Review: KLM Amsterdam Non-Schengen Crown Lounge

On a recent business trip to Scotland via Amsterdam, I had the opportunity to visit the KLM Non-Schengen Crown Lounge. Here is my review of what I feel to be one of the best business class lounges in Europe. It was opened in late 2019 and serves as KLM’s flagship lounge.

Location

The Crown Lounge is located airside between the E and F piers of the Main Terminal. You will be able to reach this area if you are flying to a non-schengen country. Follow the signs for “Lounge 52”. The entrance is an escalator which you take to the top and scan your boarding pass to check-in. The lounge is open daily from 04:45 AM to 10:00 PM.

KLM have a video introduction of it that you can watch:

Access

Entry to the lounge is as follows:

Free entry as a KLM or other SkyTeam partner first or business class passenger.
Free entry if you are a Flying Blue Gold or Platinum member, or SkyTeam Elite Plus passenger. You may bring one guest with you.
Paid entry is available for 65 EUR for KLM or SkyTeam economy-class passengers. A 10% or 25% discount is applied for Explorer or Silver Flying Blue members respectively.
Flying Blue Platinum or Gold members may bring in additional paid guests with a 25% discount.

Entry and lounge seating

A review of this lounge must begin by its distinguishing feature: The famous KLM Delft Blue houses. These collectible items are made in The Netherlands, feature a bottle of dutch gin inside, are given out to business-class passengers on intercontinental flights, and are present in the thousands in this lounge. As an avgeek I personally love them and am building up a small collection at home with each flight I take with the airline.

You enter the lounge via escalator and have your first viewing of them as you head up to check in.

The lounge is enormous but the designers broke the space into separate areas which makes it feel like a series of lounges on multiple stories all grouped together.

After you enter, if you head to the right there is the main restaurant area called “City”, and a relaxation zone called “Sea” with comfortable chairs, showers, a quiet zone, and even sleeping rooms.

To the left is “Polder” with an overflow food and drink area which opens as needed, and “Dutch Mountain” which is a combination staircase to the upper level and mixture of seating and Dutch artwork.

Upstairs is “Sky”, which features more seating, an outdoor terrace, and the main Blue bar. There is a Blue restaurant there as well which was designed to be high-end dining for an additional cost, but it hasn’t opened since the start of the pandemic.

Review: KLM Amsterdam Non-Schengen Crown Lounge - Entrance -5-

The interior design is excellent and helps to make for a pleasing stay even if the lounge is crowded. This sure was the case when I arrived on an overnight flight from Montreal. That morning the lounge was absolutely packed. But even so, the wait for food was never more than two minutes and I was able to get seating and a shower with no waiting at all. There is every conceivable type of seating one could ask for: Bar-style tables with stools, regular tables in various sizes, booths, padded benches, and even privacy chairs by the windows.

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CIBC Aventura^® Visa Infinite* Card Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$139 $0	Welcome offer Up to 60,000 points	Apply NowCompare
American Express Platinum Card^® Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$799	Welcome offer Up to 100,000 points	Apply NowCompare
Business Platinum Card^® from American Express Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$799	Welcome offer Up to 120,000 points	Apply NowCompare

There is a KLM area where staff can assist you with travel needs, and a showcase to KLM’s 100-year history with, you guessed it, more Delft Blue houses!

Heading upstairs, “The Mountain” is a fabulous staircase which acts as a stylish seating area complete with lit-up steps, greenery, Dutch artwork, and floor-to-ceiling windows. On the upper level you will find more seating including a work area and booths for single travellers built into the wall to offer privacy.

Upstairs there is the very chic Blue Bar.

Review: KLM Amsterdam Non-Schengen Crown Lounge - Main Bar

The bar features a wide selection of both complimentary and paid premium cocktails, wine, and champagne. There is also a self-serve area with fruit-infused water and bar snacks.

Outside the glass doors is a small terrace where you can catch some much-appreciated sunshine.

Review: KLM Amsterdam Non-Schengen Crown Lounge - 20220814-100345-2

Food and drinks

The main food area is in the “City” section on the main level. Since I arrived in the morning, a breakfast buffet was available. There were multiple sections featuring:

Hot food such as eggs, sausages, beans, potatoes, etc.
A bread and pastry station including croissants and chocolatines
Sliced meats and cheese
Hot soups
Fresh fruit

On the upper level, the fine dining restaurant Blue has unfortunately been closed since the start of the pandemic.

Review: KLM Amsterdam Non-Schengen Crown Lounge - Blue Restaurant

For drinks, the main level features a Heineken-sponsored bar, self-serve water and cold drinks, and coffee is available via self-service or barista station. The upper level of course features the Blue bar which is the best place to sit when looking for alcoholic drinks.

