Business Lounge (Non-Schengen) Kraków

Completing the Lufthansa First Class Collection – Introduction

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Kraków Airport is currently undergoing some major renovations whereby they’re building a new terminal and converting the existing one to a new one and in the end, both will be combined to form one big terminal with around ~20 gates. There will also be a few jetways to reduce the need for apron positions.

I mostly fly from Kraków airport because it is close to where I live in Poland and it has a great route network from all of the major airline alliances, several low-cost airlines, and also charter travel. I flew quite a bit from the airport last summer during the major renovation phase and it was kind of a pain due to all of the construction going on.

Back in late September, they opened the new passenger terminal which includes the new gates and new arrivals area. Currently the existing check-in area is back in the old terminal and so are the old gates (which are being renovated). So to check your bags, you have to go to the old part first and then to the new part of the terminal, they’re connected inside so it isn’t a big deal. Since it was Christmas time, they had some nice decorations and Christmas Trees displayed throughout the terminal.

With the new terminal, will come new lounges. Currently there is only one lounge (the one being reviewed here) and as of publishing this post, it is available to both Schengen and Non-Schengen passengers (it is located past security, but before passport checks). To my understanding, this will become the non-Schengen lounge once they build a new lounge for the Schengen area.

Here are my reviews for the previous two lounges that are no longer in existence at the airport:

Business Lounge (Schengen) Kraków (2015)
Kraków Airport Business Lounge (Schengen) (2014)
Kraków Airport Business Lounge (Schengen) (2013)

Business Lounge (Non-Schengen) Kraków (2015)

The new lounge is gorgeous, and a huge upgrade over the two other older lounges. The modern design, bright colours, and fresh furniture make you want to stay longer – and with the improved food options, there isn’t a better lounge anywhere close. Access to the lounge is simple: fly First/Business class or be an elite on most carriers departing from Kraków, additionally you can also access the lounge through Priority Pass, Lounge Key, Diners Club, by paying ~$30 USD, and other ways listed by the main door.

The new lounge is bigger and better than the previous two lounges located at the airport. Plenty of different seating areas ensure you are as comfortable as possible – no matter what section of the lounge you happen to be in. All of the furniture still has that new “smell” and is in excellent overall condition – the colours nicely complement the surrounding lounge areas.

The food and drink selection also received a minor upgrade from the previous choices – hot soups, salads, cheeses, and fruit are now available in addition to the light snacks such as yoghurt, cookies, crackers, chips, etc. The drink selection remains more or less the same – soft drinks, juices, coffee, tea, and water are all available in addition to the complimentary alcohol and premium spirits.

To sample the new food options, I decided to try the creamy soup with some croutons, a salad, some bread, and cookies for dessert. The soup was delicious and I actually ate way more than I should have. The salad was packaged from the refrigerator and tasted like your average packaged salad – it was ok, but nothing too delicious. The bread selection is also quite extensive and most of the bread tasted fresh.

All in all, I would say a huge improvement is the wider selection of bread, hot soups, and improved snack selection (of course in addition to the main improvement – the totally new lounge).

The bathrooms are also beautiful, modern, and most importantly, super clean. A separate bathroom with a shower (!!!) and complimentary amenities is also available – that’s something huge for Poland.

To summarise, this new Business Lounge at Kraków airport is a huge upgrade and nicely complements the new, gorgeous terminal. With added amenities and increased food options, this just might be my new favourite lounge in Poland. Kraków has always been an important city in Poland (it used to be the capital – and it still should be), however with the recent travel increase, the existing airport was lacking to meet the needs of all passengers.

This new passenger terminal and lounges will highly improve passenger travel – and the fact that you might be able to board a plane using a jetway is an added plus. I can’t wait for the airport renovations to be completed!