Review: Joan Miró VIP Lounge Barcelona Airport
This review details the Joan Miró VIP Lounge, a business lounge in the non-Schengen departures area of Barcelona Airport Terminal 1.
Barcelona Airport T1
After a fun stopover in Barcelona I headed back to the airport to catch my onward flight to Morocco.
My Royal Air Maroc flight to Casablanca would depart from Barcelona Airport Terminal 1, the largest and newest of the two airport terminals.
Getting up from the deep underground metro station of the airport to the check-in desks took some time.
Unfortunately, online check-in was not available for my Royal Air Maroc flight, and the check-in desks had not opened yet two-and-a-half hours prior to my flight.
However, queuing for half an hour until check-in finally opened wasn’t all that bad, as I had enjoyable conversations with a girl from Casablanca who loudly complained about her home airline and gladly shared some excellent restaurant tips.
Terminal 1 lounges
Terminal 1 of Barcelona Airport features several different business lounges.
The Pau Casals VIP Lounge is the primary business lounge for Schengen Area flights in Terminal 1 of Barcelona Airport, although Iberia passengers flying on the busy Barcelona-Madrid air corridor can also use the Colomer Lounge.
If you fly from Barcelona Airport Terminal 1 to a non-Schengen destination, for example on British Airways to London, Qatar Airways to Doha, United to Newark or Washington, or American Airlines to New York or Miami, your designated business lounge is the Joan Miró VIP Lounge.
Terminal 1 of Barcelona Airport is however far from the worst in the world if you need to kill some time but don’t have any lounge access, as there are plenty of shops, bars and restaurants to keep you occupied.
Joan Miró VIP Lounge entry requirements
The access requirements to the Joan Miró VIP Lounge primarily depend on the policies of the airline you are flying with.
If you are flying on an airline that belongs to the oneworld alliance, such as Royal Air Maroc in my case, you are eligible for complimentary access to the Joan Miró VIP Lounge if you possess a same-day ticket in first or business class, or if you hold frequent flyer status equivalent to oneworld Emerald or Sapphire.
Expect access policies to be similar for Star Alliance and SkyTeam airlines.
Although I was flying in economy class on Royal Air Maroc, I could access the lounge thanks to my Qatar Airways Privilege Club gold status, which corresponds to oneworld Sapphire.
The Joan Miró VIP Lounge can also be accessed with Priority Pass and other lounge membership programmes.
It’s also possible to buy access to the Joan Miró VIP Lounge, which will cost you €44 when booked in advance through the website of airport operator Aena.
The lounge is open from 5am until the last flight departure of the day.
Inside the Joan Miró VIP Lounge
The Joan Miró VIP Lounge offers a spacious environment with a wide selection of comfortable seating options, providing a pleasant space to await your flight.
Despite the relatively large size of the lounge, all the seats, tables, and chaise lounges are smartly arranged throughout the space, ensuring sufficient privacy for each visitor.
The business lounge boasts a sleek and modern décor.
I do like the main seating and dining area in the lounge, where shiny blue-glass dividers contribute to a cool and trendy atmosphere.
However, I must admit that certain sections of the lounge feel somewhat minimalistic and empty.
The lounge lacks tarmac views but compensates with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the main concourse one floor below, ensuring abundant natural light.
Food buffet
The food buffet at the Joan Miró VIP Lounge certainly isn’t the most extensive you will ever come across.
While you will certainly find quality snacks at this airport business lounge, it is worth noting that there were no warm dishes available that would be sufficient for a full meal.
The buffet at the lounge offers a selection of typical Spanish cold cuts, including serrano ham, chorizo sausage, and Manchego cheese.
In addition, the buffet featured focaccia and pizza bites, a variety of sandwiches with meat, tuna, or vegetarian fillings, croissants, cakes, as well as options like olives, crisps, and nuts.
Drinks
The drinks selection at the Joan Miró VIP Lounge was certainly solid.
There are soft drinks, bottled water, large jars with fresh juice and five different kinds of beer.
Besides, the coffee machines in the lounge made a decent quality espresso.
The lounge offered two different brands of cava, a Spanish sparkling wine produced in Catalonia, as well as three bottles each of white and red wine.
The selection of strong alcohol in the lounge was relatively modest, comprising only a few bottles of mid-shelf brands.
Showers
Within the Joan Miró VIP Lounge, you will find both restroom facilities and shower rooms.
The toilet facilities were kept perfectly clean throughout my entire visit.
In the late afternoon, the showers in the lounge were readily available, offering a refreshing way to freshen up before my flight.
Other lounge facilities
The internet connection at the Joan Miró VIP Lounge was both fast and reliable, and there were ample seating areas throughout the lounge where you could conveniently sit near power sockets to charge your laptop or phone.
The Joan Miró VIP Lounge offers various additional facilities, such as a shelf stocked with newspapers and magazines, a silent room for phone calls, a dedicated meeting area, and a lactation room for nursing mothers.
Lounge experience
What I appreciated most about the Joan Miró VIP Lounge was the quiet, peaceful environment as during my visit there were hardly ever more than 30 or so other guests.
However, it is worth noting that I visited the lounge during what could be considered the quietest time of the day, as there were only a few scheduled departures for British Airways and Vueling flights to London before my Royal Air Maroc flight.
Therefore, I cannot guarantee that the experience will be the same if you visit during the morning when there are also several transatlantic flights scheduled.
Conclusion
The Joan Miró VIP Lounge, located in the non-Schengen area of Barcelona Airport Terminal 1, provides a comfortable and tranquil space to await the departure of your flight.
While the food selection could be more substantial, the lounge does offer a good variety of drinks to choose from.
Overall, I think the Joan Miró VIP Lounge is a solid business lounge that’s well-worth a visit before your flight.
Trip report index
This article is part of the ‘Qatar Airways Qsuites Adventure to Casablanca‘ trip report, which consists of the following chapters:
1. A Stopover Walk Through Barcelona
2. Review: Joan Miró VIP Lounge Barcelona Airport (current chapter)
3. Review: Royal Air Maroc Economy Class Barcelona to Casablanca
4. Taking the Casablanca Airport Train: The Cheap Way Into the City
5. Review: Ibis Casa Voyageurs Hotel, Casablanca
6. Casablanca: Is Morocco’s Biggest City Worth a Visit?
7. Review: Royal Air Maroc Zenith VIP Lounge Casablanca Airport
8. Review: Qatar Airways Business Class Boeing 777 Qsuites
9. Review: Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge
10. Travel Blogging: Not Always as Glamorous as It Looks Like
Is there a luggage storage facility at the Joan Miro lounge? Have a 6-hour layover with lounge access, hoping to store a bag so I can go into the city but BCN’s luggage storage is closed.
I can’t recall, sorry! I don’t think there was, but I can’t say for 100% sure.