Linate and Malpensa, the complete list of all lounges and access rules
In 2019, the last year before covid, Milan's airport system between Linate and Malpensa had touched 27 million [...]
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In 2019, the last year before covid, Milan's airport system between Linate and Malpensa had touched 27 million passengers. Even considering that the summer of 2019 had seen the closure of Milan's city airport to redo the runway and for structural work on the new air terminal, opening in 2021.
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Between the two airports there are a total of 7 lounges. Three at Linate airport: Scala Square of ITA Airways, British Airways Lounge e Leonardo Hall. Four instead are at Malpensa: Emirates Lounge, Lufthansa Lounge, Montale Hall e Monteverdi Hall. Before the bankruptcy of Alitalia here there was also a lounge of the former Italian flag carrier, which has now been reopened as Premium Lounge.
With this article I want to make life easier for our readers by explaining the merits and demerits of each of these lounges and especially the rules of access.
Linate lounges
Milan's city airport has been completely renovated, and thanks to technology it is now one of the best airports in Europe and the world.
Piazza della Scala - ITA Airways
It is located on the second floor of the Linate terminal, in the central plaza that houses all of the airport's main dining options.
Access is allowed to ITA Airways business class travelers and members of the ITA Airways Volare loyalty program with Premium level or higher. Currently, you are not allowed to use the lounge if you are traveling with other Skyteam carriers.
The lounge is open depending on flights by ITA Airways, which operates mainly domestic flights from here and to some destinations in Europe, such as connecting to London City, London's most central airport.
British Airways Lounge
This lounge is located on the ground floor of Linate, near the gates for document control since flights to England have never taken advantage of the facilities of Schengen destinations. Even more so today that to fly to the UK you need to show your passport.
Access is allowed to all business class passengers of British Airways and the other OneWorld carriers that use this stopover such as Iberia, Aer Lingus and Vueling. In addition to this, all passengers of these airlines can enter Who hold a Sapphire status or higher in one of the programs frequent flyers of OneWorld carriers.
Opening times depend on flight operations of the various companies, if there is a departing flight, the lounge will surely be open to welcome guests.
Leonardo Hall
This lounge is located exactly in front of the ITA Airways lounge., of the three is the newest one having been opened in 2018 to replace the previous hall that was in a different location in the terminal.
It is an independent hall managed directly by SEA, the company that manages Linate and Malpensa airports. It has direct arrangements to accommodate business and premium passengers of some carriers at the airport, including those orphaned by Skyteam such as Air France and KLM, who cannot enter ITA's lounge. Priority Pass holders and those who wish can also enter for a fee.
Opening hours are roughly from 5:30 a.m. until evening, depending on aircraft departures.
Our rating of this lounge was 7/10.
Malpensa lounges
Malpensa hosts four lounges: two are in the Schengen zone, as many are in the zone of international and intercontinental flights with destination outside the EU area. As mentioned, before the crisis, Alitalia's lounge served not only the Italian carrier's passengers, but also of all the other Skyteam carriers that used to fly to the Varese Province airport.
Emirates Lounge Malpensa
It is located at the end of terminal B, at the height of gates B50. More specifically, it is directly connected to gate B53, the gate usually used by Emirates to allow passengers to board directly from the lounge on the A380's upper deck.
Access is allowed to business class and first class travelers departing for New York or Dubai. Gold card holders in the carrier's Dubai-based loyalty program are also allowed access.
Schedules are aligned with those of Emirates flights; the lounge is operational about 3 hours before flight departure.
The review of this hall will come out in the next few weeks. Spoiler Alert: It's the best lounge in Malpensa.
Montale Hall
This is the second lounge in Malpensa's non-Schengen area.. It is independent and is managed directly by SEA, the company that runs the airport. It is located at the beginning of zone B, just after document control.
Since it closed Casa Alitalia, all business passengers are welcomed in this lounge of carriers using the airport and elite status holders of loyalty programs that have an agreement with SEA. It is also one of two lounges accessible at Malpensa by Priority Pass card holders. It can also be accessed for a fee; the fee is €35 per passenger.
The lounge is open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., consistent with departing flights.
Lufthansa Lounge
This is the most "comfortable" lounge at Malpensa., is located in the main building and not in the satellites like all the others. It is located after the food court, right behind Starbucks.
Currently, in order to gain access, one must fly into business class with a Star Alliance airline. or have elite status in one of its member airlines. At Malpensa, in addition to Lufthansa and Swiss, many other carriers fly, such as Tap Portugal, Aegean, Sas, and Brussels Airlines (Singapore Airlines and United also fly, but they operate from the opposite side of the airport, the one dedicated to non-Schengen flights). To access it, there is also An additional option, exclusive to American Express Platinum holders.: they can enter if they have a same-day flight with an airline between Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian.
Schedules are aligned with those of the group airlines' flights; of all those present, this is the lounge that opens earlier in the morning.
The rating of our site was 7.5/10
Monteverdi Hall
If we had called it the saddest in Europe., but after the redesign it has definitely improved. It is located in satellite A of the terminal, right at the end of the bridge connecting with the main facility.
Access is allowed to business travelers from several airlines and related frequent flyers. Doors are also open to Priority Pass holders and those willing to pay the €35 entrance fee.
Opening time is 6 a.m. and closing time is around 9 p.m.
The assessment has improved since the first visit And now he defends himself.
In conclusion
With the closure of the Alitalia lounge, and with only one flight a day going to New York, we are unlikely to see a new blue lounge at Malpensa, there would be a need for a Skyteam lounge to serve the many workers in this alliance orphaned by a hall.
ITA, Delta, Korean, China Eastern, Saudia, as well as carriers with EU destinations such as AF/KLM fly from here, and Aeroflot also flew here before the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
