On my return journey from Europe, I flew out of Stockholm Arlanda International Airport on Finnair business class.
Before my flight, I had the opportunity to check out the American Express Pontus in the Air Lounge. This is one of the more unique lounge offerings that you can access with an American Express Platinum Card or American Express Business Platinum Card.
Technically, this is more of a small restaurant than a lounge per se, with American Express cardholders treated to a complimentary menu in a closed-off dining room.
Nonetheless, it’s still a nice additional perk here in Stockholm for simply being a Platinum cardholder, so let’s take a look at the experience.
American Express Pontus in the Air Lounge Stockholm – Access
The lounge is located after security, one level up from Terminal 5. Taking the stairs up to the mezzanine level, you can find it between the “A” and “F” gates, nestled amongst the shops at Stockholm Arlanda.
A staircase and elevator lead up to the restaurant and the lounge.
Once upstairs, to your left is a different restaurant called Monstro, and to your right is Pontus in the Air.
The lounge is inside the restaurant through a small passageway marked by a gold plaque labelled “American Express Lounge.”
The lounge is open daily from 5am to 6pm, except on Saturday, when it’s open from 5am to 5pm.
When you first enter the restaurant, a host will check your Amex card and boarding pass, and then show you towards your seat.
Access is granted to departing passengers with a Platinum Card, Business Platinum Card, or Centurion Card issued in any country. Centurion cardholders can bring in two guests, while Platinum cardholders can only bring in one guest.
American Express Pontus in the Air Lounge Stockholm – Seating
The space is fairly small and can accommodate around 30 guests. The atmosphere is pleasant, with plenty of light coming into the area.
The seating consists of a cluster of dining tables dotted throughout the lounge, some bench seating along the wall, a larger communal dining table in the centre, and some seats along the countertops.
Solo travellers can sit either at the two-person dining tables or, in my opinion, the best seats in the house – the seats facing the counter and airport concourse.
I sat here and enjoyed the views of the airport apron and tarmac in the distance while I waited for my meal to arrive.
American Express Pontus in the Air Lounge Stockholm – Dining
There is a self-serve buffet section with small snacks, fruits, still or sparkling water, and a Nespresso machine.
The main dining experience here in the Pontus in the Air Lounge takes the form of a complimentary à la carte menu.
Breakfast is available from 5am to 10am and consists of a light European selection. From 10am until close, lunch and dinner are served.
There are just a few items under each section. Note that if nothing on the complimentary menu is enticing, you can also order from the main restaurant at an additional charge.
In my case, I was in a bit of a rush and also wanted to save room for food onboard Finnair business class, so I decided to opt for the cured salmon with dill stewed potatoes along with some sparkling water.
The salmon was a decent appetizer – very seafood-forward, which is just how I like it. I also appreciated the lemon wedge for some extra zest sprinkled on top.
Overall, the dish was tasty, but didn’t blow me away. Nevertheless, it’s always nice to get a complimentary meal on American Express’s dime.
After wrapping up my plate, my boarding time was approaching, so I soon made my way back down to the ground level of the terminal and headed to passport control before boarding my Finnair business class en route to New York.
Conclusion
The Pontus in the Air Lounge in Stockholm is a bit of an oddity in American Express’s Global Lounge Network. It’s essentially just a dining room where you can go and grab yourself a free meal thanks to your personal or business Platinum card.
The space is relatively small with a limited food selection, but it’s a nice enough place to sit, relax, and have a bite and a drink before your flight, especially if you have some extra time to kill.
