- Introduction: Transatlantic Insanity
- Review: Aeroflot Business Class 777-300ER Los Angeles To Moscow
- Review: Aeroflot Lounge Moscow Airport
- Review: Aeroflot Business Class 737 Moscow To Belgrade
- Review: Metropol Palace Hotel Belgrade
- Review: Belgrade Food Tour
- Review: Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport
- Review: Air Serbia Business Class A330 Belgrade To New York
- Review: Air France Lounge New York JFK
- Review: Azerbaijan Airlines Business Class 787 New York To Baku
- Review: Hyatt Regency Baku
- Review: Baku Airport Lounge
- Review: Ukraine Airlines Business Class 737 Baku To Kiev
- Review: Kiev Airport Lounge
- Review: Ukraine International Airlines Business Class 767 Kiev To New York
We got to Belgrade Airport at around 9AM, plenty early for our 12:55PM flight to New York. Based on our arrival at Belgrade Airport a few days earlier I could tell it was a fairly small airport.
Belgrade Airport exterior
Once in the check-in hall we turned left, where we found the signage for Air Serbia check-in.
Belgrade Airport check-in hall
Air Serbia is a reasonably small airline, so even though this is their hub airport they only have about a dozen check-in “stations.” At the very right of their check-in area was the premium check-in, for business class passengers and elite members.
Air Serbia check-in Belgrade Airport
I was a bit surprised when we tried to check-in and were informed that check-in wasn’t open yet for the flight to New York. The associate insisted she couldn’t check us in, and she also couldn’t tell us when check-in for the new New York flight would open. Eventually we saw other people slowly start to set up check-in queues for New York, so I asked them when check-in opens, and they said at 9:55AM.
Check-in for JFK flight at Belgrade Airport
I really don’t get why they need a separate check-in area for the New York flight, though I’m sure there’s some reason. We went back up to the lady who told us we couldn’t check-in earlier, and we explained we only had hand baggage, and asked if there was any way we could just go to the lounge. When she found our we weren’t checking bags she had no issues checking us in, so our boarding passes were issued within a few minutes.
There were big signs near the check-in area, both promoting Etihad’s status as a Skytrax 5-star airline (those advertisements came out fast), and also a big sign promoting Air Serbia’s upgrade buy-up program.
Etihad and Air Serbia signage at Belgrade Airport
At Belgrade Airport security is at each individual gate, meaning that we only had to clear departure immigration in order to get to the lounge. There was no queue there, so we were through within moments.
Once through immigration we turned left to head towards the lounge.
Belgrade Airport airside terminal
After only a very short walk we found the Air Serbia Premium Lounge, which was only reopened about a year ago.
Air Serbia Premium Lounge Belgrade Airport exterior
All the signage, and even the entrance, looked very similar to what I’m used to at Etihad lounges.
Air Serbia Premium Lounge Belgrade Airport signage
There was a friendly associate at the reception desk who welcomed us and offered to give us a tour of the lounge, which was a nice touch.
Air Serbia Premium Lounge Belgrade Airport reception desk
Air Serbia is a fairly small airline with fewer than a dozen planes, and proportionally they seem to have very few premium passengers. So their lounge isn’t big, and even so, doesn’t seem to get very full.
Once past the entrance the bathrooms and prayer room were to the right, while the rest of the lounge was to the left.
Air Serbia Premium Lounge Belgrade Airport
Upon turning left there was a relaxation area on the left, with a couple of dozen seats in a variety of configurations.
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport seating
There were sets of leather seats facing one another, and then along the side of the room by the wall were leather benches as well as more chairs.
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport seating
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport seating
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport seating
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport seating
There was also a special roped off area. I’m not sure if this is for passengers connecting to first class on Etihad, or what, but it wasn’t in use for the entire time we were in the lounge.
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport seating — VIP area
In the back of this section was a display with magazines and newspapers.
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport reading material
Then on the other side of the wall was the dining area, where there were about a dozen dining tables.
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport dining area
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport dining area
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport dining area
At the very end of that section was the bar area, which had a couple of high-top tables as well.
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport bar area
The buffet was located next to some of the dining tables. When we arrived they still had breakfast out.
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport buffet
The buffet consisted of all kinds of bread, cereal, sandwiches, fresh fruit, bagels, muffins, yogurt, several hot dishes, etc.
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport breakfast buffet
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport breakfast buffet
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport breakfast buffet
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport breakfast buffet
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport breakfast buffet
There was a fridge with self serve soft drinks and water.
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport drink selection
At 10AM they switched out the buffet and brought out lunch options, including finger sandwiches, salad, several hot options, dessert, etc.
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport lunch buffet
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport lunch buffet
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport lunch buffet
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport lunch buffet
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport lunch buffet
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport dessert buffet
On top of that, Air Serbia has an a la carte lunch offering, including the following:
I wasn’t especially hungry, but ordered the Arabic mezze, which was good.
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport lunch — Arabic mezze
Tiffany ordered the cevapcici.
