The 10 worst airport lounges in South America: 2026

I built this list from Lounge Frog's own ratings. I counted only lounges with at least eight rated metrics (148 in South America; the regional median is 3.2), only lounges that are open, and I left out nap suites, spas and restaurants.

Three lounges share 1.9 and three share 2.0, with identical underlying totals within each group. I broke ties by the number of 1s.

Two hubs that should know better#

1. Urban Cowork Airport Lounge, São Paulo Guarulhos, 1.4. The lowest score in the region, and it rates 1 on nine of fourteen metrics, including workspace, wifi and power, which is an odd result for a room sold as a coworking lounge. There is no bar, and the lounge's own policy says complimentary snacks only. Once you're through security, go to the Plaza Premium Lounge (T2) at 4.6 (Priority Pass, LoungeKey, DragonPass), which serves the domestic gates 201 to 224, or the GOL Premium Lounge (International) in the same terminal at 4.2 (Priority Pass, LoungeKey).

2. Flybondi Lounge by Global Lounge Network, Rio Galeão, 1.6. A newer room on the third floor of the South Pier for international departures, open 24 hours. The answer is on the same floor of the same pier: the GOL Premium Lounge (International) rates 4.0, has two showers and takes Priority Pass and LoungeKey from 5am to 11pm. If you hold DragonPass, the Plaza Premium Lounge (International) rates 4.4, though our record doesn't list Priority Pass there. Star Alliance Gold members should use the Star Alliance Lounge at 4.7.

1.8 and 1.9: the international side as an afterthought#

Several Brazilian regional airports have a stronger domestic lounge than their smaller international room.

3. The Lounge Florianópolis (International), 1.8. It holds 40 people and rates 1 for coffee, drinks, power, quiet, restrooms, seating and wifi. The domestic The Lounge Florianópolis is a different lounge entirely, rated 3.8 with showers, but it serves domestic flights only. If you're flying international out of Florianópolis, this lounge is the only rated option, and it is still better than a gate seat.

4. Ambaar Club (International), Porto Alegre, 1.9. Near gates 101 and 102, open 24 hours, with 1s for drinks, power, restrooms, views and workspace. The Ambaar Club (Domestic) rates 3.2, but it is for domestic and transit flights only, so international passengers have no better option here.

5. Advantage VIP Lounge (International), Curitiba, 1.9. 1s for cleanliness, food, wifi and workspace. Curitiba is the exception to the pattern, because the Advantage VIP Lounge (Domestic), rated 2.8, says it admits international passengers with a valid boarding pass. DragonPass holders also have the W Premium Lounge Curitiba at 3.8, though our record doesn't say whether international passengers can reach it.

6. Advantage VIP Lounge (Airside), Rio Santos Dumont, 1.9. This one is domestic, not international, but it shares the 1.9 score. The Harmony Lounge is the best of a weak set at 2.4 (Priority Pass, LoungeKey, DragonPass). That is a small step up, not a rescue.

2.0 and 2.1: Fortaleza, Brasília and a bank lounge#

7. Ambaar Club (International), Fortaleza, 2.0. The same international story as Porto Alegre, from the same operator. The Ambaar Club (Domestic) at 2.8 and the DragonPass-only W Premium Lounge Fortaleza (Domestic) at 4.0 are both on the domestic side, so on an international departure this lounge is all you get.

8. VIP Express Club Pier Norte, Brasília, 2.0. On the mezzanine of the north pier towards gate 10, domestic only, rated 1 for coffee, power, seating, service and wifi. The Aeroportos VIP Club (Domestic) is on the second floor of the main departure area, with the same three networks, open 24 hours, four showers and a 4.4 rating. The Pier Sul version rates 2.5.

9. W Premium Arrival Lounge, Fortaleza, 2.0. An arrivals lounge on DragonPass, rated 1 for coffee, crowding, quiet and views. There is no other rated arrival lounge in Fortaleza to send you to, so judge it against the taxi queue, not against a departure lounge. If you're flying out on DragonPass, use the W Premium Lounge Fortaleza (Domestic) at 4.0.

10. Bradesco Cartões Lounge, Rio Santos Dumont, 2.1. This one is only for Bradesco premium cardholders, and it gets a 5 for exclusivity. Everything else is weak: 1s for cleanliness, crowding, quiet and workspace. If your Bradesco card also comes with Priority Pass or LoungeKey, the Harmony Lounge at 2.4 is marginally better.

Lower, but not on the list#

All ten lounges above are in Brazil only because they are the low scorers with photos. The lounges below score lower or the same, but they have no photos on the site yet, so they can't go on a ranked list. I'd treat them as part of the picture:

• Medellín: Harmony Lounge Nacional 1.6 and Harmony Lounge Internacional 1.7. The Lounge Medellín Nacional and International rate 3.4 on the same Priority Pass card and are in the same terminals.
• Cartagena: Avianca Lounge Cartagena 1.7 and Heroica VIP Lounge (International) 1.8.
• Rio Santos Dumont: Advantage VIP Lounge (Landside) 1.8.
• Barranquilla, La Paz, Santa Cruz and Cali, all at 1.9: Cumbia Lounge, The Lounge VIP (Domestic), The Lounge VIP (International) and Consorcio Occidente Lounge. At each of these airports, the other rated lounges score only 2.1 or 2.2, so a small airport is part of the story.

I also left out Caracas. Its two Priority Pass lounges rate 1.6 and 1.9. The twin earthquakes of June 24 closed Maiquetía, and when it reopened in early September, flights ran through a temporary modular terminal while the permanent one is rebuilt. Our records list both lounges as unavailable while the terminal is closed.

For the other end of the scale, see the best airport lounges in South America and the best in Brazil. The Brazil-only version of this list is at /news/worst-airport-lounges-brazil-2026. Our scores follow our methodology.