SAS has offered a first look at its new flagship lounge at Copenhagen Airport, promising considerably more room, private sleeping rooms, runway views and a new exclusive area for its most frequent flyers.
The new lounge is scheduled to open in June 2027, nine months from now. It will occupy 3,700 square meters (nearly 40,000 square feet) on the fourth floor of Terminal 3, with panoramic views across the airport.
For SAS, the project is more than a lounge refresh. It is another piece of the airline’s strategy to strengthen Copenhagen as its primary global hub while rebuilding its premium passenger experience.
40% more room — and space for 4,000 passengers a day
The new lounge will be around 40% larger than SAS’ current Copenhagen lounge and offer 1,095 seats. SAS says it is being designed to accommodate as many as 4,000 visitors per day.
Rather than dividing the lounge simply by passenger status, the design creates different environments around what travelers want to do while waiting for their flights.
Seven zones are planned:
- Eat & Drink
- Social
- Family
- Focus
- Relax
- Silent Relax
- Sleep
There will also be 24 private work pods, expanded shower and restroom facilities and dedicated family areas. Digital occupancy monitoring will help SAS manage passenger flows and reduce crowding.
Perhaps the most welcome feature for long-haul connecting passengers will be private hotel rooms inside the lounge, giving travelers somewhere to properly rest between flights.
SAS’ New Copenhagen Lounge by the numbers
Opening: June 2027
Location: Terminal 3, fourth floor, Copenhagen Airport
Size: 3,700 sq m / nearly 40,000 sq ft
Seats: 1,095
Daily capacity: Up to 4,000 visitors
Increase in space: Around 40%
Work pods: 24
Premium feature: Exclusive Zone for top-tier SAS customers
Other features: Private hotel rooms, showers, bakery, barista coffee, cocktail bar and panoramic runway views
SAS creates an Exclusive Zone for top-tier flyers
SAS is also carving out an Exclusive Zone specifically for its highest-tier frequent flyers.
The airline hasn’t yet revealed all the details of what passengers will find there, but describes it as a more private, elevated experience integrated into the overall lounge.
The approach gives SAS a way to differentiate its most valuable customers without creating an entirely separate lounge.
“Our new signature lounge will be a destination of its own, redefining the journey,” said Paul Verhagen, SAS Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer.
Verhagen said the airline wants to combine Nordic design and a calmer atmosphere with practical passenger comforts, including its existing barista concept, a bakery and a dedicated cocktail bar.
Coffee, cocktails and fresh pastries
Food and drink appear to be getting particular attention.
SAS will retain the barista coffee service that has become one of the distinguishing features of its Copenhagen lounge experience. The new lounge adds a bakery serving freshly baked pastries, treats and snacks.
A dedicated bar will offer drinks and signature SAS cocktails, while the broader menu will mix Scandinavian dishes with international influences and change throughout the day.
Scandinavian design — with pieces of the old lounge
The interiors will lean heavily into the Scandinavian aesthetic passengers would expect from SAS.
Natural materials, abundant daylight and high ceilings will feature throughout the space. Despite the lounge’s size, SAS says a single-floor layout should make it easier for passengers to move between the different zones.
There is also a small sustainability story behind the interiors.
SAS plans to reuse selected furniture from its existing Copenhagen lounge, while recycled SAS textiles will also be incorporated into the new design.
Copenhagen becomes even more important to SAS
The investment reflects Copenhagen’s growing importance to the airline.
SAS describes Copenhagen as its global hub, complemented by Oslo and Stockholm. The airline says it currently carries more than 25 million passengers annually to 135 destinations.
The lounge also arrives as SAS rebuilds the premium end of its product. The carrier recently reintroduced European Business Class and has been upgrading the partner lounges available to its customers elsewhere in Europe.
“As passenger numbers grow and we strengthen Copenhagen as our main hub, this lounge reflects our ongoing development,” Verhagen said.
For passengers regularly connecting through Copenhagen, the difference should be noticeable. More than simply adding seats, SAS is dividing the lounge around how people actually spend their airport time: eating, working, socializing or trying to get some sleep.
And with runway views, fresh pastries, proper coffee and somewhere to lie down, a long Copenhagen connection may become considerably easier to tolerate.
