Tag Archives: Lounge

Mykonos Luxury Mykonian Priority Pass Lounge At Mykonos Airport (JMK)

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Mykonos island is one of my the most favorite vacation destinations in Greece. It’s a tiny, sick expensive, ridiculously fun, yet posh and luxury island, which cannot be compared to anything else in Europe.

Mykonos Airport Lounge Access

Luxury Mykonian Airport Lounge can be accessed by Priority Pass, Lounge Key members, Dragon Pass members, and Daily Pass holders.

I have used Priority Pass unlimited card, which I got with my American Express Platinum. Unfortunately, none of the big airline alliances have an agreement with the lounge, so having Aegean Airlines Gold or any other top-tier status within Star Alliance, SkyTeam or oneworld won’t grant the access to the Mykonos JMK lounge.

Note that the lounge is located in Domestic Departures hall and landside (before security). So you can do a check-in and then move to the lounge, but you will need to pass the airport security after leaving the Mykonos lounge. Keep it in mind and keep an eye on the clock, given that international (outside of Greece) departures are usually a mess and have massive lines.

Working hours: Daily 7:00 to 23:00

Closed: Winter Season (04Oct-Apr).

Luxury Mykonian Lounge is decorated in the authentic style of Mykonos island. I’d say it can handle no more than 30-40 visitors at the same time. There’s a big dining table, high sitting seats, sofa area and a few more seats here and there. To my biggest surprise, there’s even working area with two workstations. There are enough charging plugs all over the lounge. As domestic flights depart from Mykonos with several hours difference, so I doubt the lounge is ever crowded.

You can enjoy soft drinks, coffee, Greek wines and prosecco in Mykonos Airport Lounge. My favorite part about airport lounges in Greece is that they stack up all the wine bottles in the fridge and make it available.

Greek wines are one of my the most favorite, I would highly recommend having a pre-departure glass of wine :).

There’s also a selection of fresh fruits, traditional Greek pies and different cookies and cakes. I was in the lounge an hour before closing and didn’t see any warm food.

Overall

Luxury Mykonian Lounge by Goldair Handling CIP is a pleasant place to wait for the flight at Mykonos Airport, given how tiny the airport is. You can grab a drink and a small bite before your flight, but I wouldn’t arrive much ahead just to visit the lounge.

Remember it’s only accessible for Priority Pass, Lounge Key members, Dragon Pass members, and Daily Pass holders. 

Has anyone else been to this lounge?

Why you shall reach SAS EuroBonus Silver status before summer?

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SAS EuroBonus Silver

SAS EuroBonus Silver (StarAlliance Silver) status is the second lowest membership level in SAS, which has very limited perks and benefits. It can be earned by accumulating least 20 000 Basic points or taken at least 10 one-way flights on SAS Airlines and/or to selected destinations on Wideroe Airlines during your qualification period.

You can read detailed guide How to get SAS EuroBonus Silver here.

SAS EuroBonus Silver benefits

Feasible perks and benefits of SAS EuroBonus Silver status are more or less limited to “Priority business class check-in” and additional extra points, especially after SAS has taken away a perk of one free luggage on SAS Go Light fares.

SAS EuroBonus Silver benefits during summer

There’s a twist why EuroBonus Silver status has almost the same benefits as EuroBonus Gold during limited summer time.

As EuroBonus Silver member traveling during July 8th to August 20th in 2018 you can enjoy both SAS Fast Track and SAS Lounges. You can even invite up to 4 family members or 1 friend traveling on any SAS Airlines operated flight the same day. Remember, it’s not applicable to SAS Charter flights.

 

You can access SAS lounges in: Chicago, Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Helsinki, New York, Oslo, Paris, and Stockholm (Arlanda Terminal 5).

And use SAS Fast Track in: Stockholm, Gothenburg, Oslo and Copenhagen.

Instant SAS EuroBonus Silver status

The easiest and fastest way to reach SAS EuroBonus Silver status stays American Express SAS Elite credit card.

With a monthly fee of approximately 330 SEK/month, you can try the card, get upgraded to SAS EuroBonus SIlver status, use the perks and benefits for few summer months and cancel it at any time, if you don’t like it (but I’m sure you would love it!).

You can potentially save up to 2000 SEK per trip with American Express Elite card in comparison to buying access to contracted lounges or paying in over-priced airport cafes.

So how much can you benefit from EuroBonus Silver status during summer?

Usually, airport lounges sell their access for approximately 20-25 Euros per person, however I find SAS lounges to be more pleasant than contracted lounges, access to which you can buy with PriorityPass or LoungeBuddy.

