Pontus in the Air – Arlanda American Express lounge review
Pontus in the Air – is a lounge dedicated specifically to American Express Platinum and Centurion cardholders.
The lounge is located in Terminal 5 of Arlanda Airport in Stockholm. Terminal 5 is mostly used for international departures outside of EU. The lounge is a part of Pontus in the Air restaurant but separated from the main area for privacy. To access the lounge you need to present a valid American Express Platinum or Centurion card to the lounge staff. It doesn’t have to be issued in Sweden, but mine was :).
The lounge looks quite tiny and at most have 10-12 tables. The service is provided by waiters, and I found it to be the downside in comparison to self-service SAS lounges. I had 40 minutes before the next flight and had to wait 20 minutes for a glass of wine and food. When I finally got it, I had to rush it and run to the gate.
Pontus in the Air lounge
There is a fixed menu for all customers, which consists of three main courses.
Swedish people LOVE the shrimp sandwich from Pontus, but I decided to try a salmon salad, complimented with a glass of white wine. To be honest, I didn’t have high hopes for the food, but the salad was delicious.
In case you are vegetarian, you can ask staff for a special meal outside of the menu.
Apparently, when the lounge just opened, there was a welcoming champagne served. But not anymore :(. However, wine, beers, and soft drinks are still included.
There’s selection of bread, desserts, and fruits available. As I don’t eat desserts that much, I haven’t tried them.
Overall, I enjoyed my very short stay in Pontus in the Air lounge. It’s a nice perk for American Express Platinum/Centurion cardholders, especially if they are traveling via Arlanda airport a lot.
It’s a good alternative to SAS and contracted lounges in Arlanda, especially if you’re hungry.
The service is nice and polite, but a bit slow, so I would not plan to visit the lounge if you have less than 30-40 minutes before the flight.
I hope that Amex will expand their Platinum and Centurion lounges to more airports, and especially open something in my beloved Kastrup airport in Copenhagen.