After our gin fun-filled weekend in Madrid, Ben headed back to Los Angeles, while Heather and I were scheduled to route via Dubai.
As one does.
Our flight left in the afternoon, so we had a leisurely breakfast at the Westin Palace, a nice stroll in the park, then headed to the airport.
Had we realized how flipping far the Emirates gates are in Madrid we would probably have skipped the morning walk.
After clearing security through the same priority lanes Ben had used earlier in the day, we started walking to the “S” pier of Terminal 4.
18 minutes from security to the Satellite Terminal
And walking…
Or maybe 19
And taking a train…
Madrid–Barajas Airport train system
And walking…
Seven minutes after disembarking from the train
Upon finally reaching the satellite terminal we cleared passport control, then headed up two sets of escalators to the Sala VIP Amnios Lounge, which is the contract lounge Emirates uses in Madrid.
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge entrance
This lounge has an incredibly generous access policy: in addition to premium cabin passengers of Emirates and several other airlines, the Amnios Lounge can also be accessed via Priority Pass, Lounge Club, or by buying a day pass for €26. Usually, holding a credit card with lounge access will represent a much better deal than purchasing access outright.
Spoiler: that’s a bad deal.
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge access options
The lounge itself is, well…
Let’s put it this way: I’ve transited Cairo several times, and the lounge there is actively unpleasant. In comparison, this was just fine.
There was a large table in the center, with PCs:
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge
And plenty of seating, along with an abundance of outlets.
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge
There were also two rooms in the back that didn’t seem to be designated for anything in particular, but also didn’t seem like a very nice place to spend time:
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge
So plenty of seating, given the lounge wasn’t particularly crowded, but almost zero privacy. I can’t see this lounge being at all pleasant if it were even approaching capacity.
The food selection was broad, though not particularly appetizing (though we’d basically been eating since we’d landed in Madrid four days prior, which might have had something to do with it).
There were packaged salads and sandwiches, along with some “entree” items that could be heated upon request:
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge snacks
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge
And an assortment of yogurt, fruit, and juices:
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge snacks
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge
And then a center table with a selection of breads and crackers:
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge buffet
Saddest croissants ever?
The Amnios lounge offered a full bar (not pictured, because the staff wasn’t keen on my picture taking to begin with), along with an assortment of tea and coffee options:
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge coffee
In terms of the other amenities, there were shower rooms, a small nap/relaxation room, and a few tiny bathroom closets:
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge bathroom
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge bathroom
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge bathroom
Hands down, the best feature of the lounge was the views of the tarmac:
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge views
Madrid Sala VIP Amnios Lounge views
We spent an hour working and catching up on the internet, then made our way to the gate area, which was a madhouse:
Madrid–Barajas Airport Satellite terminal gates
Boarding was slightly delayed (about 15 minutes), but the airport monitors weren’t reflecting the updated time, so everyone was just milling about near the gates.
As we were to be flying an A380, the upper and lower deck were eventually boarded through separate gates:
Madrid–Barajas Airport Satellite terminal boarding
Separate gate for upper deck passengers
Which meant we got to use the longest jet-bridge I’ve ever seen to access the upper deck:
Madrid–Barajas Airport jet-bridge
Seriously, look how far away our plane was!
Emirates A380 here we come!
While I generally feel like some lounge is better than no lounge, the Amnios lounge in Madrid might be an exception. It was fine, but the retail options in the Satellite Terminal were also fine, and I would have been just as happy at Starbucks.
So I wouldn’t necessarily plan on arriving early to the airport to enjoy the lounge, but you should give yourself plenty of time just to navigate the Madrid airport.
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