Stockholm-Arlanda Airport is one of SAS’s hub airports and also the largest airport in Sweden. This time I flew from Stockholm to London, and since London is not in the Schengen Area, I departed from the non-Schengen area of the airport.
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How to get to the SAS lounge?
The first major downside of this lounge is that it is very hard to find. After security, I didn’t see any lounge signs, and the description on the official website was also unclear. After security, I tried looking at a map, but the lounge location still wasn’t marked. I walked forward a bit, passed through a section of duty-free stores that felt like a forced-spend zone, and only then noticed a gate with lounge signage was directly behind me. I had to walk back, and finally found the elevator hidden in a corner behind it.
After going upstairs, I saw the entrance to the SAS lounge. The screen beside it also said it was the “New Lounge,” although it has actually been open for a while.
Who can enter this lounge?
Same as other Star Alliance lounges, if you are:
- a Star Alliance Gold member, or
- a passenger on Star Alliance business class or first class (plus one companion) or SAS Plus
you can enter this lounge. The SAS lounge uses an automated access system—you just scan your boarding pass, and if you are eligible, the door opens automatically.
In other words, if you are a Star Alliance Gold member but your ticket does not show your frequent flyer number, you won’t be let in. In that case, you’ll need to ask a nearby SAS staff member to let you in.
If you are a first-class passenger, your companion can follow and scan their boarding pass, and they will also be let in automatically. So in theory, even if you’re in economy class, you could sneak in by quietly following a first-class passenger (surprised face). There is also a SAS Gold Lounge nearby for Star Alliance Gold members.
Ambience and seating
I actually like the design of the SAS lounge: the colors are rich and lively, and it feels a bit like stepping into IKEA (not sure if IKEA is sponsoring it).
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SAS Stockholm Lounge: seating
The seats are also minimalist, but quite comfortable.
The business center also provides a few computers and printers for use.
There seem to be quite a few children playing in the kids’ area.
Food and beverages
I arrived at the airport in the morning, so everything offered was breakfast. The bread was a bit on the hard side.
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SAS Stockholm Lounge: bread
Breakfast included eggs, cheese, and sliced turkey.
This porridge wasn’t Chinese-style in any way, so it wasn’t really my taste.
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SAS Stockholm Lounge: porridge[/caption>
The coffee machines were all of the usual types, with nothing surprising.
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SAS Stockholm Lounge: bar and coffee machines[/caption>
They offered beer and milk, but unfortunately I didn’t find any variety of juice. I also didn’t see anyone behind the bar, so I ended up not asking for any drinks.
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SAS Stockholm Lounge: alcohol and beverages
As for the fruit, there’s not much to add—the selection was somewhat limited.
The dining table design is also very unique. The poles in the middle look like park-style umbrellas, but they are actually lights.
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SAS Stockholm Lounge: dining tables
There are also power outlets in the middle, so you can charge while you eat.
There’s a row of magazines beside the dining tables, as if the idea is to read while you eat. And beside the magazines, they also didn’t forget to promote their own mobile app.
[caption id="attachment_6460" align="aligncenter" width="3264"] SAS Stockholm Lounge: magazines[/caption>
Overall, I think the SAS lounge is relatively well designed. The overall look is very comfortable, but the soft service hasn’t quite been executed well. For the largest airline in the airport, is it really that hard to provide a bigger directional sign to the lounge? In other aspects, such as food supply, it’s also just average. Of course, I didn’t expect much, so I wasn’t disappointed.