Aerotel Sydney and Plaza Premium Lounge Arrivals celebrate 1st birthday in style

Aerotel and PPLA from the Plaza Premium Group celebrating their first-year anniversary since opening at the Sydney Airport. Picture Stephen Cooper
Edited by Travel Weekly


    Plaza Premium Group (PPG) celebrated the first anniversary of Aerotel Sydney, the first in-airport hotel at the Sydney Airport, and Plaza Premium Lounge Arrivals, the first arrivals lounge within Sydney Airport’s international terminal.

    The facilities opened as international travel started recovering from COVID-19 restrictions. In June 2022, Sydney Airport’s T1 international terminal welcomed over 690,000 passengers as it started to accommodate the return of travel heavily impacted by the pandemic.

    By June 2023, traffic reached 1.16 million passengers, a remarkable 89 per cent recovery compared to pre-pandemic June 2019.

    The resurgence in international travel has significantly contributed to the success of Aerotel Sydney. Since its opening in August 2022, the hotel has welcomed nearly 8,000 guests from 112 countries.

    Situated in the international terminal, just a few metres away from the arrivals hall and a floor below check-in and departures, Aerotel Sydney offers both overnight accommodation and hourly bookings, designed for travellers looking to freshen up, unwind after a long flight, or rest while waiting for a connecting flight.

    Adjacent to Aerotel Sydney, Plaza Premium Lounge Arrivals offers a pay-as-you-go option, catering to arriving or departing passengers. It provides access to all passengers, regardless of their airline or travel class, without membership requirements. The lounge is equipped with private showers, accessible washrooms, flight information displays, and complimentary Wi-Fi, ensuring a seamless and pleasant travel experience.

    The first anniversary of Aerotel Sydney and Plaza Premium Lounge Arrivals Sydney coincides with Plaza Premium Group’s 25th anniversary, with the organisation planning to expand its presence globally in line with the continued recovery of domestic and international travel.

    In addition to Aerotel Sydney and Plaza Premium Lounge Arrivals in Sydney, the group currently operates four international departure lounges in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide, with further expansion plans in the coming years.

    “Today, we celebrate the first anniversary of Aerotel and Plaza Premium Lounge Arrivals at Sydney Airport, reaffirming our commitment to elevate travellers’ airport experience worldwide,” said Song
    Hoi See, founder and CEO of Plaza Premium Group.

    Aerotel and PPLA from the Plaza Premium Group celebrating their first-year anniversary since opening at the Sydney Airport. Picture Stephen Cooper

    “Australia has always been strategically important to PPG’s operations due to its role as a pivotal departure and destination point for the Kangaroo Route. This provides PPG the perfect opportunity to offer excellent airport hospitality services that enable travellers to start and end their journeys seamlessly.

    “As these exceptional facilities continue to welcome guests from various nationalities, so will our mission to innovate our services and develop human-led solutions that cater to travellers’ evolving needs, ensuring that Plaza Premium Group remains to be the epitome of airport hospitality excellence.

    “In addition, as we mark Plaza Premium Group’s 25th anniversary, we will aim to soar higher and continue shaping the future of travel, one exceptional experience at a time.”

    Geoff Culbert, Sydney Airport CEO added: “International travel is now roaring back to life, and there’s a growing number of travellers looking for comfort and convenience when they come through Sydney Airport.”

    “To have Australia’s only in-terminal hotel just steps away from the arrivals gates is a great result for passengers, especially those with early morning or late-night flights through Sydney.”

    To mark this significant milestone, Aerotel offers travellers signed up to Smart Traveller with a special offer of up to 30% until the 31st of August 2023. Plaza Premium Group is a pioneer in airport hospitality that continues to innovate and elevate the airport experience.

    With over 1,400 airport lounges worldwide, the group has been consistently recognised as the ‘World’s Best Independent Airport Lounge’ in the Skytrax World Airline Awards for eight consecutive years.

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