Review: MasterCard Lounge, Prague Terminal 1
Prague’s Václav Havel Airport is a great airport for Priority Pass members. The airport has a total of four priority pass lounges – two in Terminal 1 and two in Terminal 2.
Our flight was departing from Terminal 1. Usually, this gives you the option of the Menzies Aviation Lounge and the MasterCard Lounge. Our flight was leaving at 7am, so the MasterCard Lounge won by process of elimination. The Menzies Aviation Lounge doesn’t open until 7am.
Location
The MasterCard Lounge is located in Terminal 1 of the airport. After passing through immigration and the maze of duty free shopping, turn left and follow the signs for airport lounges. Head up the first flight of stairs/escalator you see and you’ll be at the entrance to both lounges. The MasterCard Lounge is to your left, while the Menzies Aviation Lounge is directly across the hall to your right.
MasterCard Lounge entry
If you’re thinking you haven’t gone far enough because you haven’t cleared security yet, don’t worry. Security checks at Prague’s airport occur at the gate. Keep this in mind if you plan on filling up a water bottle before leaving the lounge.
Accessing the lounge
Per the airport’s website, the following people have access to the MasterCard Lounge:
- Priority Pass holders (free/fee dependant on issuer’s policy)
- MasterCard Platinum cardholders (free)
- MasterCard World Elite premium cardholders (free, including up to four guests)
- MasterCard World and Gold Elite premium cardholders (450CZK/~$20USD)
Additionally, you can purchase a single entry into the lounge for 750CZK (~$33). We used my Priority Pass membership gained through my Chase Sapphire Reserve Card and had no issue getting in.
Entry
Upon entry into the lounge, it quickly becomes apparent that this is MasterCard’s response to the American Express Centurion lounges. There’s a wall of greenery behind the check-in counter, along with a few other similarly themed accents throughout. As you continue past the check-in desk, you’ll see a small bar area.
There are a few spirits available along with a beer fridge. While the beer fridge is mostly Budweiser, it’s not the same domestic crap we get back home. There are still much better Czech pilsners, but you could do worse.
At 5am though, I was sticking with coffee and juice.
Seating
Throughout the lounge, there are a bunch of high-backed chairs and sofas. While they may look comfortable from afar, I can assure you, they’re not. The cushions are hard as a rock and there’s minimal padding to support your back. Do yourself a favor and grab just about any other chair in the lounge.
The lounge also has a bunch of interior tables with chairs setup around them.
However, if you have the chance, grab a table with chairs overlooking the tarmac. These would definitely be my preferred seating choice if they’re available. There’s nothing better than having a place to relax and watch planes go by.
Food
When the lounge first opened, there were slim pickings for food. There were a few cold cuts, cheese, and sliced carrots and celery.
They also has the usual pretzels and chips out.
Having these as the only selections seemed odd for 5am. What made this even more odd was that the staff brought out breakfast options about 30 minutes later. You would think they’d setup the breakfast spread before opening the lounge, but what do I know?
The breakfast options were the standard continental breakfast options. Toast with jam, yogurt, granola, and some corn flakes. Certainly nothing inspiring, but it’s still better than nothing. Because we were in the lounge so early, the food options get a pass. However, I’d still like to see some better hot breakfast options.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the MasterCard Lounge was a fine option. The lounge had views of the tarmac and was open early. Plus, I’ll always take a lounge over waiting in the boarding area. Maybe the food is better during peak meal times, but I’d really like to see them improve their breakfast offerings in the future. Still, the MasterCard isn’t a bad place to sit and watch planes go by.
