Review: SKY Lounge Vienna Airport (VIE)

Review: SKY Lounge Vienna Airport (VIE)

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NAME: SKY Lounge
Airport: VIE
DATE: January 2023
REVIEW RATING:
BEN SAYS: The SKY Lounge Vienna is a solid Priority Pass and contract lounge, with comfortable seating, and a good selection of food and drinks. Unfortunately there isn't much in the way of views, though.
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After a lovely night at the Andaz Vienna, it was time to fly Austrian business class from Vienna to Rome. In addition to checking out the Austrian Senator Lounge (which I’ll review in the next installment), I also checked out the SKY Lounge Vienna, which is the contract and Priority Pass lounge in Terminal 3.

I’ve gotta say, for a Priority Pass lounge, this place impressed me, with a solid selection of food and drinks, and comfortable seating.

SKY Lounge Vienna location

The SKY Lounge Vienna Airport is located in Terminal 3, near the F gates. This is a Schengen lounge and it’s located before the passport control that leads to the non-Schengen area, meaning that all passengers departing Terminal 3 can visit this lounge.

Once you clear security at Vienna Airport, just follow the signage in the direction of lounges. You’ll need to go up a level, so you can either take the elevator or escalator.

Terminal at Vienna Airport (VIE)

At the top of the escalator you’ll see passport control (leading to the non-Schengen area), so at this point you’ll want to make a left turn, in the direction of lounges.

Terminal at Vienna Airport (VIE)

This will bring you down a long corridor that overlooks the landside portion of the terminal.

Terminal at Vienna Airport (VIE)
Direction to SKY Lounge Vienna Airport

Once you turn the corner there, you’ll see the entrance to the Austrian Lounge straight ahead, and the entrance to the SKY Lounge to the right.

SKY Lounge Vienna Airport exterior

Just outside the lounge is one of those smoking containers. The signage suggests this is exclusively for those using the SKY Lounge, though I imagine there’s not much enforcement of that.

SKY Lounge Vienna Airport smoking cage

SKY Lounge Vienna hours

The SKY Lounge Vienna is open daily from 4:30AM until 11PM, so it’s the lounge at the airport with the longest hours. I visited the lounge right as it opened, and then after that checked out the Austrian Lounge, which “only” opens at 5:30AM.

SKY Lounge Vienna entry requirements

The SKY Lounge Vienna is the only contract lounge in Terminal 3, so there are a variety of ways to access it.

For one, the lounge is open to Priority Pass members, and that’s available through many premium credit cards. Priority Pass members can access the lounge for up to three hours. You can also purchase access to the lounge at the door, with the cost differing based on how long you stay.

On top of that, the SKY Lounge is used as a contract lounge for different airlines. Star Alliance premium passengers will have access to the Austrian Lounge, while passengers on most other airlines will be sent to this lounge. That includes airlines like Emirates, Qatar Airways, and more.

SKY Lounge Vienna seating & layout

The SKY Lounge Vienna is roughly 670 square meters (~7,200 square feet) and can accommodate around 175 guests. The main part of the lounge is one big room consisting of couches. As you can see, the decor is pretty consistent, with sets of couches arranged in rows, and curtains of sorts separating them to break up the space a bit.

SKY Lounge Vienna seating
SKY Lounge Vienna seating
SKY Lounge Vienna seating

There were a few different seating options along the sides of the lounge, ranging from semi-private seats, to chairs with ottomans.

SKY Lounge Vienna seating
SKY Lounge Vienna seating
SKY Lounge Vienna seating

In the very back of the lounge was an area with roughly a dozen tables, including some cafe-style tables and benches.

SKY Lounge Vienna cafe area
SKY Lounge Vienna seating

Near the main buffet of the lounge was a long bench with some dining tables and chairs across from the tables.

SKY Lounge Vienna cafe seating

The lounge also had a business center near the entrance, with half a dozen desks featuring one to two seats each.

SKY Lounge Vienna business center
SKY Lounge Vienna business center

There was also an area with some reading materials, including magazines and newspapers.

SKY Lounge Vienna magazines

All-in-all, I thought the lounge had pretty nice decor. For contract lounges, I tend to consider what a lounge would be like crowded, and I would have to imagine this would be one of the less-horrible lounges if busy. That’s because the lounge has plenty of large, individual seats, and they’re spaced out pretty well.

SKY Lounge Vienna food & drinks

The SKY Lounge’s main buffet was located inside the entrance to the lounge and to the right. For a contract lounge, I found the food selection to be quite good.

SKY Lounge Vienna buffet

Around breakfast time, the selection consisted of several types of bread and pastries, whole fruit, cookies, snack mix, yogurt, cold cuts, cereal, scrambled eggs, cherry tomatoes, and hash browns.

SKY Lounge Vienna buffet
SKY Lounge Vienna buffet
SKY Lounge Vienna buffet
SKY Lounge Vienna snacks
SKY Lounge Vienna buffet
SKY Lounge Vienna buffet
SKY Lounge Vienna buffet
SKY Lounge Vienna buffet

As far as drinks go, there was an espresso machine that had one of the best machine-made cappuccinos I’ve had at an airport.

SKY Lounge Vienna coffee machine
SKY Lounge Vienna cappuccino

There was also a fridge with large bottles of soda.

SKY Lounge Vienna drinks

Beyond that, even at 4:30AM there was a bar area where you could make your own alcoholic drinks, including liquor and a selection of wine.

