Where is it?
The lounge is located airside in the domestic transit hall, in the same location as the international SAS lounge but on the opposite side of the security control.
After passing through security the lounge is located on the left, just around the corner. The entrance is on the second floor after the staircase.
The lounge can also be used by passengers travelling on an international flight operated by SAS or Star Alliance as all departing passengers enter the domestic transit hall first before continuing to the international transit hall.
International transit passengers connecting between two international flights are not able to reach the lounge without having to go landside.
How do I get in?
Passengers travelling in SAS Plus or SAS Business have access as well as business class and first class passengers on other Star Alliance flights.
The lounge is also available to EuroBonus Gold and Diamond and Star Alliance Gold travelling on SAS or another Star Alliance member airline.
What’s it like?
In 2014 SAS opened its first domestic lounge at Oslo Gardermoen airport but with many frequent flyers in Norway the lounge reached its capacity almost immediately. The new SAS domestic lounge opened in September 2017 and it significantly larger, measuring an impressive 902 sqm, which is certainly not bad for a domestic lounge.
The lounge design is completely new and nothing like the existing SAS lounges. In fact SAS called it a ‘next-generation lounge’. The whole interior is modern and rather high-tech with neon signs in different parts of the lounge and many smaller design details like an electric fireplace in one of the sitting areas.
The lounge is divided into several different sections and the idea is that the section closest to the entrance should be used for shorter visits and the sections furthest from the entrance for guests who wish stay longer. The concept is not very different from some of the other SAS lounges.
Food and drinks
The buffet area is designed much like an open kitchen and is quite spacious. The selection of food and snacks is also vastly better compared to the old domestic lounge.
There is now a proper cold buffet available with salads, cold cuts and often something substantial to eat like pasta. Significantly better than in the old lounge. Snacks, crisps, nuts and cookies are also available.
The drinks selection includes beer and wine on tap, alcohol-free beer in a fridge, juices, sodas, coffee and tea.
The new domestic lounge is a great place for coffee-lovers as there is a cafe section with a barista where it is possible to order freshly brewed coffee, for example an espresso, a cappuccino or a chai latte.
Facilities
There is a business centre with laptop computers and three phone booths and there is a 1000 Mbit WiFi network in the lounge. In this area there is also an innovation centre with a few fun things to try for those who have time to kill.
Restrooms and showers are also available in the lounge.
Anything else not to miss?
An interesting new feature in the lounge is the gym with treadmills, spinning bikes, rowing machines and weights. The gym is operated in cooperation with SATS, a well-known chain of gyms in the Nordics and measures 70 sqm. There are locker rooms with showers and also lockers to store any hand luggage. The gym can be booked through the SAS app but also during the visit, subject to space.
Massage is also offered (at a charge) in cooperation with Soleus but generally not in the early morning or in the evening.
Final impression
A new, fun and innovative lounge. If this is what a next-generation lounge will look like remains to be seen, but at least SAS has tried something new. The lounge is spacious, the design is modern and there are plenty of facilities. The food and drinks are much better than in the old domestic lounge and the cafe area with the barista is very nice. The gym is also rather innovative, however the future will tell how many lounge guests will really use it.
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