Here is a simple estimation for a group of travelers during one summer trip:

  • A couple traveling from an airport with SAS Lounge to an airport without could easily save 50 Euros per trip. Make it 100 Euros if you are family of four.
  • And if you’re traveling from an airport with SAS Lounge and return from an airport with SAS Lounge (such as USA or Paris), as a couple you could save 100 Euros and as a family, up to 200 Euros per trip.
  • Don’t forget, time is money. Using Fast Track in airports during summer vacation madness can save tons of time, as well as nerves and frustration.

Quickie: Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge London Heathrow Airport

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Singapore Airlines First Class SilverKris Lounge

Is one out of two options available for StarAlliance first class passengers in London Heathrow Airport. The second first class lounge available in London Heathrow airport is United Global First Lounge, which I personally found to be much better.

There isn’t really much to review about Singaporean lounge, therefore let’s make it a Quickie!

Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge is located 10-15 minutes walk from the main airport area, and I managed to visit it during the breakfast hours, perhaps this’s why I was not impressed with it.

You can see the most of the lounge on the video, but I will quickly cover a few moments.

Singapore Airlines First Class SilverKris Lounge Champagne

There’s just one option, Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee Brut, which is not bad, but for me, it’s on a very sweet side due to high dosage.

The same champagne is served in United Global First Lounge, so in case you really don’t like it, choose another airport to departure from. I’m not joking!

 

Singapore Airlines First Class SilverKris Lounge and Food

I was in the lounge during the breakfast hours, which resulted in a limited Singaporean breakfast menu, rather than a full menu.

Singapore Airlines First Class SilverKris Lounge feels tiny and small. It has very small buffet area, with very limited food options. There’re dining tables available with the a-la-carte menu, but breakfast options I found to be quite sad.

 

I ordered Singaporean laksa, which was ridiculously fishy. Yes, it does list a lot of seafood ingredients on the menu, but it was just purely “fishy”. I had to skip that dish completely.

I have to give it to the Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge crew, who put an extra effort in fixing my friend’s vegetarian sandwich.

 

The service was good, but not perfect. We and other guests had to constantly ask for drinks refill. There’s a drastic difference between United First Class Lounge and Singaporean First Class Lounge in London Heathrow Airport. However, drinks and wine/champagne are also available for self-service.

On a cute side, some of the lounge tables are designed in line with Singapore Airlines First and Business class seats, which I think is quite cool.

There’s also relaxation area and in-lounge showers/restrooms.

Continue reading →

Trip Report: First Class ANA and Asiana Airlines Europe-Asia

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Yet another amazing First Class experience came to an end, and there is much to remember and review!

This time I was lucky to get 2 seats on ANA First Class flight between London and Tokyo, which took me approximately 4 months to make it happen. Read more about ANA 2 seats reservation tricks here.

Route: CPH-LHR-HND-CGK-BKK-ICN-FRA-CPH
Points used: 95 000 SAS EuroBonus / person
Departure: December 25
Return: January 8
Travel time: over 60h
Classes: 2 First (ANA and Asiana), 4 Business (ANA, Thai and SAS), 1 Economy (SAS)

Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge in London Heathrow Airport

Singapore Airlines First Class Lounge in Heathrow Airport is located in The Queen’s Terminal (satellite pier T2B), next door to the Business Class lounge. It can be easily found by following signs in the airport.

The service was nice and polite, decent a la carte menu for breakfast and lunch, a small buffet of ready dishes, and proper table service. The area is quite small with a very dated and sad looking decor.

During morning hours the lounge is not crowded, allowing visitors to relax, enjoy a glass of champagne and do some airplane spotting.

United Global First Class Lounge in London Heathrow Airport

United Global First Lounge in London Heathrow Airport is the second and last First Class Lounge options for all StarAlliance travellers. Located just a few minutes away from Singaporian Lounge, I found United Global First Lounge to offer much better and pleasant environment.

It also provides a la carte menu, wide selection of drinks and quite interesting “old school” decoration, which I personally found to be quite cool.

This would be my #1 recommendation for First Class passengers in London Heathrow Airport.

ANA First Class Suite (NH 212) London to Tokyo review

One of the hardest flights to book for 2 persons, which took me more than 3 months to actually book.

Amazing experience in ANA First Class Suites onboard of B777-300ER. Positive sides: great service, delicious Krug champagne and tasty food.

However, the cabin design is quite annoying if you’re traveling with a companion. Why? Read the full review and watch the video.

ANA First Class Lounge Tokyo Haneda Airport review

Freshly after arriving on ANA First Class Suites, ANA First Class Lounge in Haneda Airport provides a relaxing and fun experience after the trip.

The lounge is very spacious and comfy, polite and attentive service topped by one of my favorite champagnes Ayala, and a pleasant atmosphere.

It’s definitely a lounge to put on a “to-visit list”, but far away from Lufthansa First Class Lounges in Munich and Frankfurt.