Showers and sleeping facilities

In the “Sea” section of the lounge there is a large bank of shower rooms. You can reserve a time in one by using the self-serve kiosk, or seeing a KLM lounge attendant. When your room is ready, you will receive a QR code on your phone telling you which room to go to. You scan the QR code at the entry and the door opens for you.

The shower rooms are pretty small and basic, but the water pressue is good. They do not have a toilet so take care of that before you enter. Inside you’ll find Rituals-branded shampoo & shower gel, a large towel, and some personal amenities including dental kit, shaving kit, comb, and shower cap.

Sleep cabins can also be reserved for the cost of:

3 hours: EUR 49.50 or 12,400 Miles
5 hours: EUR 75.- or 18,800 Miles

This is a terrible value in miles, so definitively go for the cash rate if you have a long layover and want to get some sleep. They include a 33-inch TV, sink, and queen-size bed. They are only open when the lounge is, so you can’t spend the night in one.

Review: KLM Amsterdam Non-Schengen Crown Lounge - Sleep Cabin -2-

Conclusion

Many European hub airport lounges are packed at peak times, and this one is no exception. But despite this, the KLM Crown Lounge is definitively one of my favourite business-class lounges in Europe. The use of space, variety of seating, the enormous amount of natural light, and amenities including outdoor terrace, showers, and Blue bar, make this a great stop during a transit through Amsterdam.

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American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of the information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

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* The potential value of savings and rewards during the first 12 months includes the value of the welcome offer, the potential value of points earned in the first year, the value of savings on foreign currency transaction fees and the cost of airport lounge access as of May 22, 2026:

$250 in travel rewards (25,000 bonus Scene+ points) for new Scotiabank Passport^® Visa Infinite +* Cardholders who charge $2,000 in purchases to their account within the first three (3) months;

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$132 in savings on foreign currency transaction fees based on the average amount of foreign currency purchases made per active account over the past 24 months (by saving on the 2.5% foreign currency transaction fees typically charged by other credit card issuers);

$364 representing the potential value of points earned in the first year (36,400 Scene+ points) based on the average amount of purchases made per active account over the past 24 months, assuming an average spend of 21% of purchases in categories eligible for accelerated earn rates of 2X and 3X points;

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The actual value of offers, savings realized and points earned will vary depending on card usage and eligibility for applicable offers. Conditions apply.

1 Offer description and conditions: The 25,000 Scene+ points offer (the « offer ») applies only to new Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card credit card accounts (the « accounts ») opened between August 4, 2026 and November 1, 2026 (regardless of the date you apply for the account) subject to the conditions below. The offer may be modified, cancelled or extended at any time without notice, and it cannot be combined with any other offer.

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Description and conditions of the 25,000 bonus Scene+ points offer: To be eligible for the 25,000 bonus Scene+ points offer (« 25,000 bonus points »), you must charge at least $2,000 in total eligible purchases to your account within the first three months following the account opening date.

Conditions for the annual 10,000 Scene+ points bonus:
As a Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card credit cardholder, you can earn an annual bonus of at least 10,000 Scene+ points (the « annual points bonus ») if you charge at least $40,000 in eligible purchases to your account over the course of one year (12-month period). The annual period begins on the account opening date; a new period starts again every twelve months thereafter. If you replace another Scene+-eligible credit card with the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card (i.e., it is not a new card or an additional card), the opening date of your original account will be carried over to your new Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card account and your annual period under this offer will begin on the next anniversary date of your original account opening. For example, if you originally opened a Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card account on January 15, 2022 and you switch to the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite +* Card on July 15, 2025, your annual period under the 10,000 Scene+ points annual bonus offer will begin on January 15, 2026 (your next anniversary date) and a new period will start again on January 15 each year thereafter. You will earn 2,000 bonus Scene+ points for each additional $10,000 in purchases made during the same year once you have reached the $40,000 annual purchase threshold.

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Offer eligibility and exclusions: You cannot take advantage of the offer if you are currently a primary or secondary cardholder of a Scotiabank personal credit card or have been one in the past two years, including if you transfer your balance from an existing Scotiabank personal credit card account, and if you are a Scotiabank employee. Subject to the exclusions mentioned above, small business credit cardholders are eligible for this offer.

Rates and fees: The annual fees are $150 for the primary card, $0 for the first additional card and $50 for each additional card thereafter (including those issued to joint account holders and additional cardholders). The preferred annual interest rates applicable to the account are as follows: 20.99% on purchases and 22.99% on cash advances (including balance transfers and quasi-cash transactions). The rates, fees, and features and benefits, which are described in the disclosure statement accompanying the application, may be changed.