Athens airport lounges: how to choose between Hall A and B
In Athens the right lounge depends above all on your flight: non-Schengen departures start from Hall A, Schengen ones from Hall B, while both flows pass through the Satellite Terminal. The second variable is the card or status you enter with, since not every lounge opens its doors to the same programmes.
In Hall A, on the non-Schengen side, Aegean Airlines reserves its own Business Lounge for passengers flying First or Business on a Star Alliance airline, and for holders of status such as Star Alliance Gold or Aegean Gold. Travellers with Priority Pass or LoungeKey can instead use the Goldair Handling Lounge, while the Skyserv Aristotle Onassis Lounge, past the Duty Free shops, adds a conference room and premium spirits included in the entry price. The exception is the Swissport Executive Lounge: the only Hall A lounge not affiliated with the Priority Pass or LoungeKey networks, it is booked online or paid for directly on site. Hall A therefore combines two opposite logics, shared access cards and direct booking, so it's worth checking in advance which one applies to your own card.
IndependentHall A · Non-Schengen flightsPriority Pass
Goldair Handling Lounge
Non-Schengen area, after security control, near gate A12.
Reserved for Hall A's non-Schengen flights, it shares its paid entry price with its Hall B sister lounge.
Hours
06:00-22:00
Entry with Priority Pass and LoungeKey; paid entry €46 per person, or with a prepaid online pass.
IndependentHall A · Non-Schengen flightsPriority Pass
Skyserv Aristotle Onassis Lounge
Non-Schengen area, second floor, near gate A7/A9, past the Duty Free shops.
Named after the Greek tycoon, it lies past the Duty Free shops and includes a conference room and premium spirits in the entry price.
Hours
06:00-20:00
Entry with Priority Pass (also as an American Express Platinum partner) or paid on site; open only to passengers on non-Schengen flights from the main Terminal.
Bar
IndependentHall A · Non-Schengen flights
Swissport Executive Lounge
Departures level, near gate A12.
It is Athens' only Swissport-run lounge and, unlike the other Hall A lounges, is not affiliated with the Priority Pass or LoungeKey networks.
Hours
08:00-22:00
Access only by online booking or direct payment on site; reserved for passengers on non-Schengen (international) flights.
IndependentHall B · Schengen flightsPriority Pass
Goldair Handling Lounge
Schengen area, after security control, level 1, opposite gate B13.
Unlike its Hall A twin, it stays open all night, giving Athens round-the-clock coverage that didn't exist before.
Hours
Open 24 hours
Entry with Priority Pass; paid entry €46 per person, or with a prepaid online pass. It is one of the few lounges in Athens open 24 hours a day.
IndependentHall B · Schengen flightsPriority Pass
Skyserv Melina Merkouri Lounge
Schengen area, after security control, near gate B11.
Dedicated to the Greek actress and minister whose name it bears, it is the Hall B lounge with the children's play area.
Hours
06:00-22:00
Entry with Priority Pass or paid on site, €46 per person; maximum stay of 4 hours.
Children's area
Run by the airportSatellite · All flights
AIA Lounge by Goldair Handling
Second floor, after security control and before passport control.
Reachable on foot in 10-15 minutes from the main terminal, the Satellite Terminal hosts the only lounge in the area serving both Schengen and non-Schengen flights alike.
Paid entry from €37 per person for 3 hours; children under 6 go free with an adult. Being located before passport control, it serves both Schengen and non-Schengen flights.
AirlineHall A · Non-Schengen flights
Aegean Business Lounge
Non-Schengen area, after security control, in front of the central square, on the third floor.
Among the Hall A lounges, this is Aegean's main one for intercontinental and non-EU flights, with hours running until one in the morning.
Hours
05:00-01:00
Entry for passengers flying First or Business on a flight operated by a Star Alliance airline, and for holders of Star Alliance Gold, Aegean Gold/Star Gold, United Club or Air Canada Maple Leaf Club status.
AirlineHall B · Schengen flightsPriority Pass
Aegean Lounge
Schengen area, after security control, level 1, opposite gate B13.
It opens earlier and closes later than Aegean's non-Schengen twin, giving Hall B's Schengen flights the longest hours of the airline's two lounges.
Hours
03:00-00:00
Entry with Priority Pass and LoungeKey; a day pass is available with same-day boarding pass.
No lounges match this filter.
On the other side, in Hall B for Schengen flights, the Aegean Lounge has the widest opening window of the airline's two lounges, accepting Priority Pass and LoungeKey alongside a day pass for those who already hold the same-day boarding pass. For passengers arriving or departing at extreme hours, Hall B's Goldair Handling Lounge is one of the few in Athens to stay open all night. Those travelling with children, on the other hand, can turn to the Skyserv Melina Merkouri Lounge, the only one in Hall B with a dedicated play area, accessible with Priority Pass or on payment. Among the Hall B lounges it is also the most family-friendly, while the other two remain aimed mainly at solo travellers or couples.
A fourth option sits literally in the middle: the AIA Lounge by Goldair Handling, in the Satellite Terminal, lies before passport control and is therefore the only one in the area serving both Schengen and non-Schengen departures alike. It suits passengers connecting or arriving well ahead of time who prefer not to commit immediately to Hall A or Hall B, even though it takes about ten minutes on foot from the main terminal. It is also a useful alternative whenever a flight's schedule doesn't match that of the zone lounge you'd normally prefer.
To choose, start from your flight: for non-Schengen departures the base is Hall A, with the Aegean Business Lounge for those with status or a premium ticket and the Goldair or Skyserv Onassis lounges for those with Priority Pass or LoungeKey. On Hall B's Schengen flights, hours and services matter more: the Aegean Lounge for the widest window, Goldair for overnight coverage, Skyserv Melina Merkouri for travelling with children. Those who don't want to commit to one zone can rely on the Satellite Terminal lounge.