SkyTeam's new Sydney Airport lounge is now open for travellers on the alliance's partner airlines and paying guests.
The SkyTeam lounge is located at Gate 24, with seating capacity for 140 travellers, and like the adjacent American Express Lounge is managed by Plaza Premium.
As expected, the oft-delayed and long-awaited lounge includes design elements from SkyTeam’s London Heathrow and Istanbul lounges.The lounge itself is located on the lower level of the terminal, with an escalator and lift from the reception area.
Turn right and you'll find the buffet area...
... and at the far end, a wine bar.
Chairs by the window afford a view over the tarmac.
Something you can't miss is the abundance of AC power sockets.
We'd swear that no seat is more than an arm's length away from laptop power, although USB ports are far more scarce.
There's ample seating, especially in the 'left wing' of the lounge.
This includes a large oval table with AC and USB sockets lurking under the centre-mounted covers.
There are also three shower suites for a freshening up before your flight.
One unusual touch: while most airport lounges have TV screens scattered around and a quiet zone off to the corner, SkyTeam flips things by having a separate TV room so that passengers aren't disturbed by blaring TV sets.
The doors to SkyTeam's Sydney lounge will swoosh open for first class and business class passengers on China Southern, China Eastern, Taiwan’s China Airlines, Delta, Garuda Indonesia, Korean Air and Vietnam Airlines, as well as travellers on those airlines who hold top-tier SkyTeam Elite Plus status in their respective airline’s frequent flyer scheme.
(SkyTeam Elite Plus members can also bring a guest into the lounge, even if they're not on the same flight.)
Paid access is priced at $77 for two hours and $132 for five hours.
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David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Malaysia Airlines - Enrich
21 Mar 2014
Total posts 22
Looks impressive and I like the colour scheme. Hope they put on a good breakfast Christmas Day morning when we are waiting for our Korean Air flight to LAX!!!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
KE direct to LAX?? or transferring via ICN ;)
Malaysia Airlines - Enrich
21 Mar 2014
Total posts 22
Yes,transferring via ICN to LAX then connecting to United for MEX!!!!! Could be a very long Xmas Day. Korean Business Class was a very good price and we get the A380 from ICN to LAX so we'll just have to suffer and hopefully not get too carried away with the champagne etc etc !!!
21 Apr 2012
Total posts 3006
Please don't kick a fuss if they serve your nuts in a packet :)
Malaysia Airlines - Enrich
21 Mar 2014
Total posts 22
As long as they come with champers I don't care how they serve my nuts!!!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
Again the shiny nose of a CZ A380! Wonder if CZ had to pay for this add placement!
12 Jun 2013
Total posts 732
Pretty sure the cost of an ad on ausbt is a lot lower than the cost of parking an A380 at a gate at SYD.
Thai Airways International - Royal Orchid Plus
15 Dec 2014
Total posts 2
Very happy to see the TVs shunted off to a separate room!
Velocity
19 Jun 2013
Total posts 66
Amen to that!! I hate being subjected to the latest economic news, politician's mug or ABC/Fairfax propaganda when in a domestic longe. Bad enough. But In the international terminal, when I am fleeing the place for a few days/weeks to get away from all that, it is completely unacceptable.
My attitude when I am overseas, is that the entire country can sink beneath the waves for all I care. Merry Christmas, everyone ;)
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1374
Interesting a paid lounge as well...
Mind you, at those prices, can see why they are not opening it to Priority Pass holders.
12 Jun 2013
Total posts 732
$77 for two hours? What do they think this is, a carpark?
Seriously though, looks okay, pretty generic. But I suppose the real upside as far as I'm concerned is less crowding at the NZ lounge!
25 Sep 2013
Total posts 1242
Yeah that's a bit rich imo.
12 Jun 2013
Total posts 732
Well to be honest it's a good thing, they price it so high not because they think that people will pay it but because they're trying to deter people from paying it, and to increase the percieved desirability of the lounge for the people who actually get access.
I can't see any circumstances under which I'd pay $77 to get into a lounge. One time at Philadelphia I was delayed for quite a while and I thought about paying $45 (or whatever) to get into the US Airways Lounge, but I decided against it, went to the Legal Seafood in the terminal and filled in just as much time having a delicious seafood dinner and a couple of decent local beers, and spent less than $40 anyway.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
21 Mar 2013
Total posts 132
77 AUD is probably close to that now anyway...
08 Jul 2015
Total posts 10
Can anyone, flying any airline access this lounge if paid? Or is it still restricted to sky team airlines?
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