New Brisbane airport lounges for Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Air New Zealand

Qantas, Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand will all open new lounges at Brisbane Airport over the coming years, joined by an airline-independent Plaza Premium Lounge for travellers flying with any airline.

Following Virgin Australia's boosted Brisbane lounge, Qantas will up the ante at the domestic terminal with a new Qantas Club, Business Lounge and Chairman's Lounge, plus an all-new international lounge.

Singapore Airlines and Air New Zealand will each relocate into new, larger spaces at the far end of the terminal, while Plaza Premium's whereabouts remain to be seen.

Here's what to expect once the revamps and relocations are complete.

Qantas international lounge

Qantas will ditch its separate and relatively dated international business class and first class lounges in Brisbane in favour of a single combined lounge offering more space for travellers to unwind.

Certainly, some frequent flyers will lose the privacy of the current first class lounge – which is more of a de facto 'Platinum room' as Qantas doesn’t fly first class from Brisbane.

But we’d still peg this as an overall upgrade, especially if the new lounge takes some cues from Qantas’ latest single-class international lounges in Singapore and Hong Kong.

There, passengers can choose from two dishes of the day served straight to their table along with a range of other substantial bites and signature cocktails, although we're yet to see how Qantas’ food and beverage offering in Brisbane will compare.

Review: Qantas international business class lounge, Brisbane Airport

Domestic Qantas Club, Qantas Business Lounge

Brisbane's domestic Qantas Club (below) is also due for a facelift as part of a broader project at the terminal which will boost the Red Roo’s total lounge footprint by 30%.

Also on the agenda: a complete overhaul for the neighbouring Business Lounge, which is tipped to follow the lead of Perth’s new Business Lounge but with hints of Queensland in the design.

As with Qantas’ other new lounges in Brisbane, openings are planned in stages throughout 2016 and into early 2017 as the airline works to minimise disruption for travellers.

Also read: Qantas domestic business class lounge review, Perth

Qantas Chairman’s Lounge

Qantas’ high-value passengers such as CEOs of Australia’s major companies plus A-list celebrities and other VIPs will soon enjoy an all-new Chairman’s Lounge – a separate, private lounge for travellers belonging to Qantas’ secret club.

Photos: Inside the Qantas Chairman's Lounge

Many of Qantas’ domestic Chairman’s Lounges mirror its international first class facilities in both style and offering, with restaurant dining and all-day alcohol service…

… yet the airline’s newest Chairman’s Lounge in Melbourne, opened in early 2014, adopted a completely new ‘modern European’ look as opposed to ‘old London’.

Photos: New look for Qantas Chairman's Lounge in Melbourne

Air New Zealand lounge

Air NZ’s Brisbane lounge has long been overdue for a revamp, but we’re happy that it’s next on the airline’s agenda following the opening of completely new lounges in Auckland and Sydney:

Part of an NZ$100 million investment into its lounge network, Brisbane will adopt a similar design to that of Sydney and Auckland, opening in a brand new space at the opposite end of the terminal in early 2016.

The new lounge will be almost twice the size of Air New Zealand's current Brisbane lounge, easing the squeeze for travellers crossing the Tasman or flying with Virgin Australia and AirNZ's Star Alliance airline partners.

Also read: Air New Zealand’s big plans for Aussie airport lounges

Singapore Airlines SilverKris lounge

Singapore Airlines' SilverKris lounge in Brisbane is also up for replacement as part of a larger overhaul extending to its home turf in Singapore, and will be co-located with the new Air New Zealand and Plaza Premium lounges once opened in 2016:

Guests will ascend to level four via lifts and escalators from the departure concourse, with SQ's lounge taking on the airline's 'home away from home' concept already seen in Sydney, Hong Kong, London Heathrow and Manila:

Singapore Airlines' new 'home away from home' lounge design

Unlike in Sydney and Melbourne where Singapore Airlines has separate business class and first class lounges, Brisbane boasts a single lounge for all travellers which is expected to remain true after the relocation.

Also read: New Singapore Airlines flagship lounges for Changi by 2017

Plaza Premium Lounge

Brisbane’s first airline-independent lounge is slated to open in Q1 2016, allowing travellers without frequent flyer status or airline lounge membership to purchase access at the door.

While prices haven't yet been clarified, it's believed the lounge will welcome members of the Priority Pass program, with all guests offered access to the dining room with inclusive food and beverages...

... a nook with more high tables for laptop work and extra dining space for use during peak times...

... and a relaxation zone with easy access to power points from many of the seats.

The facility will join the Hong Kong-based company's extensive network of international lounges, along with both the SkyTeam and American Express lounges in Sydney which Plaza Premium manages on behalf of these companies.

Also browse: Photo tour: Virgin Australia's new Brisbane lounge

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Chris C.

Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.