The Priority Pass Lounge Sofia Terminal 1 (SOF) is the Sofia Lounge. It is a fairly large lounge but has sparse seating and limited food offerings.
Worst of all, there is a per-drink charge for alcohol.
Sofia Airport Terminal 1
Sofia Airport is a medium-sized international airport.
It has two terminals. Terminal 2 is the newer terminal and services major carriers.
Terminal 1 is the older and the smaller of the two terminals in Sofia and is focused around discount carriers like Wizz Air.
Sofia Terminal 1 is a classic discount carrier terminal: poor food offerings and a rather pedestrian Priority Pass lounge.
Since we were flying Wizz Air from Sofia Bulgaria to Budapest Hungary we got the chance to relax in the Sofia Terminal 1 Priority Pass lounge and check it out.
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How To Use Google Flights to Find Cheap Business Class Flights (And Cheap Economy Flights Too!)
What is Priority Pass
Priority Pass provides airport lounge access to over 1200 lounges in 143 countries. It’s the largest independent airport lounge access program in the world.
You can purchase membership directly from Priority Pass (using this link will give you up to 25% off the price of membership!).
And you can get instant lounge access at many airport lounges – even if you are at an airport right now you can join Priority Pass online and enter a lounge right away!
Finding the Sofia Terminal 1 Priority Pass Airport Lounge
The Sofia Lounge is located in Terminal 1, Airside on the 2nd Floor.
The layout of Sofia Airport Terminal 1 is very simple.
It’s one small terminal and all of the gates are remote bus-operated gates rather than jet bridges.
Finding the Priority Pass lounge in Sofia Terminal 1 is very simple: you just turn left after security and follow the sign.
A fairly nondescript but well-signed door opens to a staircase.
The entrance to the lounge is at the top of the stairs. There is also an elevator to the right of the stairs.
Entry to the Sofia Terminal 1 Priority Pass Airport Lounge
In addition to serving as the Priority Pass lounge at Sofia Terminal 1, the Sofia Lounge can be accessed with a few other lounge passes or for 14.40 Euros per person.
The check-in desk is dead ahead at the top of the stairs.
Seating at the Priority Pass Lounge Sofia Terminal 1
The Sofia Lounge is a huge but sparsely furnished area.
Large windows provide lots of natural lights and good views of the tarmac.
Food at the Priority Pass Sofia Terminal 1 Airport Lounge
The Sofia Lounge in Terminal 1 has a VERY limited food selection.
Cold sandwiches and dry ramen soup are the most hearty dish there.
But there is also some savory snack mix on offer.
There is no travel keto friendly food in the lounge at all, so we actually left the lounge and had a salad with chicken from the small food vendor in the terminal downstairs before returning to the lounge.
Drinks at the Priority Pass Sofia Terminal 1 Airport Lounge
Soft Drinks
There are plenty of soft drink options in the Priority Pass Sofia Terminal 1 airport lounge. Soda (Coke, Coke Zero Sugar, Orange Fanta, ginger ale), juice, milk and water are available.
All from self serve from refrigerators.
Alcohol
Where this lounge really fails is with alcohol.
Self-serve liquor, wine and beer are all available…but you have to pay for them.
That’s really poor form for a VIP airport lounge. And even though we were there at lunchtime and not drinking, this policy puts the Sofia Terminal 1 Priority Pass lounge toward the bottom of our favorite Priority Pass Lounges.
Coffee
The coffee machine in the airport lounge can create a variety of coffee drinks.
Facilities at the Priority Pass Sofia Terminal 1 Airport Lounge
There are no showers or other facilities at the Sofia lounge other than toilets.
They are clean and function but a bit outdated.
Bottom Line
The Sofia Lounge is large but has limited food offerings. And you have to pay for alcohol.
But it’s still a HECK of a lot better waiting for a flight in the lounge than it is in the airport terminal itself.
So despite the shortcomings at the Sofia Lounge in Terminal 1, we still find Priority Pass membership to be well worth it!
Here are our other Priority Pass lounge reviews:
- Priority Pass Lounge Hanoi Terminal 1 Song Hong Lounge
- Priority Pass Lounge Da Nang Airport: CIP Orchid Lounge
- Both Priority Pass Lounges at Bali Airport
- Priority Pass Lounge Singapore Terminal 4
- Priority Pass Lounge Penang International Terminal
- Priority Pass Lounge Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK): Miracle Lounge
- Priority Pass Lounge Berlin Schönefeld Airport (SXF) Green Wings Lounge
- Priority Pass Lounge Sofia Terminal 1
- Priority Pass Lounges Budapest Airport Terminal 2
- Priority Pass Lounge JFK Terminal 1
- Priority Pass Lounge Porto Portugal
- Priority Pass Lounge Seville Spain
- Priority Pass Lounge Malta
- Priority Pass Lounge Montego Bay Jamaica
5 comments
Priority Pass is also a free perk for many American Express cards. Mine allows up to ten free visits per year, with the ability to purchase additional visits after that.