Riga airport business lounge review, bordering on perfection
The hall is new, opened following the recent construction of the Latvian capital's new airport terminal. Located between the [...]
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The hall is new, opened following the recent construction of the Latvian capital's new airport terminal.
In this article:
Located between terminals B and C, it is definitely in the top five of the best European lounges directly operated by the airport. Keep in mind that there are no airline-owned lounges at this airport.
To access it, I used the my priority pass, paper is one of the benefits associated with American Express Platinum and allows free access to hundreds of lounges worldwide for the holder and a companion.
The only lounge in the airport, the Premiere Lounge is available free of charge to all business and elite passengers and holders of major access cards such as Priority Pass and Lounge buddy. For everyone else, there is a charge for entry at the price of €35.
Access is either from the staircase directly connected to the boarding area or via the convenient elevator located just behind the stairs.
More than 200 people can be seated in the main hall, which completely overlooks the air terminal, so it is able to cater for even the peak crowds at Air Baltic's main hub.
In creating this space, the airport management left nothing to chance, as the lounge features small meeting rooms, a seating area, bathrooms equipped with showers, and even a small but complete children's area.
The relaxation area has a mix of solutions, from classic chairs and armchairs to more private areas with high-backed sofas. Power outlets and excellent WiFi coverage are available virtually everywhere.
On my last visit, I entered the opening of the hall at 5 a.m., just in time to have a quick breakfast in preparation for my flight to Frankfurt with Lufthansa scheduled for 6:10 a.m.
The special feature of the Riga airport lounge is definitely the bar counter separate from the food area, where passengers can also make use of a tap to enjoy a beer before the flight.
Breakfast offered a wide variety of products, sweet and savory, as well as some traditional Latvian dishes. Two espresso, filtered and Turkish coffee machines were available.
Just to confirm that this lounge lacks nothing at all, there is also a small refrigerator with ice creams.
In conclusion, this lounge is definitely in the top 5 of the best "unbranded" lounges in the European scene, not for nothing it was awarded in 2019 as the best lounge by Skytrax.
Have you ever been to this lounge? Leave your assessment in the comments.
Pro
- Incredible view of the air terminal
- Bar counter worthy of a pub rather than a waiting room
- Excellent choice in terms of food & bevarage
Against
- With many flights leaving in the early morning hours, it would be perfect if the opening was brought forward, which at the time of my visit was 6 a.m.