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport lunch — cevapcici
It’s rare you get a la carte dining in a business class lounge, so color me very impressed.
On top of that, there are servers constantly roaming the lounge, so even if you’re not in the dining area you’ll proactively be offered a drink. I ordered a cappuccino when we first arrived, which was so good. While there were a lot of great things about Belgrade, coffee wasn’t one of them, so I was thrilled to have my first good coffee-based drink in a few days.
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport cappuccino
In terms of other lounge features, the bathrooms were on the far end of the lounge, and were quite nice.
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport bathroom
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport bathroom
In the men’s restroom there was a shower room, with a separate toilet, sink, and walk-in shower.
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport shower room
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport shower room
Next to the bathrooms was a prayer room, which I guess would be part of the Etihad effect. 😉
Air Serbia Lounge Belgrade Airport prayer room
Overall I thought the lounge was great. There were never more than a few people in the lounge at once, the service was attentive, the Wi-Fi was fast, and the offerings were excellent.
Boarding was scheduled for 11:55AM from gate C3, so we left the lounge at around 11:40AM. Gate C3 was maybe a five minute walk from the lounge. While the Air Serbia lounge is beautiful, the rest of the terminal leaves a bit to be desired.
Belgrade Airport terminal
As we approached gate C3 we could see Air Serbia’s only A330 from a distance.
Air Serbia A330 Belgrade Airport
As mentioned above, security is done at each individual gate at Belgrade Airport. Unfortunately there’s not any sort of a premium security line, so there was quite a queue to get through security.
Air Serbia departure gate Belgrade Airport
Once it was our turn the process was quick, fortunately. However, the gate area itself was quite small, and ended up being very crowded prior to our departure. Finally at 12:10PM boarding was called for passengers with special needs and those in business class.
Air Serbia departure gate Belgrade Airport
Air Serbia Premium Lounge bottom line
Etihad’s influence at Air Serbia is clear, and I love it. The Air Serbia Premium Lounge Belgrade is gorgeous. Not only that, but it’s quiet, has fast Wi-Fi, has a dine on demand menu, has attentive service with excellent cappuccinos, etc. This is easily one of my favorite business class lounges out there now.
My one real complaint is the lack of a premium line at the gate, so if you’re a business class passenger you’re stuck waiting behind everyone to get into the gate area.
Either way, our Air Serbia experience was off to a great start.
@Ben - Etihad have a 20% stake in VA and a 49% stake in Air Serbia and announced recently that they are introducing seamless travel across all of their services with their partners, which includes all of the airlines on the board outside the lounge.
I am heading to Abu Dhabi next month and came up with a cracking fare on Air Serbia from London in business that is £1000 cheaper than Etihad itself so...
@Ben - Etihad have a 20% stake in VA and a 49% stake in Air Serbia and announced recently that they are introducing seamless travel across all of their services with their partners, which includes all of the airlines on the board outside the lounge.
I am heading to Abu Dhabi next month and came up with a cracking fare on Air Serbia from London in business that is £1000 cheaper than Etihad itself so I was looking at this site to research the facilities in Belgrade, so thanks for this. I have a 6 hour 15 minute layover in Belgrade and thought about a few hours in town, any thoughts.
I have been to this lounge, agree w Lucky - best capuccino in a lounge period. The dine on demand quality is excellent as is the service - curteous, attentive and proactive - neither is close at the lx, ba, lh, az, ay or any american lounge (j or f). The lounge lacks a runway view, and is small (although in the several visits - empty and thus plenty big).
@tiffany the post doesn't specifically say European business class lounges, but rather business class lounges as a whole. In Europe alone, I would surely say the virgin Atlantic clubhouse, Turkish airlines lounge, and new Swiss lounges are all certainly better. There are also numerous better lounges throughout the world including the al safwa lounge in Doha, and Cathay lounge in Hong Kong among others.
I love the blog, but I have to disagree this is one of the better business class lounges out there. There are at least 10 buisness class lounges out there I would put ahead of this even with the a la carte dining offered at the Air Serbia lounge.
@ Jack G -- Operated by European carriers in Europe?
Interesting they have VA listed as a partner at the entrance to their lounge because I didnt think VA partnered with them?
Men's bathrooms again, in multiple shots. Remember what happened to George Michael.
Couple of weeks back when you were writing about his lounge, in several comments you people expressed opinion that you are biased, and that this is a paid ad. While there were bot much details there I was thinking how these comments were not justified. However after full report I tend to agree a bit. It is a small, nothing special lounge. And while it has a la carte menu it is really ridiculous choice....
Couple of weeks back when you were writing about his lounge, in several comments you people expressed opinion that you are biased, and that this is a paid ad. While there were bot much details there I was thinking how these comments were not justified. However after full report I tend to agree a bit. It is a small, nothing special lounge. And while it has a la carte menu it is really ridiculous choice. Also the buffet gives impression of food of questionable taste and quality. I am aware that the photos might not show the real feeling, however it does not look impressive.