My Lounge Gatwick South Review: Kebabs, Cocktails and Clouds of Vape
By Mr Plane Guy, Travel Blogger and Airport Lounge Expert
Disclosure: I paid for this lounge visit using my Priority Pass membership. This review contains my genuine, independently written Plane Honest opinion. It also contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
My Lounge Gatwick South has something no other lounge at Gatwick Airport can offer: an outdoor terrace after security.
Now, before you start picturing yourself sipping a gin cocktail in the sunshine while a Boeing 787 taxis elegantly past, allow me to manage your expectations.
This is less “exclusive rooftop aviation bar” and more vapour’s paradise.
The terrace is primarily used by passengers smoking and vaping before their flights. If you need a cigarette or vape after passing through security at Gatwick South Terminal, this lounge is practically in a category of its own.
For everyone else, the real reasons to visit are the surprisingly delicious food, relaxed décor, self-service drinks and a much calmer atmosphere than the main terminal.
I particularly enjoyed making my own kebab with fresh salad, while the pasta was fresh and genuinely tasty. The lounge isn’t enormous and its airport views aren’t especially impressive, but I had a very enjoyable visit.
Would I choose it over No1 Lounge or Clubrooms? Probably not, unless I needed the smoking terrace (as a non-smoker, I don’t.) Then again, Gatwick South also has a Nando’s, so this was never going to be an easy contest.
Quick Answer: Is My Lounge Gatwick South Worth It?
My Lounge Gatwick South is worth considering if you want fresh buffet food, complimentary self-service drinks and somewhere more relaxed than Gatwick’s busy departure lounge.
It is particularly worthwhile for passengers who want to smoke or vape after security because its outdoor terrace is the only designated airside smoking area at Gatwick South Terminal.
The food was considerably better than I expected, and I loved the make-your-own kebab concept, fresh salads and pasta.
However, this isn’t Gatwick’s most luxurious lounge. It is relatively small, the airfield views are limited and the terrace is dominated by smokers and vapers.
Using Priority Pass, I paid £24 for myself and £24 for my partner. At that price, I thought it represented good value.
My Plane Honest rating: 4 out of 5 for food and value.
Best for: Smokers, vapers, casual travellers, groups and anyone who wants a relaxed lounge with good food.
Not best for: Luxury, peace and quiet, premium dining or spectacular runway views.
My Lounge Gatwick South at a Glance
Feature | Details |
Terminal | Gatwick South Terminal |
Location | Airside, on the upper level after security |
Opening times | Daily, 4am–8pm |
Maximum visit | Usually three hours before departure |
Walk-in price | From approximately £38 |
My Priority Pass cost | £24 per person |
Food | Hot and cold self-service buffet |
Drinks | Self-service beer, wine, spirits, soft drinks and hot drinks |
Children | Operator advertises family access; check your booking method |
Dress code | Relaxed, with some basic restrictions |
Smoking area | Outdoor smoking and vaping terrace |
Wi-Fi | Normal Gatwick Airport Wi-Fi |
Best feature | The only outdoor smoking terrace at Gatwick |
My rating | 4/5 |
Opening times, prices and access conditions can change, so check the lounge operator or Priority Pass app before travelling.
Where Is My Lounge at Gatwick South Terminal?
My Lounge is located after security in Gatwick’s South Terminal.
Once you have passed through security:
Follow the signs for airport lounges and My Lounge.
Head towards the upper level of the departure lounge.
Continue following the lounge signs until you reach the entrance.
All checked-in passengers travelling from the South Terminal can book the lounge, regardless of their airline, cabin or frequent-flyer status. You don’t need to be travelling in Business Class, and you don’t need an airline invitation.
I was flying with Pegasus Airlines from Gatwick to Istanbul, which also gave me an opportunity to test the lounge before the airline’s afternoon departure.
My Lounge Gatwick South Opening Times
My Lounge Gatwick South is currently advertised as opening:
Daily from 4am until 8pm
A standard visit usually allows access for up to three hours before your scheduled flight.
Always check the latest opening time against your travel date because airport-lounge hours can change seasonally.
Booking My Lounge Through Priority Pass
I pre-booked My Lounge Gatwick South through the Priority Pass app.
I’m increasingly in favour of pre-booking airport lounges, especially at Gatwick. Membership does not always guarantee entry when a lounge reaches capacity, and turning up without a reservation during a busy period can result in being refused.
My visit cost:
£24 for me
£24 for my partner
£48 in total
For two people, £48 covered food, drinks, Wi-Fi and somewhere comfortable to wait before our flight.
That compared rather favourably with the main terminal.
Gatwick South has now been thoroughly gentrified with its own Gail’s Bakery. You can pay around £15 for an artisan sandwich and drink or, with the right Priority Pass membership, pay £24 to enter a lounge and help yourself to food and drinks for up to three hours.
