Review: Melina Merkouri Lounge Athens International Airport (ATH)

The Melina Merkouri Lounge at Athens International Airport is the Olympic Air lounge, but you can also get access through Priority Pass.

As I had an early flight, I was the first person in the lounge. It’s also worth noting that the lounges are located prior to security, but after boarding pass checks, so you might have to budget slightly more time to get to your gate than you would otherwise.

Walking into the lounge, I immediately liked how open the space felt. Of course it didn’t feel busy since I was the only one there, but it seemed like it could accommodate a large number of people without feeling crowded.

Besides the normal seating areas, they had a small conference room, although I’m not sure who would use it as it offered very little privacy.

As I hadn’t had the chance to eat before getting to the airport, I was most interested in their food options, but they were a little sad-looking to me. Definitely better than what you’d find in a domestic lounge in the US, but also not up to par with international lounge offerings. You’d think they’d at least have some Greek yogurt! It’s also possible that they increase the number of food offerings as the lounge gets busier, but I also didn’t see a space for any hot food items later in the day.

Of course, if you want to get your drink on at 6:30am, they offered mini-bottles of wine, but it’s worth restating that you have to clear security after leaving the lounge to get to your gate, so you won’t be able to take it with you to go.

Overall, it’s a lounge with a good space, although the food offerings could be improved.