Aspire Lounge

The Aspire Lounge at Copenhagen airport welcomes all passengers, regardless of airline or destination, on a pay-in basis. The club also accepts various membership cards, including Priority Pass and DragonPass.

Centrally located in Terminal 2, between Piers A and B, the Aspire Lounge is best suited for customers traveling within Europe’s Schengen zone. (Travelers flying to non-Schengen destinations may prefer to visit the Eventyr Lounge, which is situated after passport control, and much more spacious.)

The Aspire Lounge might be difficult to spot at a first glance within the maze of retail and dining outlets. Look for the “La Place” restaurant, then take the stairs or elevator to the upper floor.

Aspire Lounge CPH design

At its heyday, the Aspire Lounge at Copenhagen airport might have been a beacon of Scandinavian design. The core of the design is still intact—hardwood floors, beautiful tree stumps, eye-catching light fixtures, colorful rugs, designer sofas, and Earth tones with pops of playful colors—but the décor has faded, and the space is past its prime.

It doesn’t help that the Aspire Lounge is routinely crowded. It’s a compact facility, with about 100 seats packed together in a mundane rectangular room. The location of the club, above the retail area, at the heart of the terminal, compounds the issue: there are no runway views that would foster a feeling of space; instead, the club overlooks the bustling lower concourse and has limited natural light. The lack of upkeep is the worst part. When we visited, the staff was in no rush to bus and clean the tables.

In other words, the Aspire Lounge looks more like your average Ikea on Black Friday evening than the quiet haven that it was meant to be.

With that being said, the Aspire Lounge layout still features a few gems. Groups will find two convivial areas with inviting round sofas, as well as various living room-like spaces with plush couches and large coffee tables. Solo travelers will enjoy the recessed, semi-private nooks with a built-in table, in the rear of the club. There are also a handful of cozy bright and bold, delightfully private dining booths.

The power outlet situation is a mixed bag: there are plugs along the walls and in the tabletop seating area, but guests seated in the center of the lounge won’t find any handy charging points.

Aspire Lounge CPH amenities

The Aspire Lounge at Copenhagen airport features only basic amenities—but then again, most flights within the Schengen zone are relatively short.

The club has two buffet areas, though only one seems to be in use. Patrons will find crudites, cold cuts, cheese, pate, a selection of breads, a hot soup (at mealtimes), and a couple of sweet treats. On the beverage front, there is a soda fountain, a modest self-served assortment of wines and liquor, and an espresso machine.

While somewhat underwhelming, the spread is in line with one can expect from a contract lounge in Scandinavia. There’s enough for a snack (and the pate happens to be delicious), but don’t come in expecting to have a full meal. (For what it’s worth, the other independent lounge, the Carlsberg Aviator Lounge, offers virtually the same selection.)

Other amenities include Wi-Fi, bathrooms with waterless urinals on the men’s side, and flight information monitors.

Aspire Lounge CPH bottom line

The key to enjoying the Aspire Lounge at Copenhagen airport is to come in with the right expectations. Airport lounges in Denmark aren’t generally particularly impressive, especially in the catering department. With this in mind, the Aspire Lounge is an average, run-of-the mill club; it’s fundamentally a place to sit, recharge devices if you can find a power outlet, and grab a snack—but definitely not a full meal.

As a relatively small facility that accepts most popular lounge memberships, the Aspire Lounge is busy, and routinely operates at capacity. While the club offers a few lovely private spots, finding a seat at peak times might be a challenge.

The Aspire Lounge does the job, but it would surely benefit from a refurbishment and from more regular upkeep. There is no excuse for the staff’s inability to bus the tables in a timely manner.