- Mr Plane Guy
- Mar 16
- 6 min read
Twiga Business Lounge Review: Dar es Salaam Airport Lounge at Terminal 3 (DAR)
By Mr Plane Guy, travel blogger, lounge reviewer & occasional airport samosa enthusiast
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click and buy, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps keep Mr Plane Guy airborne.
If you're flying internationally from Dar es Salaam Airport (DAR), the Twiga Business Lounge in Terminal 3 is one of the main airport lounges available for passengers departing Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam.
Located inside the international departures area, the lounge offers a quiet and comfortable place to relax before your flight, with fresh food, plenty of seating and some genuinely welcoming hospitality.
I recently visited before departing Tanzania and found it to be a very pleasant surprise.
Here’s the Plane Honest review.
Where Is Twiga Business Lounge?
The Twiga Business Lounge is located in Terminal 3 of Dar es Salaam Airport, which handles most international departures from Julius Nyerere International Airport.
Once you check in and enter the Dar es Salaam Airport departures area, simply follow the signs for airport lounges.
Airport: Julius Nyerere International Airport
Airport code: DAR
Terminal: Terminal 3 (International)
Terminal 3 is the newest and most modern terminal at Dar Airport, used by airlines operating international flights to Tanzania and long-haul services across Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Twiga Business Lounge is currently the main international lounge available in Terminal 3 at Dar es Salaam Airport.
Twiga Business Lounge Opening Hours
The lounge is open 24 hours a day.
Opening hours: 00:00 – 23:59
That means whether you have an early morning departure or a late-night flight from Dar es Salaam Airport, the lounge should be available.
How to Access the Twiga Business Lounge
Many travellers assume airport lounges are only available to business class passengers, but that’s not always the case.
Lounges like the Twiga Business Lounge at Dar es Salaam Airport can sometimes be accessed through lounge membership programmes such as Priority Pass, depending on availability.
Priority Pass gives travellers access to 1,800+ airport lounges worldwide, including many lounges across Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
Plane Tip: Even a couple of lounge visits per year can often cost less than buying food and drinks in the terminal.
Twiga Business Lounge First Impressions
What stood out most was the warmth of the staff.
The team were incredibly friendly, welcoming and eager to make sure guests were enjoying the lounge. It felt very genuine rather than scripted hospitality.
The lounge itself is also:
very clean
quiet
spacious
with lots of seating options
Even when the terminal outside felt busy, the lounge remained calm and relaxing.
It’s the kind of place where you can comfortably spend an hour or two before your flight without feeling rushed.
Twiga Business Lounge Food and Drinks
The food offering is simple but fresh and perfectly adequate for an airport lounge.
During my visit the buffet included:
Fresh fruit
Sandwiches
Cakes and pastries
Everything tasted fresh and well prepared.
But the lounge also offers a 24-hour à la carte menu, which is a nice touch.
The staff were very happy to prepare hot items on request, including:
Beef, chicken or vegetable samosas
Fried cassava
French fries
Masala chips
Toasted sandwiches (chicken, cheese, tuna or egg)
It’s not a huge menu, but having fresh hot food made to order is always a welcome addition.
Standard alcoholic drinks are complimentary, while premium-brand drinks are available for an additional charge.
You’ll also find tea, coffee and local favourites like masala chai.
Seating and Workspace
One of the best things about the lounge is the amount of seating available.
There are several different seating areas, including:
comfortable lounge chairs
dining tables
quiet corners for relaxing
There are also plenty of power sockets, which made it easy to charge my laptop before departure.
If you need to work before your flight from Dar es Salaam Airport, this lounge is actually a great place to do it.
Twiga Business Lounge Amenities
The lounge offers a good range of facilities for passengers waiting for international flights from Tanzania.
Top Amenities
Wi-Fi
Business centre
Restrooms
Showers
Family room
Additional facilities include:
Air conditioning
Complimentary standard alcoholic drinks
Premium alcohol (extra charge)
Disabled access
Digital card acceptance
Overall, it covers everything most travellers need before boarding.
Dar es Salaam Airport Departures (Terminal 3)
Most international flights depart from Terminal 3 at Dar es Salaam Airport, the modern terminal at Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR).
After checking in for your flight, passengers enter the Dar es Salaam Airport departures area, where you’ll find duty free shops, cafés and airport lounges.
One of the main lounges available for international travellers is the Twiga Business Lounge, located inside Terminal 3, offering a quiet space to relax before boarding your flight.
Flights from Dar es Salaam Airport
Dar es Salaam is one of the main aviation gateways to Tanzania, with routes connecting travellers to destinations across Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
Many visitors flying into Tanzania continue their journey to Zanzibar, one of the country’s most popular beach destinations.
If you're planning a similar trip, these guides might help:
Getting to Zanzibar
Zanzibar Travel Guides
Zanzibar Hotels & Stays
These guides cover everything from flights to Zanzibar and airport arrivals to hotels, excursions and some of the island’s most unforgettable experiences.
How I Avoid Paying Walk-Up Lounge Prices
When possible, I avoid paying walk-up lounge prices at airports.
Instead, I use Priority Pass, which gives access to lounges around the world for a much lower cost per visit.
For most travellers, the Standard Plus membership is the sweet spot. It includes 10 lounge visits per year, which is ideal if you travel even a few times annually.
With my reader offer, plans start from around £48, and those visits can quickly pay for themselves compared with paying at the airport.
✈ Plane Tip: Two or three lounge visits per year can often cover the cost of a membership.
Is the Twiga Business Lounge Worth It?
If you're departing from Dar es Salaam Airport Terminal 3 and have lounge access through Priority Pass or business class, the Twiga Business Lounge is absolutely worth visiting. The lounge offers a calm environment, friendly service and freshly prepared food a welcome break from the busy departures area.
Final Boarding Call
The Twiga Business Lounge at Dar es Salaam Airport Terminal 3 may not be the most luxurious lounge in the world, but it delivers something just as valuable: a calm, friendly and comfortable place to relax before your flight.
The warm hospitality from the staff, fresh food options and relaxed atmosphere make it a very pleasant way to start your journey.
If you're departing Dar es Salaam Airport, it’s definitely worth stopping by before heading to your gate.
Hello, I’m Paul a professional jet-setter and all-around plane travel pro. After 15 years working in and around planes, I became a flight delay expert at a London Airport and mastered plane travel hacks, a PLANE flight expert with BIG travel plans but small carry-on.
Now, I share PLANE travel news, tips, reviews, and deals with honesty, humour, and zero baggage! Thanks for reading Twiga Business Lounge Review: Dar es Salaam Airport Lounge at Terminal 3 (DAR).
Airport lounges, free upgrades, travel chaos and the occasional meltdown. Real travel, not influencer nonsense.
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