Priority Pass gets you into The Premier Lounge at CPT
The Premier Lounge at Cape Town International sits airside in the International area and runs as a Bidvest-operated contract lounge that many people enter via Priority Pass or paid day pass. Lufthansa and United send their premium passengers here when flying out of CPT, because neither runs its own-branded lounge in this terminal. Think functional stop before a long-haul rather than a flagship club.
CPT actually has two Bidvest/Premier-branded lounges in the international zone, even though most signs point you to just one. One entrance appears on the right after immigration; the second sits at the far left end of the pier near the British Airways lounge and shows in Priority Pass as “Bidvest Premier Lounge 2.” Reviews say signage underplays that second space, but it can be a touch calmer.
Access works through airline-invited premium cabin, Priority Pass and similar lounge schemes, or a paid day pass at the desk. Flyers mention being “shooed in” by staff with Priority Pass, so entry checks are usually quick, but that also means the room fills up around peak long-haul departures between roughly 18:00 and 23:00. If you’re paying cash, treat this more as guaranteed seating with snacks and drinks than as a destination bar.
Food runs to basic buffet: think hot trays, finger food and sweets that rotate through the evening departure bank, not full restaurant dining. Drinks include standard spirits, beer and wine poured from the bar or fridges, with most items self-service and included in access or day-pass pricing. Regulars rate this solidly mid-tier in South Africa, explicitly saying the SLOW lounges in JNB and CPT come out ahead on quality and presentation.
Frequent Priority Pass users sometimes skip the first Bidvest/Premier door they see and keep walking all the way left after immigration to try “Lounge 2” for better seating and slightly less crowding. UA and LH loyalists who also qualify for BA access sometimes check both the BA lounge and this Premier space on the same night, then stay where the buffet looks fresher and plug points are free.
One practical tip: after clearing international security and passport control at CPT, decide right away if you want the main Premier entrance on the right or to test your luck at the quieter-left “Lounge 2” by walking to the very end of the BA side corridor before you sit down.
How to get in
- 01 Lounge access