For a while, American Express has had a somewhat unconventional presence at Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport. Rather than a traditional Centurion Lounge with seating, a buffet, and maybe a shower, Platinum and Centurion cardholders are able to access what might be best described as an American Express-branded restaurant with waiter service and a menu. Previously, this was located in a dedicated section of a larger restaurant, Pontus in the Air.
In late 2022, we learned that the lounge would be shutting down due to a lease dispute with Sweden’s airport authority, Swedavia. Fortunately, a brand new American Express lounge has now opened in its wake. I checked it out on a flight back from Stockholm to London and was pretty impressed.
American Express Lounge Pop-Up location
The American Express Lounge Pop-Up is located in Terminal 5. To get there, turn right after security and walk towards gates F26-F29. Just before gate F26, you’ll see a sign for the lounge with arrows pointing to the right.
Once you turn right, you’ll see the lounge entrance about 100 feet ahead of you.
American Express Lounge Pop-Up entry requirements
Access to the American Express Lounge Pop-Up is allowed for those flying from Arlanda with an American Express Platinum Card or Centurion Card. Unlike Centurion Lounges in the US which began in February charging for guests, this lounge still allows cardholders to bring in two guests for free. Check here for the most up-to-date and detailed rules. If you check American Express’s website, you’ll notice that it mentions only the Centurion Card under access requirements–this is wrong, and you’ll be able to access the lounge with a Platinum Card as well.
American Express Lounge Pop-Up hours
The lounge is open from 5 AM to 7:30 PM daily, but the kitchen closes at 7:15. The early opening hours of this lounge are super convenient since most other lounges at Arlanda only open mid-morning.
American Express Lounge Pop-Up seating areas
Since this lounge is essentially a restaurant, the vast majority of seating is at dining tables.
If you’re dining on your own, there are also high tables on the right side of the lounge when you enter.
In the back of the lounge are two comfortable couches from which you can also order food.
American Express Lounge Pop-Up restaurant
The restaurant has both a breakfast menu, served from 5 AM to 11 AM, as well as a lunch and dinner menu with classic Swedish fare served from 11 AM to 7:30 PM. The menus are fairly small, but the food I tried was very good.
Having already eaten lunch, I wasn’t particularly hungry and just ordered soup which was a delicious pumpkin bisque.
At the front of the lounge is a table with fruits, cookies, and pastries to accompany tea or coffee.
There’s a small selection of alcoholic beverages, as well as coffee from a Nespresso machine, tea, or juice.
American Express Lounge Pop-Up amenities
Though this lounge is small, it has a couple of nice amenities. First, a variety of Swedish newspapers are laid out at the front of the space.
Second, and more useful for a non-Swedish speaker, there is a fridge with to-go meals, which include sandwiches and salads. I didn’t have a chance to try them, but they looked pretty good.
American Express Lounge Pop-Up service
The service here was very good. My order was taken quickly after I sat down and my food came out minutes later. What really struck me about this lounge was the extraordinary staff-to-guest ratio, which was probably around two to one. That was partly because the lounge was pretty empty (there were around 15 others when I was there) but it’s also because American Express seems to have devoted a lot of staff to this lounge–many more than at the previous location.
Conclusion
Beyond eating, there’s not a whole lot to do at the American Express Lounge Pop-Up at Stockholm’s Arlanda airport. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, because the restaurant is great, even though the menu is small. If you’re early for your flight, this lounge is a great place to grab a meal.
5 comments
I visited the lounge recently and thought it was disappointing.
It was difficult to get to during a layover – you have to go through passport control to get in and then go through passport control again to get to your connecting flight, which I found to be extremely slow at Arlanda.
Then I walked into the Centurion lounge and was told to go out and enter the Platinum lounge – not very well signposted.
As for the platinum lounge itself, I found the staff quite unfriendly and short with me. The food was okay at best and a very limited selection for breakfast (literally a small sandwich). I was abruptly told I was not allowed to eat while sat on the sofas, which goes against what you say in your review.
Toilets were the same standard as normal/non-lounge ones at Arlanda.
Overall, I wouldn’t bother going again.
We were disappointed that lounge was already closing when we arrived there at 19:05. Many flights from Arlanda depart quite late.
Luckily, we were given lounge-on-the-go food package with. 🙂
Disappointing for sure. I don’t really understand why they close so early but I’m hoping the new permanent lounge will have more reasonable hours!
Just a note that the lounge does actually have bathrooms. They are in the middle section of the lounge just before the kitchen.
Good catch–just amended the article. Thanks!