Inside Europe's first Oneworld alliance-branded lounge in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Just last month, the Oneworld alliance launched the first-ever Oneworld-branded lounge in South Korea's Incheon International Airport (ICN). This was only the beginning.
On Wednesday, Oneworld opened the doors of its second lounge, and the first in Europe, for a special sneak peek. Here is everything you need to know about the new Oneworld lounge in Amsterdam.
Oneworld Lounge Amsterdam location
The lounge is in what was once the British Airways lounge; it closed in 2022 and has since been remodeled for Oneworld. You'll find the entrance in the non-Schengen Area by the D gates in Amsterdam's sprawling Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS).
I've always found it a little tricky to locate lounges at Schiphol. You'll want to head to the main atrium area at the D gates to find the entrance.
Following the signs to Lounge 41, head up the stairs toward Starbucks, then take the elevator one floor up. The entrance is right ahead of you upon exiting the elevator.
The new lounge is open daily between 5:30 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Oneworld Lounge Amsterdam access
Eight of the 13 Oneworld airlines fly to and from Schiphol: American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc and Royal Jordanian Airlines.
To access this lounge, you'll need to be flying in first or business class on one of these airlines. Or, if you hold Oneworld Emerald or Sapphire elite status, you can fly in any cabin. You hold the right Oneworld status if you are an American Airlines AAdvantage Platinum status holder or above. For British Airways Executive Club members, that's Silver and above.
There are no other ways to gain access, such as using certain credit card lounge memberships. There are no one-time entry passes for sale, either.
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Fortunately, there are other lounges at the airport available to Priority Pass members and others.
Oneworld Lounge Amsterdam layout
The lounge is predominantly arranged in one large, open space spanning more than 5,000 square feet. It's subtly semidivided into sections with a seating capacity of 118.
After passing by the reception desk, you enter the main area of the lounge through a futuristic walkway with multicolored lights and LED screens. You'll find a chic circular bar in front of you, surrounded by seating areas.
The lounge design nods to Amsterdam with interesting custom lighting pieces inspired by the city's arched canal bridges — which are also reflected in the shape of that futuristic entry — Oneworld representatives said.
There is a wide variety of seating options throughout the lounge, including bar stools, couches, comfortable individual armchairs and cafe-style dining tables.
Various booth-style seating areas are available, too — great for working, taking meetings or calls, or eating with friends and family.
There are also some quirky sections, like this funky area right at the back with individual armchairs that, quite bizarrely, face the wall rather than the stunning views of the apron and runways. (Take note of those, aviation geeks.)
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Oneworld Lounge Amsterdam amenities
The new Oneworld lounge is fully equipped with the usual amenities you'd expect from a higher-end lounge.
You'll find modern shower rooms, which are crucial for anyone with a long layover. Other amenities include fast, free Wi-Fi and European power outlets at almost every seat. I didn't spot USB ports; for charging devices, you'll need to remember to bring an adapter if you have plugs other than European-style ones.
Oneworld Lounge Amsterdam food and drinks
The lounge features a decent array of foods at a buffet, but there's no at-seat service. There was a selection of hot and cold snacks like soups, pastries, salad, cheese and meats, and fresh fruit.
There are plenty of alcoholic and soft drink options. Visitors can grab something from the fridges or head to the center bar for drink service.
The drinks were not yet fully stocked during our tour, but we were told there would be a full range of complimentary beers (including Amstel and Heineken on tap), wines and spirits (think Bombay Sapphire and Jack Daniel's). There are also multiple bean-to-cup coffee machines throughout the lounge.
Bottom line
In the space of a month, Oneworld went from not having a single lounge to having two across two continents.
Over 200 Oneworld flights operate every week from Amsterdam, so this airport was sorely lacking a home for its premium and elite passengers. This lounge is a solid offering for eligible passengers.
It will be interesting to see how Oneworld continues rolling out its new alliance-branded lounges, not to mention where it chooses to open the next one.
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- When is the best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare?
- The best airline credit cards
- What exactly are airline miles, anyway?
- 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
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