Snapshot Review: OSL Lounge, Oslo Gardermoen Airport

If you are flying from the primary gateway to Norway, Oslo Gardermoen, and are flying a non-Star Alliance/SAS airline in business class, then you are highly likely to be directed to the OSL Lounge. Airports in Norway differ from other Schengen airports due to the country being part of the single market (European Economic Area) but not part of the customs union. Domestic flights operate from the post-Security area, followed by a very modern customs border for intra-Schengen flights and then a formal Schengen border check for non-Schengen flights. Here’s a look at what you can expect from the OSL Lounge in the International Departures area of Oslo Gardermoen Airport.

For reference, we visited this lounge in March 2022.

Oslo Gardermoen is a stunning airport embodying Nordic design and sustainability. Arrivals and departures at the airport are extremely simple.

The OSL Lounge and SAS Lounge in the International part of the airport can be found after the Customs border on the Mezzanine level above a number of Duty Free shops.

The OSL Lounge is the go-to option for most non-Star Alliance departures from Oslo Gardermoen including British Airways, Finnair and Emirates. It is available for Dragon Pass, Lounge Pass, Norwegian Lounge Key and Amex Platinum customers. Unfortunately, it is not part of the Priority Pass network butt you could choose to pay NOK 350 (~£30). It is open from 05h15 until the final airport departure.

The reception is completely open to the rest of the lounge. Due to there being only one public-facing member of staff during our visit, I could easily see people walking in without showing they have access.

A premium section does exist which is primarily for airlines, such as Qatar and Emirates, who choose to send their passengers to the better section. Despite the door being open and all lights on, entry has been forbidden since March 2020.

The design of the OSL Lounge is modern but not particularly inspiring with warm lighting, cool greys and wooden flooring. There is a lot of comfortable armchairs, sofas and loungers and the space was quiet during our visit on a Sunday morning around 9am.

A small selection of food is available mostly consisting of cold cuts of meat, cheese, vegetables, yoghurts, and pastries. I would pass on the food on offer and if you are looking for something more, head to one of the cafes in the terminal.

Drinks are a little bit better - with a standard self-serve coffee machine, beer, soft drinks, and sparkling wine on offer.

Clean bathrooms can be found at the rear of the lounge - these are the most dated part of the lounge but are perfectly serviceable. No showers are available in this lounge for those who need it between connecting flights.

One positive about the lounge is the abundance of windows and light that enters the lounge - it makes it feel open and does give some limited views of the apron and runway.

Equally, if you need a good internet connection prior to your flight to get work done then you are served with fast, high-speed internet.

The OSL Lounge is not an exciting space to visit and if you are short on time, I wouldn’t bother heading up here. If you have a bit of time to kill prior to your flight, it is a quiet place to visit with a lot of seating options to relax in while having excellent Wi-Fi connectivity, but I would recommend you bring your own food in rather than rely on the offering available. It would also be interesting to see if the Premium section of the OSL Lounge reopens soon where I am sure that you will have a superior experience.