Review of Coral Executive Lounge at Phuket International Airport’s [International Terminal]

I’ve transited through the international terminal at Phuket International Airport (HKT) several times, and I’ve only ever visited its Coral Premium Departure Lounge. For my June 2025 visit, I decided to check out the other Priority Pass lounge in the terminal, the Coral Executive Lounge. After utilizing one of its unique amenities, I may prioritize this lounge for future visits.

I’ll first walk you through how to locate the lounge (there are a few Coral lounges, so double-check the signage to find the right one!). Then, I’ll review how to access the lounge, what the food and beverage options look like, and what amenities are offered.

Coral Executive Lounge Location

After passing through immigration and a security screening on the third floor, close to gate 11, you’ll see escalators to the right to the fourth floor.

The Coral First Class Lounge and a Thai Royal Orchid Lounge are closest to this escalator. I’ve accidentally tried to access the Coral First Class Lounge by mistake before, thinking it was the Coral Executive Lounge, but they are not the same (and have different access rules).

Walking to the opposite side of this level, you’ll find the Coral Executive Lounge at the end after passing another Thai Royal Orchid Lounge.

There is also a set of escalators and an elevator closer to the entrance to the Coral Executive Lounge (near gate 15). Our flight departed from gate 14, just below the lounge, so these escalators were more convenient for reaching our gate.

Gaining Entry to the Coral Executive Lounge

The lounge is open daily from 6 a.m. to midnight.

Coral Executive Lounge participates in Diners Club International, Lounge Pass, LoungeKey, LoungeMe, Persona, Plaza Premium Lounge, Priority Pass, and TAV Passport. My family accessed this lounge using my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card‘s Priority Pass membership.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

75,000 miles

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$395

APR

Purchases: 19.99% - 29.24% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Excellent (740-840)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

 

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases

Cons

• $395 annual fee
• Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status

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Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
• Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
• Enjoy access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
• Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
• Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®

Financial Snapshot

• APR: Purchases: 19.99% - 29.24% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

 

Airlines such as Cathay, Emirates, and Hainan Airlines also utilize the lounge for business and first class passengers.

Day passes can be booked online from ฿1,900 (around $59). Children over the age of 2 are charged the same rate as adults, and children 2 and younger are free.

Hot Tip:

If you have Priority Pass access, consider my review of the Coral Premium Departure Lounge in the international terminal and review of the Royal Orchid Lounge in the domestic terminal.

First Impressions

Having visited the Coral Premium Departure Lounge on the third floor several times, I was excited to try a new Coral outlet on the fourth floor. The Executive Lounge had a similar design aesthetic to the Premium Departure Lounge, with geometric metal light fixtures, high-top tables, and familiar food options.

The lounge was not open to the airport’s exterior and instead had windows that overlooked the interior of the terminal’s third level, where the gates are located. We visited around 6:30 p.m., just before sunset, but the space still felt well-lit, bright, and airy as the night progressed.

Hot Tip:

If you enjoy planespotting, the Coral Premium Departure Lounge on the third floor has floor-to-ceiling windows with views across the apron and Andaman Sea.

Seating

The deepest area of the lounge had pairs of lounge chairs with a small table between them. My family found open seating on the banquette booth that ran the length of this area. It had the same small tables with stools we could position for additional people or to rest bags.

Unfortunately, the outlets in this area were difficult to use. They were built into the bottom of the banquette seating, and the weight of my travel adapter made it difficult for it to stay plugged in.

I noted premium touches, like embroidered pillows with the Coral logo.

Similar seating was at the opposite side of the lounge, separated by a high-top coworking space. The most notable difference was that these pairs of chairs had back-support pillows.

The large worktable had standard U.S.-style outlets and USB-A inputs for charging.

Toward the rear of the lounge, past the buffet, was a smaller dining area.

Food and Beverages

Beverages

Immediately upon entering the lounge, on the right, was a self-service drink station with juice and a coffee machine.

The next area was a staffed bar. Chang and Federbräu beers were on draft, and according to the Priority Pass website, beer is the only complimentary alcohol included. Liquor was behind the bar, and a menu with cocktail suggestions was posted on the wall.

Hot Tip:

Grab a package of coconut-coated peanuts from the bar if you’d like to take a snack on the plane.

Red and white wines were available by the bottle for ฿850 ($26), and Champagne and rosé were offered in a quarter-bottle format for ฿1,800 ($56).

Canned Coca-Cola products and waters were available in a cooler in the buffet area.

Buffet

The hot buffet looked promising, but ultimately disappointed. Let’s walk through what was offered, starting with white rice and chicken massaman curry. While not much to look at, the curry was the most well-executed of the dishes available.

Other options included stir-fried vegetables with shrimp.

The chicken breast with black pepper sauce looked promising, but I immediately spat it out. The chicken texture was rubbery and inedible.

Chicken drumsticks were offered to accompany biryani rice.

The primary vegetarian option was fusilli with tomato sauce.

Since nothing looked appetizing to my kids outside of desserts, they primarily ate these lukewarm, soggy potato wedges.

The cold salads were unremarkable. They included olives, beets, mixed raw vegetables, a mayonnaise-based salad, and a creamy fruit salad.

A cooler nearby had cupcakes, diced dragon fruit, and blue sago pudding.

Below this were milk, butter, salad dressings, and yogurts.

A corner near the Coke cooler held finger sandwiches, bread for toasting, and baked treats.

Amenities

The Coral Executive Lounge barely has amenities, though 1 in particular is worth stopping for.

Complimentary Massage

I noticed a woman in the lounge getting a shoulder massage and inquired about the service at the front desk. One of the representatives told me she would let the masseuse know that we would be next in her rotation (which she did right away).

The complimentary 15-minute shoulder massage was outstanding. I’d encourage you to tip for great service! Hour-long massages in Phuket run around ฿300 ($9), so I left a tip of ฿100 ($3).

Wi-Fi

The lounge had a dedicated Wi-Fi network and was easy to connect to using the provided password.

Speeds were impressive, as I have never had good luck with fast airport networks. I got download speeds of 94.2 Mbps and upload speeds of 85.7 Mbps.

Restrooms

Restrooms are located outside of the lounge entrance. The Coral Premium Departure Lounge has restrooms inside the lounge if that’s important to you, though neither lounge has showers.

Service

The check-in experience was fast and courteous. When I approached the desk staff about a massage, a team member quickly and efficiently addressed my request, which was impressive.

The staff who kept the seating area clean were always buzzing about unobtrusively in the background, and the food and drinks were kept well-stocked.

Final Thoughts

I’d come back to the Coral Executive Lounge in Phuket’s international terminal again just to have another incredible preflight massage and a Diet Coke, as both put me in a great mood ahead of our long flight home. The food was nothing notable, and the chicken was downright inedible, but the lounge ticked the necessary boxes for a drink and a comfortable place to sit.

If you like a more open-feeling space with outdoor views, the Coral Premium Departure Lounge might be better suited for a visit, but thanks to Priority Pass, you don’t have to choose! Try both!