I know which option my inner travel accountant prefers.
First Impressions
My Lounge has a much more casual feel than a traditional airport lounge.
The décor is attractive, contemporary and relaxed without attempting to impersonate a five-star hotel lobby. There is a mixture of seating, bright colours and informal areas where you can eat, work or wait for your flight.
It feels more like a comfortable modern living room than a corporate Business Class lounge.
The space isn’t huge, though. At quieter times that gives it a cosy atmosphere, but I can imagine it feeling busy when several flights are departing at once.
There are some airport views from inside, but they are not among Gatwick’s finest. Don’t book this lounge expecting uninterrupted views across the runway with aircraft passing directly outside the window.
For serious plane watching, there are stronger options elsewhere at Gatwick.
My Lounge Gatwick South Food
The food was the biggest surprise of my visit. Airport lounge buffets can be a dangerous game. Sometimes you lift the lid and discover something that has been slowly surrendering under a heat lamp since 5am. Not here.
The food during my visit tasted fresh, colourful and properly enjoyable.
Make Your Own Kebab
My favourite feature was the make-your-own kebab station.
You could build your own combination with the kebab filling, fresh salad and accompaniments. It was a simple concept, but much more interesting than the usual tray of unidentified airport-lounge casserole.
It also allowed you to take exactly what you wanted rather than being handed an enormous portion before a four-hour flight.
Fresh Salads and Pasta
The salads looked fresh and provided a welcome alternative to the beige buffet food found in some airport lounges.
The pasta was also delicious and tasted fresh rather than dried out. My partner and I both really enjoyed the food, and we left feeling that we’d eaten a proper meal rather than simply filled up on crisps and biscuits.
Naturally, the menu will change throughout the day and across the year, so you may not find exactly the same dishes during your visit.
Based on what I tried, however, the kitchen deserves credit.
Plane Honest food verdict: Fresh, colourful and considerably better than expected.
The Outdoor Smoking and Vaping Terrace
The terrace is what makes My Lounge Gatwick South genuinely different.
Gatwick does not generally allow smoking or vaping after security, but the outdoor terrace attached to My Lounge provides a designated space where lounge guests can smoke.
If you need to smoke or vape after passing through security in the South Terminal, this is the main reason to choose My Lounge.
However, the marketing photographs may encourage visions of cocktails, sunshine and glamorous airfield views. The reality during my visit was rather different.
The terrace was mainly occupied by people smoking or vaping. The atmosphere was not especially relaxing if you were simply hoping for some fresh air.
So let’s be Plane Honest:
For smokers and vapers: An extremely useful facility
For aviation enthusiasts: The aircraft views are limited
For cocktails in the sunshine: Possibly, if you don’t mind the smoke and vapour
For genuinely fresh air: Absolutely not
Gatwick Airport describes this as the South Terminal’s airside smoking option, while the lounge operator confirms smoking is permitted on the outdoor terrace.
🚗 If you’re driving to the airport, check my Gatwick Airport Parking Guide, where I compare the cheapest parking options and explain how to save up to 70%.
Does My Lounge Gatwick South Have Good Runway Views?
It has airport views, but I wouldn’t describe them as spectacular.
You can see parts of the airfield from inside the lounge and from the terrace, but this is not the place I would choose purely for plane spotting.
Don’t arrive expecting to sit with a gin and tonic while Dreamliners taxi dramatically past your table.
If airfield views are your priority, compare the other Gatwick lounges before booking.
Seating, Wi-Fi and Other Facilities
My Lounge Gatwick South offers:
Comfortable casual seating
Complimentary Wi-Fi (although its just gatwick's standard wifi, which isnt great!)
Flight-information screens
Televisions
Table football and games
Self-service food
Self-service alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
Hot drinks
An outdoor smoking and vaping terrace
Seating suitable for couples and groups
The lounge’s games and relaxed layout make it more informal than Clubrooms. It may appeal to families and groups who don’t want an overly formal environment.
Because the lounge isn’t particularly large, I would still pre-book if your visit falls during a busy departure period.
Are Children Allowed in My Lounge Gatwick South?
The lounge operator describes My Lounge as family-friendly and currently advertises online prices from £21 for children aged 2–11, with infants under two entering free.
My Lounge Gatwick South Dress Code
My Lounge has a deliberately relaxed dress code.
Trainers, flip-flops and casual travel clothes are generally acceptable. You don’t need to dress as if you’re being invited into a traditional airline First Class lounge.
The operator asks guests to avoid:
Fancy dress and themed costumes
Clothing displaying offensive slogans or images
Overly revealing clothing
Clothing considered unsuitable by the lounge team
Gatwick also lists pyjamas as an example of clothing that may be refused. So you can keep it casual, but perhaps change out of the unicorn onesie before presenting your boarding pass.