SKY Lounge Vienna bar area
SKY Lounge Vienna bar area
SKY Lounge Vienna drinks

There was a second buffet deeper into the lounge, but this didn’t have much food. Rather it mostly had soft drinks, another coffee machine, whole fruit, and some snack mix.

SKY Lounge Vienna bar
SKY Lounge Vienna drinks
SKY Lounge Vienna fresh fruit

SKY Lounge Vienna bathrooms & showers

As far as the SKY Lounge Vienna’s bathroom situation goes, the bathrooms were in the back left of the lounge. The mens bathroom had a couple of urinals and two stalls.

SKY Lounge Vienna bathroom
SKY Lounge Vienna bathroom
SKY Lounge Vienna bathroom

There was also a shower, but it wasn’t available during my visit.

SKY Lounge Vienna shower

Bottom line

Admittedly my standards are pretty low for Priority Pass and contract lounges, but I found the SKY Lounge Vienna to be pretty solid. It featured comfortable seating, a good buffet, and decent coffee and drinks. I wouldn’t necessarily spend a lot more time here than you have to, but you also shouldn’t be disappointed.

What do you make of the SKY Lounge Vienna?

Conversations (15)
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  1. Pankaj Mehta Guest

    Very thorough and accurate review. Nice lounge to relax before a flight. Being before passport control does bring some time planning requirements for non Schengen travelers. Overall, a worthwhile lounge.

  2. Santos Guest

    Thank god for those smoking enclosures. It was sitting in one of those at ICN in 2011 with a bunch of businessmen, sucking down cigarettes in a huddle like lab rats, that I realized what a disgusting and stupid habit I had. Haven't had a cigarette since.

    1. Petri Diamond

      Yep. Do you remember the old times when smoking was allowed even during the flights?

  3. Jack Guest

    This is my favorite lounge in VIE. Much better than the overcrowded Austrian ones in my opinion, even though the Austrian ones have better coffee.

    1. Samo Guest

      The new Vienna Lounge is even better. Similar food/drinks but more spacious and with some views :)

  4. Abidjan Gold

    I do find this to be one of the better PP lounges. Nice review.

  5. Diedra Guest

    I visited this lounge in December 2022 via Priority Pass. I would agree that it is a really nice lounge, one of the nicest I’ve visited utilizing my Priority Pass. There were no crowds when I visited between 3-5 pm as I saw maybe 30-40 people in the lounge. The variety of food/beverages was plentiful, and tasted good. I too tried the cappuccino (along with a few other items from the coffee machine) and found...

    I visited this lounge in December 2022 via Priority Pass. I would agree that it is a really nice lounge, one of the nicest I’ve visited utilizing my Priority Pass. There were no crowds when I visited between 3-5 pm as I saw maybe 30-40 people in the lounge. The variety of food/beverages was plentiful, and tasted good. I too tried the cappuccino (along with a few other items from the coffee machine) and found it a favorite. So, I would agree that your review is spot on for this lounge.

  6. Andy Diamond

    @Ben: When did you take the pictures. I'm asking because the Sky Lounge is usually extremely crowded - which is easy to explain given it serves all airlines except StarAlliance plus PriorityPass and other subscription schemes.

    I agree it's rather nice, except for being very crowded, usually.

    1. tuotuo Gold

      Please read this article again especially the part of SKY Lounge Vienna hours.

  7. Daniel Guest

    Would love to see a review of the VIENNA Lounge. It's still rather new. I've been there recently on an EVA Air ticket (yes, a Star Alliance airline at a Star Alliance hub hands out invitations for a contract lounge). For me one of the best lounges I've seen in Europe.

  8. Tim Guest

    Ben, be reminded that lounges do not get that crazily crowded as they do in the US here in Europe. Even in last year‘s travel peak, airport lounges remained more or less a safe space. This is simply due to nobody in Europe knowing about Priority Pass and such stuff…neither is the Amex very popular here.

    1. Samo Guest

      This lounge can be accessed with a variety of premium MasterCards issued in central Europe so it does get busy sometimes. But I've never experienced it overcrowded - unlike the OS lounge next door.

  9. Christian Guest

    Smart move installing the smoking zoos but it seems a little counterproductive to put holes in the glass for smoke to escape.

    1. Klaus Guest

      There is an exhaust air in the booth which sucks the smoke. Like a clean room, there is a small vacuum in these boxes. These holes are sucking fresh air in from the outside. This, there shouldn’t be any smell outside.
      Opening the door however does not help.

  10. Lee Guest

    I was in the lounge last year. While the food was nice, it was in poor physical condition. Perhaps it was a tail-end-of-Covid effect. I'll be there in just a few weeks and hope it is still as you report. Thanks for the update.

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tuotuo Gold

Please read this article again especially the part of SKY Lounge Vienna hours.

2
Santos Guest

Thank god for those smoking enclosures. It was sitting in one of those at ICN in 2011 with a bunch of businessmen, sucking down cigarettes in a huddle like lab rats, that I realized what a disgusting and stupid habit I had. Haven't had a cigarette since.

1
Tim Guest

Ben, be reminded that lounges do not get that crazily crowded as they do in the US here in Europe. Even in last year‘s travel peak, airport lounges remained more or less a safe space. This is simply due to nobody in Europe knowing about Priority Pass and such stuff…neither is the Amex very popular here.

1
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