A reviewer passing through Algiers Houari Boumediene Airport (ALG) recently checked out the Air Algerie VIP Lounge while connecting from a Montreal flight to Tunis — and found one of the strangest lounge setups you'll encounter anywhere.
First, the transit itself is an adventure. Algeria issues tourist visas reluctantly, and Air Algerie carries very little international connecting traffic, so the "Flight Connections" route was essentially deserted. International transiting passengers get funneled into a dedicated "transit room," where you fill out a transit form (yes, a form just to change planes), then queue for an immigration officer and a second security check. It's bureaucratic but painless — mostly because there's nobody there. The reviewer was apparently the only person from his A330neo flight connecting onwards.
The lounge itself sits on the upper level in the centre of the international terminal, easy to spot thanks to signage and a Boeing 767 model at the entrance — an odd choice given the type left Air Algerie's fleet years ago. It's the airport's main lounge, serving not just Air Algerie premium passengers but also those flying EgyptAir, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, Saudia, Tunisair and Turkish Airlines. Despite plenty of spare capacity, it's not part of Priority Pass.
Inside, the vibe is best described as a furniture showroom: a huge, open space floored with a sea of plush couches and armchairs, all essentially identical. On this early-morning visit there were roughly a dozen people present, including airport staff having breakfast at the buffet. Staffing is generous to the point of comedy — two people tending the buffet and three at a reception desk that barely saw a guest in an hour.
Food and drink are self-serve and thoroughly average: finger sandwiches, fruit, cheese, cold cuts, yogurt, cereal and pastries, plus hot items (eggs, sausage, potatoes) that had clearly been sitting a while. It's a dry lounge, so no alcohol — just coffee, tea, soft drinks and water. Bathrooms are near the entrance, and a shower suite technically exists, though reports suggest it's not really usable.
The verdict: don't arrive early for it, but if you're connecting through Algiers, it's a quiet, comfortable place to wait — rare in a world of packed lounges.
