By the end of this year, Oman Air will have joined the oneworld Alliance. With that comes the ability for top-tier members of the alliance, including Qantas Frequent Flyer Gold and above members, to experience Oman Air’s flagship Business and First lounge in Muscat.
Can’t wait until then? No worries. Qantas recently launched a new partnership with Oman Air that allows Qantas members to redeem their Qantas Points for Oman Air flights. Given that the Oman Air Business and First lounge serves Business and Business Studio passengers, you’re in if you redeem your Qantas Points for a Business or Business Studio flight!
And it’s not just the lounge that impresses. So does the majestic opulence of Oman, an experience that should make your way onto your bucket list if it hasn’t already.
If you were wondering, Business Studio is the new version of Oman Air’s former First Class product. Oman Air no longer has a First Class, instead replacing it with a ‘Business plus’ offering called Business Studio.
What does this mean for the Oman Air Business and First Class lounge? Good question. Currently, both Business and Business Studio guests are funnelled into the Business section of the lounge. The First Class section presently remains relatively unused, although it is manned, as I discover when I visit as part of the Qantas media contingent. Whether the First Class section opens to oneworld Emerald members in the future remains to be seen.
Fly with Oman Air using Qantas Points!
Location, layout and seating
The lounge is located on the main terminal’s first floor, accessed via escalators or lifts and above the duty-free store. It is quite sizeable, with the small First Class section hidden behind locked doors right behind the reception desk wall, and the much larger Business Class section to the left of that.
The Business Class lounge is well-designed. Guests are initially led along snaking walkways before entering the first of two main dining areas. There is plenty of lounge seating along the walkways and also in the main dining area. Walk through the main dining area and enter another long walkway with a spirits bar to the left. A secondary dining area is located behind. Along the journey, several pockets of seating areas with various options, including sofas and recliner chairs, are available. Towards the back of the lounge are the restrooms and showers.
I enter the lounge at an off-peak time, with many European-bound flights leaving much earlier in the day. The lounge has a capacity for 500 passengers. I have heard that the lounge can reach capacity earlier in the day. However, this is not a problem for me during the evening.
Food and beverage at the Oman Air Business Lounge, Muscat
Entering the lounge at one of the quietest times of the day means there are few hot food offerings. Only small servings of pre-packaged food are available. These include assorted cut fruits, Oman seafood salad, traditional Caesar salad, and halloumi salad. Tea, coffee, and soft drinks are also available. During the day, the lounge serves a variety of hot buffet options.
On the plus side, the bar is permanently manned and various alcoholic beverages, including cocktails, are available. These include the Oman Air Special, which consists of vodka, gin, rum tequila, blue curacao, Sprite, and a dash of lemon juice.
Amenities in the Oman Air Business Lounge, Muscat
The restrooms are stylish and impeccably clean. A staff member is assigned solely to maintain and clean them. The showers are located separately next to the restrooms and are a great way to freshen up before your flight. I find the water pressure excellent, which can sometimes be hit-and-miss at other lounges.
A nice touch to the lounge is the relaxation or sleeping cubicles. Offering privacy through blackout curtains and a reclining leather chair, these cubicles are a great place to grab a quick nap before your flight. Just remember to set an alarm!
A business centre with desktop computers is also available. I don’t know about you, but I’m beginning to find these areas becoming redundant with the prevalent use of laptops, mobile devices, and tablets. I’d much prefer this area to be used for greater seating or another more relevant purpose.
A sneak peek into the First Lounge
I’m lucky to be treated to the First Class section during my visit. From reception, I am ushered into First Class by the lounge attendant, who unlocks the magic door separating the First and Business sections. While this section still has a design and decor similar to the Business lounge, it feels more refined. And the staff-to-guest ratio is far superior, especially at present, when only a handful of VIP guests are eligible for entry.
A separate bar is available for First Class guests, with the main lure being à la carte dining. I opt for the saloona samak. However, shuwa spiced beef, grilled chicken, shahi paneer, and spinach korma are also on the menu.
This section also has dedicated restroom and shower facilities much larger than their Business Class counterparts.
How to access the Oman Air Business Lounge, Muscat
The Oman Air Business and First Class lounge is currently available to the following guests:
- From airline frequent flyer status:
- Sindbad Silver (no guests) and Gold (+1 guest on international flights only) passengers travelling in Economy Class and departing from Muscat International Airport on an international flight may access the lounge up to three hours before their scheduled Oman Air flight. Charges apply for longer stays.
- Sindbad Silver and Gold members travelling in Economy Class and connecting to/from domestic flights from/to international flights can use the lounge up to three hours before their connecting departure. For Gold and Silver members, both flights must be operated by Oman Air, with a further restriction for Silver members, who must book the flights on a single ticket.
- From mid-2025, oneworld Sapphire and Emerald members, which will likely follow oneworld access rules.
- By cabin:
- Sindbad Silver (no guests) and Gold members (+1 guest on international flights only) when departing on a domestic or international flight in Business or Business Studio Class. This includes routes to many Qantas Asian destinations such as Jakarta, Bangkok and Manila, among others.
Summing up
Oman Air’s Business and First Class lounge in Muscat is a great place to relax, unwind or freshen up before your onward flight. At present, the lounge is only accessible to Qantas Frequent Flyers redeeming Qantas Points for Business or Business Studio flights, as well as eligible Sindbad frequent flyers. However, access will be expanded to eligible oneworld members once Oman Air formally joins the alliance.
It will also be interesting to see how the First Class section is utilised in the future. Will it become part of the Business lounge or remain as a stand-alone section? Whatever happens, the actual, current Business Class lounge is exceptional and a great place to get ready for your onward flight. I have only one critique. That a greater variety of food is offered during quieter times of the day.
Photography by Daniel Sciberras, who travelled as a guest of Qantas and Oman Air.
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Does that mean they paid for it?
Are they paying for this content/review?
A bit more transparency would be appreciated.