Coral Premium Departure Lounge at Phuket International Airport [Review]

I’ve traveled through Phuket International Airport (HKT) several times from both the international and domestic terminals. On my latest departure in July 2024, I aimed to try a Priority Pass lounge in the international terminal that I had never visited before: Coral Executive Lounge. Ultimately, that lounge wasn’t accepting Priority Pass members, and my family was directed to the Coral Premium Departure Lounge.

I’m quite familiar with the Coral Premium Departure Lounge, so I’ll walk you through what to expect from your visit if this Priority Pass lounge is your only option when departing Phuket.

Coral Premium Departure Lounge Location

The Coral Premium Departure Lounge is on the same level as the departure gates to the right of gate 10. This was an ideal location for me as my HK Express flight to Hong Kong (HKG) was departing from gate 9.

Once you’ve cleared security, turn right and follow the signage for gates 4 to 11.

Near gate 11, the walkway narrows a bit but continues toward gate 10.

To the right of the queues for gates 9 and 10, you’ll see an exit toward an outdoor area with a Burger King (still within the secured area). The lounge is on the right under the CIP Lounge sign.

Once exiting the main terminal area, turn right to gain entrance to the lounge.

Hot Tip:

If you’re departing from the domestic terminal, check out my review of the Royal Orchid Lounge at Phuket International Airport.

Gaining Entry to the Coral Premium Departure Lounge

My family of 5 gained access to this lounge through the Priority Pass membership I enrolled in via my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. Each membership allows 2 guests, and as my husband is an authorized user on my Capital One Venture X card, his Priority Pass membership helps our entire family enter the lounge.

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

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 in's and out's 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 Bonus Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$395

APR

19.99% - 29.99% (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 (rates & fees)
• 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
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
• 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 $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

 

Other ways to gain access to the lounge include Diners Club International, Lounge Pass, LoungeKey, LoungeMe, ·ON·PASS, Persona, and TAV Passport.

Day passes can be booked online from 1,400฿ (around $39). Children over the age of 2 are charged the same rate as adults, and children 2 and younger are free.

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

First Impressions

Stepping from the air-conditioned terminal into the muggy outdoor space and then into an air-conditioned lounge is slightly jarring, but the temperature in the lounge itself was fine, and additional cooling fans supported it.

Dining tables and chairs are closest to the entrance and around the buffet, with longer high-top tables at the rear of the lounge in an open atrium-style space.

The lounge’s design aesthetic is a bit all over the place. The black wall paneling darkens the space but contrasts with the pop of the yellow chairs and hanging greenery. Replica animal busts are mounted on the wall near the entrance, and nature photographs are displayed throughout. It definitely does not have a beachy/tropical vibe.

Seating

The dining tables with seating for 4 run the length of the lounge from the entrance to the buffet.

If you’re just grabbing a quick bite or perhaps want a more grounded work setup, this is likely where you’ll land. Outlets are available along the wall.

Toward the rear of the lounge were 2 very long high-top tables, each with seating for over 20 people. My family landed here to have a bit of room to spread out and keep our carry-on bags out of anyone’s way. The windows were lined with more individual dining tables and chairs.

These tables had a style of universal outlet but no USB inputs.

I enjoyed the views over the apron and out to the Andaman Sea.

Food and Beverage

Our visit was around 8 to 10 a.m., and the buffet was set for breakfast service.

Buffet

One of the lounge’s strengths was the variety of hot and cold food options, including Asian entrees such as shrimp fried rice.

The stir-fried Hokkien mee with chicken was so tasty that my husband went back for a second helping.

Western breakfast options included watery scrambled eggs, baked beans, and chicken ham.

Lunch-leaning options included niçoise salad, prepared sandwiches, and beetroot salad.

The buffet featured a salad bar with various toppings, marinated olives, and prepackaged brownies and cookies. While I understand that most lounges don’t encourage guests to remove food from the lounge, these treats were a no-brainer to throw in my carry-on as a treat for the flight.

Since our flight ran over lunch, we had already prepared sandwiches at our Airbnb for the journey, but I’m always happy to see peanut butter and jelly available for even the pickiest of kids.

My kids enjoyed the pastries, banana cake, and toffee cake, which were consistently replenished. The toffee cake was a favorite among my kids. The buffet also had 2 cold cereal options on offer.

A cooler had cut fresh fruit, plain and mixed fruit yogurts, milk, sago with coconut milk (who doesn’t like a blue dessert?), and orange and chocolate cupcakes.

Beverages

A self-service coffee machine was at one end of the buffet. Tea bags were located at the opposite end near the breads.

A well-stocked cooler had bottled water and Coca-Cola products, including the ghost-friendly Fanta Strawberry that visitors may have spotted at spirit houses throughout the area.

Whisky, rum, gin, vodka, and wine were available to purchase at the check-in desk, starting at 150฿ (around $4). Pricing for the draft beers was not indicated on the menu, so I am not certain if this was complimentary or not.

Amenities

Wi-Fi

The lounge had its own network, Coral Outdoor Lounge, which was easy to access via a password posted around the lounge (also available via QR code). I was pleasantly surprised when my phone auto-connected to the Wi-Fi, recalling a previous visit.

Restrooms

The restroom area felt like stepping back out into the outdoor space ahead of the entrance — it was a bit swampy, despite fans attempting to keep the space cool. The women’s restroom had 2 stalls. The sinks had something that looked like a urinal deodorizer screen over each drain … for a fresh scent, I suppose?

The toilet stall was clean and stocked.

Staff and Service

There were 2 main service teams present in the lounge: several women kept a watchful eye on the buffet to replenish it, and a separate team of 2 continuously cleared dirty dishes from tables. Both groups did their job effectively, though the buffet team did seem to mill about a bit. Ultimately, we had no issues getting the food or drinks we were after, and our discarded plates and trash were politely cleared away.

Final Thoughts

With limited Priority Pass options in Phuket International Airport’s international terminal, Coral Premium Departure Lounge offers plenty of food and beverage options to help you fuel up before your flight. During my most recent visit, the buffet was well-stocked and had a bountiful selection of options for Asian and Western tastes, kids, and vegetarians. I appreciated the prepackaged goodies to takeaway as a treat for our onward journey.