- Mr Plane Guy
- Jul 2
- 7 min read
Aspire Lounge Amsterdam Schiphol Review: Probably the Best Lounge at Schiphol for Priority Pass Holders
By Mr Plane Guy, Plane Travel News & Reviews With Altitude
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Flying from Amsterdam Airport? This Lounge Might Be the Best £24 You'll Spend
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is one of Europe's busiest airports. That's fantastic when you're choosing destinations. Less fantastic when you're trying to find a seat near your departure gate. Thankfully, I found a much better solution. After a short seven-minute virtual queue, I was sipping a Heineken, charging my phone and watching aircraft taxi across the airfield from one of the best-value airport lounges I've visited this year. Welcome to the Aspire Lounge Amsterdam Schiphol. Even better? I only paid around £24 using Priority Pass, significantly less than the standard walk-up price.
If you're flying from Amsterdam Airport and wondering whether lounge access is worth it, this review should help.
Where Is the Aspire Lounge Amsterdam Schiphol?
The Aspire Lounge is located in the Non-Schengen departures area of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
That means it's ideal if you're flying to destinations outside the Schengen Zone. Simply follow the airport lounge signs. The lounge is easy to find and well signposted.
Accessing the Lounge: A Surprisingly Smart Queue System
One thing I genuinely liked was how Aspire handled demand. Instead of forcing passengers to stand outside in a long queue, the lounge uses a QR-code virtual waiting list.
The process is simple:
Scan the QR code
Join the queue digitally
Continue exploring the terminal
Receive a notification when space becomes available
On my visit I waited around seven minutes. For a busy summer afternoon at Amsterdam Airport, that's incredibly reasonable.
Why Priority Pass Makes So Much Sense Here
Walk-up lounge access can quickly become expensive. But with Priority Pass, I gained entry for roughly £24 per visit.
When you consider what is included:
Food
Beer
Wine
Spirits
Coffee
Soft drinks
Fast Wi-Fi
Comfortable seating
Charging points
The value becomes pretty obvious. Especially at airports where a sandwich, coffee and beer can easily cost £20+ before you've even found somewhere comfortable to sit.
How Does Priority Pass Work?
Priority Pass is surprisingly simple.
Join Priority Pass.
Download the Priority Pass app.
Search for participating lounges.
Present your membership card.
Enjoy the lounge before your flight.
Depending on your membership level, visits may either be included or charged individually.
Many lounges also allow you to pre-book access for additional peace of mind during busy travel periods.
Plane Tip: Many travellers think Priority Pass is simply airport lounge access.
It also includes benefits such as:
Airport restaurant credits
Spa discounts
Sleep pods
Airport experiences
Depending on the airport.
👉 What Is Priority Pass? Priority Pass Benefits Explained: More Than Just Airport Lounge Access
👉 Is Priority Pass Worth It? Priority Pass Review 2026: One Year of Lounge Access, Was It Worth It?
First Impressions: Calm Above the Schiphol Chaos
The moment I walked in, I noticed how much calmer it felt compared to the terminal outside.
And honestly?
That alone has value. Airports can be noisy, crowded and stressful. Finding a quiet corner before a flight can completely change the start of your trip.
The Aspire Lounge offers a variety of seating styles. I chose a desk overlooking the airfield with my own power socket and plenty of personal space. Simple things, but after a busy airport, they matter.
The Heineken Was Flowing and So Was the Wi-Fi
Airport lounges often get one thing right and another thing wrong. Great food but terrible Wi-Fi.
Fast internet but disappointing drinks. Aspire Schiphol managed to get most things right.
The self-service Heineken was flowing. The Wi-Fi never missed a beat.
And I found myself sitting comfortably overlooking the airfield wondering why I'd ever sit in the terminal again. For a lounge I accessed through Priority Pass for around £24, it genuinely exceeded my expectations.
The Views Are Fantastic
One of the biggest highlights of the Aspire Lounge is the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the airfield.
If you're interested in aviation, you'll love it. It's one of those lounges where you can easily lose track of time watching the airport operation unfold outside.
Food & Drink: Better Than Expected
Airport lounge food can sometimes be a bit underwhelming.
That wasn't the case here. On a particularly hot summer day, I skipped the heavier dishes and created what can only be described as a rather posh ploughman's lunch.
My plate included:
Fresh salads
Cheese selection
Hors d'oeuvres
Cold buffet options
Everything looked fresh and well presented. The smoked paprika soup also looked excellent and proved popular during my visit.
