct, with new retail, dining and passenger experiences creating a more contemporary T2.”
Access to the Premium Plaza Lounge at Sydney Airport’s domestic terminal will start at AU$54.
Brisbane Airport and Cairns Airport to Benefit from Investment
Alongside the development of Sydney Airport’s domestic lounge, PPG has also confirmed it will invest in a complete redesign of its Brisbane International Lounge.
The group opened its lounge in Brisbane International Airport (BNE) ten years ago, which was also its first Australian base. Investment in BNE’s International Lounge will be part of a broader airport redevelopment as it prepares for the demands of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Airport officials have reportedly invested more than AU$5 billion in airport infrastructure and passenger facilities at Brisbane Airport to manage expected passenger growth, which is predicted to rise by more than 10 million people by 2032.
Mei Mei Song, chief transformation officer at Plaza Premium Group, noted the significance of this investment into the group’s Australian network of lounges:
“A decade ago, we introduced our independent lounge concept to Australia in Brisbane with a vision to bring premium airport hospitality to every journey. […] Australia has become one of our most vital growth markets globally, and this $20 million investment reaffirms our long-term commitment to the region as we continue to redefine the travel experience across major Asia-Pacific transit hubs.”
In addition, PPG’s investment is expected to support the development of a new domestic lounge at Cairns Airport (CNS) in Queensland by early 2027. This will expand Plaza’s network of domestic lounges in Australia following its Sydney launch at the end of this year, and the opening of its Adelaide domestic lounge in November 2025.
What do you think of this major investment in Australia by Plaza Premium Group? Let us know in the comments!