ANA Business Class (NH 855) Tokyo to Jakarta review

This 9 hours flight from Tokyo to Jakarta is operated by Dreamliner B787, which I personally dislike.

However, ANA airlines has long-haul business class seat modification installed for this route. It’s definitely more comfortable than usual mid-ranged Dreamliner seats, as it’s offering fully flat beds.

As usual ANA has spot-on service, accompanied by a decent food and drinks menu.

Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Class (TG 436) Jakarta to Bangkok review

New Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Class cabin onboard Dreamliner B787.

A very, very pleasant surprise! Despite the business cabin not being the most advanced and private one, it looked very nice, felt fresh and was very comfortable.

As usual, Thai Airways provided very attentive, positive and smiling service, as well as tasty food and Veuve Cliquot champagne 🙂

Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa Panorama (Executive) Lounge review

I think TripAdvisor and endless booking webpages show relatively accurate picture of Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort at Karon Beach.

I just make a short review of the Panorama (Executive) Lounge, which can be accessed by Hilton Honors Diamond members or by booking Deluxe/Royal suite.

Overall, it works more like a bar than a lounge, but it’s a damn good bar by Thailand measurements, providing free drinks and a stunning sunset view :)!

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Business Class / StarAlliance Gold Lounge in Bangkok Airport

Relatively new StarAlliance Gold / SilverKris Business Class Lounge in Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.

It’s a bit tricky to find as there’re no clear signs, so it took me more than 15 minutes to find it.

Overall, I think it’s the best StarAlliance Business Class Lounge in Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, and let me explain you why…

EVA Air Business Class / StarAlliance Gold Lounge in Bangkok Airport

The newest StarAlliance Gold Lounge by EVA Air in Bangkok Airport.

It looks very cool from outside, but inside it’s a complete disaster.

I cannot understand who could have possibly agreed on such interior design within a “Business Class” Lounge concept. The lounge looks more like a nightclub, strip club, cheap bar, than a business class lounge.

Ridiculous lightning, poisonous colours and labirynt walks, read more why I personally hated this lounge….

Air France / KLM / SkyTeam Business Class Lounge in Bangkok Airport review

The only SkyTeam Elite lounge in Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, which serves Air France, KLM, SkyTeam and PriorityPass travelers.

To my biggest surprise, it was the brightest and the best decorated lounge out of 4 lounges I’ve visited in Bangkok Airport. Very clean, with reasonable food and drinks selection, proper working and relaxing areas, combined with a nice view over the terminal.

Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Class (TG 658) Bangkok to Seoul review

Good, old and ugly Thai Airways Boeing 747 upper-deck Business Class cabin…

I’ve taken this flight previously in First Class cabin. Clearly, it was a nicer experience to fly First than Business, but with a new improvement of Veuve Clicquot champagne being served in Thai Royal Silk Business Class, I just cannot complain on it!

So we had Veuve, and then more Veuve, and some more Veuve and a bit more of fresh and refreshing Veuve… If you look for more details, please read the short review (better if you have a glass of Veuve Clicquot in your hands).

Asiana Airlines First Class Suites (OZ 541) Seoul to Frankfurt review

Asiana Airlines is one of the easiest award flights to book, and yet the most exciting flight to take.

I could list 100s of ANA, Lufthansa, Thai and Singaporean First Class issues, but with Asiana it’s just 2 – severe champagne/wine deficit and uncomfortable bedding. The rest of Asiana Airlines A380’s experience was amazing!

Simply the best food onboard (Bibimbap!!!), polite and fun service, comfortable cabin and… Did I mention amazing food and service?

After enjoying the exceptional service and culinary delights on Asiana Airlines, we can’t help but daydream about our next adventure. Australia, with its mesmerizing landscapes and pristine beaches, is calling our names louder than ever.While our flight on Asiana Airlines had a couple of minor hiccups like the champagne/wine shortage and bedding, it was an overall thrilling experience. The outstanding food, especially the mouthwatering Bibimbap, and the polite, fun, and attentive service left an indelible mark on our travel memories.

Now, as we contemplate our next journey, we can’t help but imagine how the beautiful beaches of Australia will enchant us. From the world-famous Bondi Beach in Sydney to the remote and untouched stretches of sand along the Western Australian coast especially Merimbula, Australia promises to be a beach lover’s paradise.The thought of sinking our toes into the warm, golden sands, listening to the soothing sounds of the waves, and enjoying the sunny Australian weather is incredibly enticing. Whether it’s snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef or simply relaxing on the pristine shores, Australia offers a beach experience like no other.We look forward to trading our cabin seats for beach loungers and experiencing the magic of Australia’s coastline, all while savoring the memories of our remarkable flight with Asiana Airlines

Kuala Lumpur airport lounges review: Plaza Premium, SilverKris and Royal Silk

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During my latest Crazy Trip of September, I had a chance to visit two StarAlliance Gold and one PriorityPass lounge in Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL or KLIA).