Plenty of Vegetarian and Gluten-Free Options
One area where Aspire impressed me was dietary choice. There were clearly labelled options throughout the buffet including:
Vegetarian dishes
Gluten-free choices
Salads
Fruit
Lighter options
Not every airport lounge gets this right. Aspire deserves credit here.
The Lounge Just Kept Getting Better
Just when I thought I'd seen everything the Aspire Lounge had to offer, I spotted an ice cream cart.
A proper ice cream cart. Then came the sweet treats. There were dainty little cakes, traditional Dutch stroopwafels and bowls of liquorice sweets.
Now perhaps it's just me, but does anybody actually like liquorice? The Dutch certainly seem to.
The stroopwafels, however, disappeared considerably faster. It's little touches like these that elevate a lounge from simply being somewhere to sit before a flight into somewhere you actually enjoy spending time.
Combined with the self-service Heineken, extensive buffet, smoked paprika soup and excellent airfield views, the Aspire Lounge felt far more generous than I was expecting.
With every lap of the lounge, I seemed to discover something new.
One small observation. For a lounge located in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, I was slightly surprised not to find any Edam. Surely Dutch cheese should be compulsory at Schiphol?
Still, the overall food offering was genuinely better than I expected.
Drinks Selection
The drinks offering included:
Self-service Heineken on tap
Alcohol-free beer options
Wine
Spirits
Coffee machines
Soft drinks
The self-service beer station was particularly popular and certainly added a bit of Dutch character to the lounge.
Facilities
The Aspire Lounge includes everything most travellers need before a flight.
Fast Wi-Fi
Reliable throughout my visit.
Power Sockets
Plenty available throughout the lounge. No fighting strangers for charging points.
Private Toilets
Always preferable to using busy terminal facilities.
Flight Information Screens
Large departure boards throughout the lounge make it easy to keep an eye on your flight.
Amsterdam Airport Lounge Access: Is Aspire the Best Option?
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has several lounge options. I've also reviewed:
However, Aspire occupies an interesting middle ground. It doesn't try to be ultra-luxury.
Instead it focuses on delivering what most travellers actually want:
Comfortable seating
Good food
Great runway views
Fast Wi-Fi
Easy access
And honestly? That's often enough.
More Amsterdam Travel Guides
Flying through Schiphol? You might also find these useful:
How to Make the Most of 24 Hours in Amsterdam
Maximise Your Avios Points in 2026: The Ultimate Guide to Boosting Your Collection
How to Get from Schiphol Airport to the City Centre Amsterdam
My Honest Keukenhof Review: Beautiful Gardens or Tourist Trap?
BA CityFlyer Review: Flying Business Class From Amsterdam To London City
Final Boarding Call
The Aspire Lounge Amsterdam Schiphol exceeded my expectations. The virtual queue system was efficient. The food was better than expected. The self-service Heineken was a nice touch. The runway views were fantastic.
The Wi-Fi was excellent.
And perhaps most importantly, it delivered something airports rarely provide:
Peace and quiet.
At around £24 using Priority Pass, I'd happily visit again. In fact, I'd argue it's probably the best lounge at Schiphol for Priority Pass holders.
The Heineken was flowing. The Wi-Fi was flowing.
And for once, so was the airport experience. If you're flying from Schiphol and have Priority Pass, I'd arrive early just so I could spend longer in this lounge.
Mr Plane Guy
Let's Make Travel Better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can anyone use the Aspire Lounge Amsterdam?
Yes. You can pay directly, pre-book online or access the lounge using Priority Pass.
Is the Aspire Lounge Amsterdam worth it?
Yes. The food, drinks, runway views and quiet atmosphere make it one of the best-value airport lounges at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
Does Priority Pass work at Amsterdam Schiphol?
Yes. Priority Pass provides access to the Aspire Lounge and can offer excellent value compared to paying at the door.
Where is the Aspire Lounge at Amsterdam Airport?
The lounge is located in the Non-Schengen departures area of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
Are drinks included?
Yes. Beer, wine, spirits, soft drinks and coffee are included as part of your visit.
Hello, I’m Paul a professional jet-setter and all-around plane travel pro. After 15 years working in and around planes, I became a flight delay expert at a London airport and mastered plane travel hacks, a PLANE flight expert with BIG travel plans but small carry-on.
Now, I share PLANE travel news, tips, reviews, and deals with honesty, humour, and zero baggage! Thanks for reading Aspire Lounge Amsterdam Schiphol Review: Probably the Best Lounge at Schiphol for Priority Pass Holders.
Airport lounges, free upgrades, travel chaos and the occasional meltdown. Real travel, not influencer nonsense.
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