The Priority Pass program is a lifeline at European airports, and the Verslo Klubas Business Lounge at Vilnius airport was no exception to this. I had eaten a pretty dreadful lunch at the Heineken restaurant next door, on the airside of security, so I was looking forward to getting some better R&R at this lounge.
Trip Report Series:
- Review: Air France Lounge, New York JFK Terminal 1
- Three Days in Vilnius, Lithuania
- Review: IDW Esperanza Resort Lounge, Vilnius Airport
- Three Days in Riga, Latvia
- Review: Primeclass Business Lounge, Riga International Airport (RIX)
- Review: Air Baltic Economy Class, Riga to Tallinn
- Three Days in Tallinn, Estonia: A Foodie’s Paradise!
- Review: Tallink Megastar, Tallinn to Helsinki
- Review: Aspire Lounge, Helsinki Vantaa Airport
- Review: KLM Business Class, Helsinki to London Heathrow (via Amsterdam)
- Review: Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, London Heathrow
- Review: Delta One Business Class, London Heathrow to Atlanta
If you are a priority pass holder, which you are eligible to become if you are a holder of the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card or the American Express Platinum card, then you are able to enter this lounge with up to two guests. Per the priority pass website, the lounge offers the following amenities:
One thing that I absolutely love about some of the European lounges that I frequented this summer was the availability of airline magazines stocked in the lounges. I am a huge collector / reader of airline magazines because I like the information one can glean from them: the culture of the airline, some of the insider travel tips they provide, #AvGeek stuff like terminal maps, routes and fleet and also some other information that you can find about the countries they serve. In this particular lounge, I was able to find the SAS Magazine, Lufthansa Magazin, Brussels Airlines and airBaltic.
For those who are not priority pass, the lounge is also accessible by the following airlines serving Vilnius airport, provided that you’re seated in the eligible class of service for lounge passes: Aeroflot, airBaltic, Adria, Austrian, Belavia, Brussels, Finnair, LOT, Lufthansa, Turkish and Ukraine. The club also welcomes Diners Club International, Dragonpass, Privilege Card and West Express.
Firstly, I absolutely love the entrance design into the lounge – it almost feels like you’re entering into a high-end boutique jewelry store (snotty, I know) but for a small country like Lithuania, this is something to appreciate.
At this hour, the lounge was fairly empty, but the interior was nevertheless super tranquil. There is a subtle partition between the “lounge” area that features black, recliner-style sofas, regular reading chairs (with newspapers and magazines) as well as some “IKEA-like” dining sections with high-top tables. There are also some work-specific areas towards the opposite side, along with a more communal and collaborative space in the center close to the magazine racks.
We lounged on the chairs to sleep off some of our hangovers prior to boarding our airBaltic flight. There is a large screen that is painted on the rear wall, which one of the lounge agents joked was the featured, “movie screen” that really is just a still shot painting of a lake near Vilnius. Even though it was just a still shot, it was very relaxing and tranquil.
The food and beverage selections were not extremely vast, but in all honesty, this isn’t a major necessity for an airport like Vilnius, which is predominantly regional, and not hub-oriented. The food and beverage section is entirely self-serve, with a full bar spread (including beer, wine and liquor), soft drinks, juices (grape juice!) and snacks. The refrigerator is stocked with yummy sandwiches, fresh salads, yogurts and vegetable mixes. In fact, I really liked this grab-and-go concept because it was ideal for an airport like Vilnius. I much preferred the delicious salami and havarti sandwich that I got from this, along with the artichoke salad, than what I got from the Heineken restaurant.
The lounge also offers a very clean bathroom (no showers, unfortunately). The staff are friendly, although to be honest, they appeared to be completely involved in their own business, which was fine by me.
Overall verdict: Vilnius Priority Pass lounge
The Vilnius priority pass lounge provides the necessary things that a passenger needs when departing the city for a short-haul flight anywhere in continental Europe. There aren’t replete features like showers, massages or grand pianos, but for an airport of this size, you can get snacks, drinks, and a relaxing ambiance before your flight. It is lounges like this one that makes the Priority Pass program worthwhile, especially since the guest allowance is quite generous.
