Review: Icelandair Saga Premium Lounge Keflavik Airport (KEF)

Meh. Better than being treated like cattle in the main KEF departures hall (especially during quick turnovers, limited toilets, etc.)

Such a rare European airport with no Priority Pass lounge

I go through the lounge all the time and the showers are never occupied ‍♂️

No smoked salmon?

It might be helpful to explicitly say what side of passport control the lounge is located. I think it's on the "within-Schengen" side of the airport, just to remove any ambiguity.

Side note, with just 2 shower rooms for 7+ flights arriving at the same time in the morning and afternoon (within ~2 hours of each other) the chances are that you're going to have a wait if you need to use them.

Ben, I feel like your Icelandair experience is a bit skewed because of the great time you had in Iceland. This lounge feels quite unattractive, and the amenities are mediocre at best (especially for a 4* rating). I understand Icelandair offers more of a premium economy product, but their price is easily 2x that of premium economy on many routes, like AMS–JFK.

I’m just saying, when I stay at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam and have the best stay ever and then visit a Priority Pass lounge at Schiphol, it’s going to feel pretty decent as an ending because my experience was already so positive. But when I stay at a shabby hostel for the week and then visit the Priority Pass lounge, it’s going to feel like the worst Amsterdam experience imaginable.

I booked a few months ago during a sale(which they often have). Round trip Saga from Baltimore to Rome for $1,148 which is much less than the premium economy flights to Rome. I like that you get lounge access but both of my layovers are under 2 hours. Iceland is about as close to a midway layover you can get which makes this seating much more palatable. I'm also able to fly out of my closest airport that I can Uber to and not have to pay for parking for a month. As a big man, the best thing for me is that these seats are 20.5" wide compared to the 18-19" in premium economy. As often as I go, I'm hoping this works as a cheaper alternative to business class which has gotten out of hand unless I drive or take the train to NJ. I leave next Tuesday and hope it works out.

Yeah this

Ben’s ratings are incoherent. He rates things among an undefined group, rather than industry-wide with an objective standard. So we end up with “4 stars for the lounge of a hybrid LCC operating to a country Ben likes”. As opposed to a rating for a lounge.

Agreed, he definitely has some rose colored glasses. I mean, it is his opinion, so that's fine. I thought his reviews for the Four Seasons Orlando or the Sheraton with that kid themed room were over the top positive given at least the photos seen. Four Seasons is generally great across the board, but they do have some properties where they don't try as hard.

But, since he saw the delight of his son, it colored his review in to more positive than it actually was. Likewise, if he's reviewing something like that hotel in Montana he reviewed, the experience of being IN Montana is what it's about, not a night at an admittedly expensive for what you get hotel. Because he does review hotels that are expensive for what you get, but it's in an amazing place, so as long as they are competent, they will get a good review.

@ Reyyan -- Your points are all fair, though I think the area where my perception differs is pricing. I find that Icelandair Saga Class is typically priced comparably to or less than premium economy.

Using your example, if flying AMS-JFK, I see both KLM premium economy and Icelandair Saga Class starting at around $1,800. If originating in JFK and flying in the other direction, I see Icelandair Saga Class starting at $1,500, and KLM premium economy starting at $1,800.

So I really do view this as a unique product offering for an airline that doesn't really have business class. If I were truly viewing this as a business class lounge, I'd totally agree with your conclusion. But this is where I think value has to be factored in.

At least that's my two cents...

@ Jack -- I'm open to feedback here, how do you think lounges should be clustered in terms of ratings? Should an American Admirals Club and the Singapore Airlines Private Room be rated on the same scale? Or how would you cluster up lounge concepts?

Hi Ben, I’m glad you’re open to input on this, as I have long disregarding your sta ratings as unhelpful. I think you need an absolute scale, not a slide scale based on some undefined subcategory, like a more obscure location or something other than a full-service carrier. A five-star lounge should mean a five-star lounge with great food and drinks (and table service), spa-like shower facilities, a sense of peace and a sense of place, and other perks like the SWISS bedrooms, actual spa treatments, or car to the plane. The Air France Paris, Cathay HK, and Qantas Sydney lounges would clearly be 5 star. Subtract for missing amenities.

Hi . I have a flight with LO to warsawa from reykjavik., economy class.

May I join the Saga Lounge , and pay for it on the spot?