Ethiopian is by far Africa’s largest airline, so if you are flying anywhere in Africa, there’s a good chance you’ll be connecting through Addis Ababa, Bole International Airport.  The international departures terminal is being upgraded, but for now, it looks more like a run down shed.  The toilets are unusable, there are limited seating options, and restaurants are few and very expensive.  Lounge access is key to surviving your layover here, and without Priority Pass lounge presence, you’ll need to be flying business class or hold Star Alliance Gold status or higher to access one.

While the lounge is not particularly nice, it felt like a five star hotel compared to sitting in the terminal.  There were around 50 large chairs and couches for sitting, private bathrooms (still not clean, but much better compared to the terminal), and a surprisingly good food and drink spread.  Wifi worked fine in the lounge, however there is fast wifi throughout the terminal which is nice for those who can’t access the lounge. 

Lounge Food and Seating

Bottom Line

While not up to the same standard of lounges owned by other major airlines, this is a fine place to spend a short layover and have a tasty meal.