East Midlands has one lounge, the Escape Lounge, run by Manchester Airports Group. That makes the decision simple: it is worth it or it is not, and there is no second option to weigh it against.
Here is what it costs with us, what you get, and the one detail that catches people out. Prices are per person from live availability, checked 12 August 2026.
How much is the East Midlands airport lounge?
£48.99 an adult and £34.99 a child, so £97.98 for two adults and £167.96 for a family of four. Those prices held across every date we sampled, so there is no cheaper week to hold out for.
The child rate applies from age 3 to 15. Sixteen and over pay the adult price.
What time does the East Midlands lounge open and close?
03:30 to 17:45. That closing time is the detail worth checking before anything else, because East Midlands runs plenty of late-afternoon and evening departures and the lounge will already be shut for a good number of them.
If you are on an evening flight, the lounge is not an option no matter how long you have airside. Check your departure time against 17:45 first.
What is included in the East Midlands lounge?
Freshly prepared hot and cold food, unlimited soft drinks, tea and coffee, and a bar. Alcoholic drinks are capped at three per adult, which is worth knowing if you were treating the bar as the main draw. Also Wi-Fi, newspapers and magazines, air conditioning, flight information screens and apron views.
Food and drink service stops shortly before closing, so a late arrival gets the seat but not necessarily the buffet.
How long can you stay in the East Midlands lounge?
Three hours maximum, and entry opens three hours before your scheduled departure. Arriving earlier than that will not get you in, so there is nothing to gain from turning up at the airport unusually early.
Ticketed passengers only, and it is airside, so you need to be through security first.
Is the East Midlands lounge accessible?
Yes. It is wheelchair accessible with disabled access throughout, and it accepts children of any age within the pricing bands above.
Is the East Midlands airport lounge worth it?
On an early departure, yes. The 03:30 opening is well before the terminal properly wakes up, and if you were going to buy breakfast and coffee anyway the real cost of the upgrade is a good deal less than the headline.
On a short afternoon hop with ninety minutes airside, no. A third of that goes on clearing security, finding the lounge and leaving for the gate, and you are effectively buying a chair.
The fuller version of that calculation, with the median UK lounge price for comparison, is in are airport lounges worth it.
Can you use a lounge membership at East Midlands?
The Escape Lounge at East Midlands is generally accepted on DragonPass and LoungeKey, with Priority Pass coverage varying. Membership admits you when there is space rather than guaranteeing a place, so on a busy morning a booked seat is the more certain option.
Do you need to book the East Midlands lounge in advance?
Walk-up entry is available at the door subject to space. With a single lounge serving the whole airport it does fill at the morning peak, and being turned away leaves you with nowhere else to go. Booking ahead removes that risk.
You can book it here: East Midlands airport lounge.