SAS Lounge Copenhagen

Copenhagen Airport is the Nordic hub SAS built its network around, so you would expect its home lounge to be the flagship. The SAS Lounge Copenhagen sits airside near the C gates, spread across two floors and, by SAS’s own figures, around 32,000 square feet, which makes it a large lounge at the airport.

I visited on a busy weekday flying from Copenhagen to London, scanning my own boarding pass at the entrance without speaking to anyone. What I found was a lounge that does one thing very well and several things rather poorly.

I chose to fly SAS Business Class, as it’s been a while since I flew the airline, and I have Gold status from a status match I did. Read on, because the difference between the ground floor and the upstairs here is the whole story.

In this review

• Opening Hours
• Locating the lounge and reception
• Comfort
• Food & drink
• Toilets & showers
• Wi-Fi, charging & productivity
• Extras
• BG1 Verdict

Opening Hours

The lounge opens roughly an hour before the first scheduled SAS departure and closes around 30 minutes before the last SAS flight leaves. For a hub lounge serving a single carrier, tracking the departure banks makes more sense than an arbitrary timetable.

Be aware that some third-party sources quote flat hours of around 05:00 to 23:00 on weekdays and 06:00 to 21:00 at weekends. Those figures do not always line up with the official position, and hours shift seasonally. If you are relying on the lounge for an early departure or a late connection, check on the day rather than trusting a cached listing.

Locating the lounge & reception

Finding it is easy. Once through security through SAS fast track, head for the Schengen area near the C gates and the lounge sits directly opposite the entrance to passport control. Signage is clear and there is no awkward hunt down a side corridor.

Reception is fully self-service. You scan your boarding pass at the gate, the system asks whether you are travelling alone or with a guest, and you walk straight in. I did not need to speak to anyone. That suits anyone who wants to get in and sit down quickly, though it does mean nobody is there to answer questions unless you seek a member of staff out.

Comfort

The ground floor was busy when I arrived, with roughly 80% of seats taken. It quietened noticeably after the first wave of departures cleared, so timing matters here. Given the size of the room, there was always somewhere to sit, even at the peak.

Climb the stairs and the story changes. Presentation is smarter, the seating feels less pressured, and the whole floor reads as the better half of the lounge. The old split between a lower business area and an upper Gold area has gone, with both levels now operating as one connected lounge. If you only take one tip from this review, take that one: go up. The food and drinks are better there too.

Food & Drink

Drink options were adequate, and nothing special. Carlsberg on tap, red and white wine on tap, sparkling wine and soft drinks. That was it. I could not see any spirits at all, which is a thin showing for a flagship lounge.

Hot food fared no better. There was a beef stew that looked unappetising, a beef soup, popcorn chicken of some description, and noodles that were closer to a vegetable stir-fry. The bao advertised on the menu was nowhere to be found. Salads were available and perfectly fine, but unremarkable. I have eaten here before and found much the same, so I doubt this was a one-off bad day.

Things pick up on the upper floor. There were a handful of spirits by the measure, a lot of tomato juice, and food that was simply better presented. There was a bottle of baileys but it was empty.

Toilets and showers

There are ample toilets upstairs and downstairs, although I couldn’t find a shower the website notes that there are complimentary showers available.

WiFi, power & productivity

This is where the SAS Lounge Copenhagen earns its keep. WiFi is free and charging points are easy to find throughout both floors, which is more than many lounges manage.

The upstairs work zone is made for work and productivity. There are lots of individual desks, a conference room, and two private work pods. The pods do not appear to run on a booking schedule, so it is first come, first served. The whole upper floor feels like a co-working office, which will either delight or depress you depending on why you are flying.

Extras

Beyond the self-pour Carlsberg and work pods, there’s not really anything special here. For a flagship room at an airline’s home base, that is a short list, it could do better.

The standout extra is the work provision upstairs. Two private pods, a bookable conference room and a dedicated desk section give you more usable working options than I have found in the Aspire or Eventyr rooms elsewhere at Copenhagen. If you need to join a call or clear a backlog before boarding, that counts for more than a cocktail list.

BG1 verdict

The SAS Lounge Copenhagen is only worth arriving early if you have lots of work to do. Don’t come here for the food or drink. The downstairs catering is thin, the bar is thinner, and a flagship room should do better than beer and tap wine. Head upstairs on arrival. The food looks better, the room is nicer, and the work facilities are properly useful.

This is a lounge best suited to business travellers with emails to clear rather than anyone hoping for a proper pre-flight meal. Against the other Copenhagen options, the SAS Lounge Copenhagen wins on workspace and loses on catering. Eat in the terminal, then come in and get your head down.

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