My Lounge or No1 Lounge Gatwick South?
For most passengers, I would personally choose No1 Lounge Gatwick South over My Lounge.
No1 Lounge generally offers:
A more conventional airport-lounge atmosphere
A more premium overall feel
Better-defined areas for relaxing
A stronger choice for couples wanting a calmer experience
My Lounge offers:
A more casual and colourful atmosphere
Self-service drinks
Games and group seating
An outdoor smoking and vaping terrace
Very enjoyable buffet food
A less formal dress code
Choose No1 Lounge if you want a more traditional lounge experience and don’t require the terrace.
My Lounge or Clubrooms Gatwick South?
Clubrooms is the more premium option.
It offers a quieter atmosphere, table-service dining and a much more polished experience. It is the lounge I would choose for a special trip or when I want to escape the terminal properly.
My Lounge is more casual, less expensive and significantly less formal.
Choose Clubrooms for:
Quiet
Table service
A premium atmosphere
Couples and special trips
My Lounge or Nando’s?
Now we arrive at the real contest.
Gatwick South is my favourite Gatwick terminal, largely because it has a Nando’s.
If you only want one meal and don’t drink alcohol, Nando’s may genuinely be the better-value choice. You can order exactly what you want and avoid paying for lounge facilities you won’t use.
If you want food, several drinks, Wi-Fi and somewhere to wait for a couple of hours, My Lounge can offer better overall value, particularly at the £24 Priority Pass rate I paid.
Is My Lounge Gatwick South Worth It?
My Lounge Gatwick South is worth it if you want fresh buffet food, self-service drinks and a casual space away from the terminal. It is particularly useful for passengers who want to smoke or vape after security because it has Gatwick’s only outdoor airside smoking terrace. At the £24 Priority Pass rate I paid, it represented good value. At the standard price of around £38, compare it carefully with No1 Lounge and the cost of eating in the terminal.
Which Lounge Is Better at Gatwick South Terminal?
Clubrooms is my preferred premium lounge at Gatwick South because it offers a quieter atmosphere and table-service dining. No1 Lounge is a good all-round option, while My Lounge is best for a casual experience and passengers who need the smoking terrace. The best choice depends on whether you prioritise luxury, food, price, family facilities or smoking access.
Can You Pre-Book My Lounge With Priority Pass?
Yes, pre-booking may be available through the Priority Pass app or website. Search for Gatwick, select the South Terminal lounge and follow the reservation process. Pre-booking helps guarantee a place when the lounge is busy, although a separate reservation charge may sometimes apply depending on your membership.
FINAL BOARDING CALL
My Lounge Gatwick South surprised me.
The food was fresh and genuinely delicious, the make-your-own kebab was a great idea, the décor was attractive. At £24 per person through Priority Pass, my partner and I received a proper meal, drinks and a comfortable place to wait before our Pegasus flight to Istanbul.
Would I choose it over every other Gatwick South lounge?
No.
Clubrooms remains my choice for a more luxurious experience, while No1 Lounge is a stronger all-rounder. I might even choose Nando’s if I only wanted one meal and didn’t have much time.
But My Lounge has one unbeatable feature: its outdoor terrace.
If you need to smoke or vape after security at Gatwick South, this is the lounge to choose. Just don’t arrive expecting a glamorous rooftop cocktail bar with Dreamliners taxiing past.
It’s a vapour’s paradise and I mean that quite literally.
Plane Honest verdict: Excellent food, friendly staff and good Priority Pass value, but choose it primarily for the casual atmosphere or smoking terrace (if you need it) rather than luxury or runway views.
My rating: 4 out of 5
Let’s make travel better.
Check out the Gatwick Airport Lounges
Standard Plus usually makes the most sense for UK travellers, 10 visits included and still cheaper than paying £47+ each time.
Cheers to stylish travels!
Plane Related Blogs:
Gatwick Airport Hotel Reviews:
My Lounge Gatwick South Review: Kebabs, Cocktails and Clouds of Vape
Airport lounges, free upgrades, travel chaos and the occasional meltdown. Real travel, not influencer nonsense.
Plane Extras
The PLANE Smart Way to Take Off
Here are my go-to travel extras that help keep this blog (and me) airborne.
🅿️ Airport Parking Compare prices and save up to 75% at Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and more with Compare Parking Prices UK →
🎒 Plane Essentials My must-pack travel gear, from cabin-size backpacks to neck pillows that actually work. Shop my curated Amazon Storefront →
📱Stay Connected Avoid roaming shock. Airlo eSIMs → give you instant data in 180+ destinations, no SIM swap required.
💳 Boost Your Avios Earn faster and fly farther with my Amex Gold referral →
or track reward seats via Reward Flight Finder →.
If you're planning your journey to the airport, you might also find this guide useful:
Comments