Lounge Review: Primeclass Lounge, Zurich

Posted By Stephen Hoechst on Nov 20, 2019 | 1 comment

Greetings from Switzerland! While the trip was fantastic (more to come on that later), I think I may have just found my new favorite Priority Pass lounge – the Primeclass Lounge Zurich.

Location

The Primeclass Lounge in Zurich is located in Terminal E. This terminal is typically used for long-haul international and non-Schengen flights. You’ll need to go through passport control and take the tram from the main terminal to Terminal E. Once in Terminal E, continue to gate E50. Once you get in the high-40s, you’ll see a sign pointing up for the Primeclass lounge. It’s easy to miss it. However, you should notice a set of elevators and stairs to take you upstairs. Go up one level and the Primeclass Lounge will be straight ahead.

Accessing the Lounge

I accessed the Primeclass Lounge using my Priority Pass Select membership from my Chase Sapphire Reserve Card. I was also able to bring in two guests, thanks to my membership. The lounge is also open to Diner’s Club, DragonPass, LoungeMe, and TAV Passport members. I consider Priority Pass access the easiest to come by though, as just about every premium credit card comes with it.

The lounge also operates as a contract lounge. If you’re flying in a premium cabin on any of the following airlines, you’ll have access to the lounge:

• Aeroflot
• El Al Airlines
• OmanAir
• Qatar Airways
• Turkish Airlines

If you’re not flying in business class and don’t have a lounge membership, you can still pay to access the lounge. Entry costs 35 CHF or about $35.

Entry

Primeclass Lounge Entry

As soon as you enter the lounge, you can tell that the Primeclass Lounge is different. The wooden accents and dim lighting give off a sense of sophistication.

There are also lockers available to store your luggage if you’d like. These can be a great if you’re worried about leaving your luggage unattended. There are a TON of lockers available so finding an open one shouldn’t be a problem.

Once you’re checked in, you can enter the lounge to the right or left. The layout on both sides is nearly identical. However, the left side has views of the runway, so I’ll take that every time.

Seating

There were plenty of seating options throughout the lounge. As you first enter, there are quite a few pre-reclined chairs pointed toward a huge television screen. Across from those were several work stations, equipped with plugs and USB charging ports.

Continuing through the lounge, there are plenty of comfortable seating options. We setup base around the large padded chairs, though there was also ample room at restaurant style tables nearby.

Outside

Possibly my favorite feature of the lounge is the outdoor deck. The deck is lined with large chairs overlooking the runway and apron. While the chairs usually have large cushions, they were put away on this occasion. Because it was an evening in late October, not many people were outside. However, on a pleasant day, I can’t think of a better spot to have a drink and watch planes take-off. It’s pretty much an avgeek’s dream.

Airplanes, a runway, and mountains. Is it possible to top this?

The views from inside were still pretty spectacular, but warmer. Having spent 10 years living in the Carolinas, I’ve become a big softy when it comes to the cold. 😉

Food & Drinks

Another area where the Primeclass lounge excelled was with food and beverage options. There was no shortage of drink options and had just about any kind of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage you could want. It wasn’t Krug, but there were still some decent options in there.

We visited the lounge around dinner time and there were quite a few filling options available at the buffet. I opted to have the meatloaf, cinnamon sweet potato, and cucumber salad. They were all tasty and plenty filling (which is no small task when it comes to feeding me). The lounge had quite a few other food options as well.

And then there’s dessert…

Doughnuts and chocolates and cheesecake, oh my! My mind was telling me no. But my body. My bodyyyyy! (Sorry, back to the review…)

Bathrooms

The bathrooms were clean and well maintained. I normally don’t have much to say about a bathroom, but the technology in there was impressive. The sinks had Dyson 2-in-1 faucets. You’d just wash your hands under the center and extend your hands out to dry. Normally I detest 2-in-1 hand washes, as they tend to do neither well. This one had both great water pressure and drying ability. Props.

Click the image for awesomeness

The toilets were even impressive. First, let’s start with the automatic light sensor in the bowl.

I mean, how cool is that!? Is it practical in a room that’s always well lit? Probably not. Still, it’s a pretty cool feature and certainly one I haven’t seen in an airport. To top it off, the toilets even had bidets.

Showers

The Primeclass Lounge also has two showers. The showers are available to visitors on a first come, first served basis. There’s no registration required. Best of all, they’re free of charge!

If the room is open and stocked, you’re free to use it as you please. While I didn’t use the showers, they looked clean and spacious. If you need to refresh before or after a long flight, these will be perfect.

Private Rooms

The lounge also comes with two private rooms available for rent. These can be a great alternative to getting a hotel room during an extended layover. The rooms come with a day bed and can be rented out at the front desk. Rental rates start at 75 CHF which certainly isn’t bad when you compare it to the cost of a hotel room.

Final Thoughts

The Primeclass Lounge in Zurich is easily one of my favorite Priority Pass lounges I’ve visited. From the decor to the food and space, there wasn’t anything I could knock this lounge for. While I generally don’t advocate paying for a day pass at a lounge, this lounge represents a pretty strong value at that price. If you do it right, you’ll leave well-fed, clean, and relaxed. There’s not much else you can ask for from a contract lounge. The Primeclass Lounge will certainly be at the top of my list the next time I fly through Zurich.

Have you visited the Primeclass Lounge in Zurich? If so, what were your thoughts?