My flight from Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo/Narita was departing at 7-00, so during check-in, I got an invitation to contracted lounge Plaza Premium, which is the only lounge working during the night.  Singapore Airlines SilverKris and Thai Airways Royal Silk lounges were both opening only at 6-00.

The amazing part is, all three lounges are within 1-minute walk from each other and next to smoking lounge! If you have a long stopover, you can do lounge hopping entire day ;)!

Plaza Premium Lounge in Kuala Lumpur

If you are travelling business class or have elite status with any of the following airlines, and your “native” alliance lounge is not working, you shall get the invitation ticket at the check-in counter.  I could also access Plaza Premium Lounge using PriorityPass that I got after receiving American Express Platinum card.

At 5-00, when I entered the lounge, it was quite empty and only a few passengers were napping there. Closer to 6-00, when most of the airlines start flying, the lounge became much busier.

There is a dedicated bar, which serves coffee and alcoholic drinks.

There is a price list for alcoholic drinks, but I was told to show my boarding pass and got it for free. Not sure who is required to pay, my guess would be PriorityPass users.

The food options were limited to the salad bar, some chicken sausages, fried noodles and omelette.  Next to the food station are fridges with soft drinks. There was also a separated “bread” station with bread, pastries and butter/jams.  A bit later there were sushi rolls available.

Each seat has several power outlets, which is usually one of the biggest deficits in many lounges. WI-FI was working good, but I would expect worse performance during busy hours.

Jumping ahead, I think Plaza Premium is one of the best lounge options at Kuala Lumpur Airport among the ones in the review.  It has the widest food selection and bigger sitting area, Surely, before it gets completely packed during busy hours due to many partners being served.

Singapore Airlines SilverKris Lounge at KLIA

The second lounge I visited at Kuala Lumpur Airport was Singapore Airlines SilverKris. To be frank, I always prefer SilverKris lounge in Asia, if there is one available, to any other StarAlliance lounge. Clearly, the lounge can be accessed by anyone flying Singapore Airlines business class or StarAlliance Gold members. SilverKris lounge opened precisely at 6-00 and is located 1-minute walk from Plaza Premium lounge.

There were some premade salads stored in the fridge, four options of warm dishes, some bread and pastry, alcohol bar and soft drinks.

SilverKris lounge had a fridge with a few bottles of white wine and red wine available next to heavy alcohol, which is my main food in lounges 😉

The lounge is the smallest one in the review, mostly providing high tables and just a few rows of chairs, but once again, no issue with power outlets or WI-FI connection.

Thai Airways Royal Silk lounge In Kuala Lumpur

The last lounge I managed to visit very quickly was Thai Airways Royal Silk lounge, which is located right opposite Plaza Premium. It’s a bit more spacious than SilverKris, seem to have more comfortable chairs, tables in front of you, rather than on a side,  and decent working area.

The food selection was exactly the same as in KrisFlyer lounge, so there is not much to discuss here. The beverage selection is the same minus any sort of wines.

Thai Airways lounge was completely empty, while KrisFlyer was already getting busy at the time of my visit.

Bottom line

If you travel with StarAlliance Gold and want to have a glass of wine, head directly to Singaporean KrisFlyer lounge. If you don’t care about it and want nicer sitting area, the choice is Royal Silk lounge. Food is equal in both lounges, but Thai seems to be a bit quieter.

If you can access Plaza Premium lounge – there you find a wider food selection, but it can get very crowded and noisy.

Overall, Kuala Lumpur KLIA airport is a heaven for lounge hoppers!

Pontus in the Air – Arlanda American Express lounge review

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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 :).

Entrance to the lounge

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.

New Eventyr Lounge in Copenhagen airport CPH

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Copenhagen Kastrup airport and Menzies just announced new Eventyr Lounge is now opened in Non-Schengen Peer C (mostly long-haul outside of EU flights).

Eventyr Lounge in CPH

As it is a contracted lounge, it does not belong directly to any of the three major airline alliances. So far, it is only British Airways that has an agreement with Eventyr Lounge, while other airlines are discussing cooperation.

The lounge is a nice addition to Kastrup airport, which is also undergoing expansion to bring a new terminal for increasing passengers traffic. Currently long-haul Peer C serves 36 different routes and had a limited relaxation area.

Access to Eventyr Lounge

Passengers flying with British Airways can access Eventyr Lounge.

Unfortunately, it is less likely that SAS will provide access to this lounge in Peer C, where all SAS flights to USA and Asia are leaving from. Star Alliance members will continue to use SAS Business and Gold lounges right before passport control of Peer C.

Anyone can pay to enter Eventyr Lounge for 250 DKK, or roughly 30€ per person.