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I passed though Stockholm on one of my Qatar Airways trips not too long ago and with various airlines currently offering some great Business Class fares out of Stockholm (and other Nordic cities) I thought it was time that I posted a review of the Aviator Lounge in the non-schengen area of Stockholm Arlanda Terminal 5.
Finding The Lounge
The Aviator Lounge in the non-Schengen area of Terminal 5 is at the far end of Terminal 5 and one level up from where most of the terminal’s gates are.
To find the lounge you follow the signs for gates 58 – 59 which will lead you to the far end of Terminal 5 where you’ll take a short escalator up to mezzanine level (of sorts).
Ahead of you will be signs for the gates (guiding you to the left) and a sign for the lounge guiding you to the right).
The opening hours for the Aviator Lounge vary depending on the day of the week:
- Monday 07:30 – 22:15
- Tuesday 06:00 – 22:15
- Wednesday 06:00 – 22:15
- Thursday 07:30 – 22:15
- Friday 07:30 – 22:15
- Saturday 06:00 – 22:15
- Sunday 08:00 – 22:15
The Aviator Lounge in Arlanda’s Terminal 5 plays host to a number of airlines (including Qatar Airways)….
….as well as being a Priority Pass lounge….
…and a Lounge Key facility:
If you’re not entitled to lounge entry courtesy of an airline or one of the lounge programs there’s always the option to pay to get in.
At the time of this visit these were the tariffs:
- Adults 250 SEK
- Children (7 – 15 years) 100 SEK
- Children (6 and under) Free
Aviator Lounge Stockholm Arlanda Terminal 5
There’s a reception desk at the doors to the lounge although, if this visit is anything to go by, there may not be anyone to check you in….
…I waited around for a few minutes to see if a lounge agent would show up but eventually just walked in of my own accord.
There’s a small seating area just past the reception desk….
….but this isn’t really part of the lounge so I’m not sure what its purpose is.
Opposite this seating area is a newsstand…..
…and then, past this point, the main area of lounge opens up.
As lounges go this is a pretty small one but it has the advantage of having floor-to-ceiling windows throughout so, during daylight hours, its light, bright and feels airy.
The lounge is set up in a “L” shape and the entrance to the lounge is at the top of the “L”.
Down the middle of the long part of the lounge are a couple of long high-tables with the food counter to one side…..
…..followed by a couple of round high-tables leading to the bottom of the “L”:
The seating to the right of the high tables is a mixture of lounge chairs with small tables….
…..and a further high-table facing the airport apron:
At the bottom end of the lounge (in the corner of the “L”) are some sofas and tables….
…..while, around the corner, is a small work area….
……and another pair of sofas and a small kids play area:
Strangely, the work area is short on power outlets so the high tables are a better place to charge devices…but be sure to bring an adapter if you’re from outside Europe as all the power outlets are of the 2-pin European variety.
Food & Drink In The Lounge
This visit coincided with the middle of the afternoon (approximately 3pm) so the food and drink on offer may vary if you’re visiting at a different time.
All the beverages, snacks and food items are set out buffet-style along one side of the lounge:
There’s a large chiller cabinet at one end of the serving area which offers a selection of sodas, beer and water:
Apple juice and orange juice are on the side as are is the selection of red, white and sparkling wines:
A selection of teas and a coffee machine (which can provide hot water for the teas) rounds of the beverage options:
On this visit the food selection wasn’t particularly broad and, by and large, it was mostly cold items that were on offer.
Set out on the side was the following:
- Green salad
- Potato salad
- Vegetarian cous cous
- Cold chicken
- Gouda cheese
- Cold turkey
- Cream cheese with chives
- Hummus
- Black olives
- A selection of breads and crackers
- A selection of snacks (chips, nuts etc…)
- Small pastries and cookies
And, rather strangely, the only hot option I saw was a dish of potato gratin:
I’m not sure what the gratin was meant to be paired with as, in my one and a half hours in the lounge, no other hot food items appeared.
The last thing to mention is that the lounge offers free wi-fi…but it’s the same wi-fi as you’ll find all the way around Terminal 5 so it’s fast enough for regular use but not great if you’re looking to stream video.
Bottom Line
The Aviator Lounge at Stockholm Arlanda Terminal 5 is a pretty basic airport lounge with a pretty limited food offering (based on this visit).
The seating was comfortable, the wi-fi was adequate for work and as long as you stick to the high tables you shouldn’t be short of power outlets.
As a place to get some work done before a flight or to relax for an hour or so the Aviator Lounge is absolutely fine….but it’s not a lounge that’s going to keep you happy on long layovers.
This looked way better than it did in early evening about a year ago. The lounge was trashed. There was barely a cracker out all all wine bottles were empty. Maybe it improved in the past 18 months.
I’ve seen similar comments elsewhere too so you’re not alone…but most have been at least 6 months old.
It’s possible that this is a hit-and-miss lounge which simply can’t cope during peak times (it wasn’t busy when I was there) or, as you say, perhaps the lounge has got its act together.