Emirates Lounge

Hot breakfast hits the buffet here before the 09:40 EK40.

The Emirates Lounge at Birmingham Airport sits airside in Terminal 1, right by the Emirates departure gates for EK40 and EK38. It opens roughly three hours before each Emirates flight and closes once boarding finishes, so it’s very much built around that daily schedule. Entry is for Emirates business and first class passengers, plus Skywards elite members on qualifying tickets; no pay-per-use passes here.

Food runs on a clear rotation tied to flight times, with a cooked breakfast spread before the morning EK40 and a heavier lunch/dinner selection before the evening departure. Expect hot dishes like curry, rice and pasta alongside sandwiches, salads and desserts, all included in your ticket price. Portions are self-serve buffet style, so you can grab a quick plate in five minutes or make it a proper sit-down meal.

The bar is fully stocked with spirits, wine, beer and prosecco poured by staff, and soft drinks are mostly from fridges along the wall. Coffee comes from a bean-to-cup machine and basic espresso drinks are easy to pull while you wait for boarding to be called for EK38 or EK40. Everything is complimentary once you’re inside, and there’s no tipping culture here.

Seating runs along the windows with partial apron views of the Emirates 777 parked on stand, plus interior zones with armchairs and small dining tables. Power sockets sit between seats in many rows, but not every chair has its own outlet, so you may need to hunt a bit if your laptop is on 5%. Wi‑Fi uses the airport network rather than a separate Emirates system, and speeds depend on how busy the Terminal 1 departures area is at that hour.

Showers are available on request, handy if you’ve come off a long train ride into Birmingham New Street and reached BHX more than two hours before departure. Staff hold your boarding pass at the desk while you use the shower room, then return it when you’re finished, so keep a photo of your pass on your phone if you like tracking boarding groups and times.

Security for Terminal 1 can spike past 25–30 minutes in the early morning wave, so clear that first, then head straight to the lounge for food and a drink rather than eating landside.