Plaza Premium Lounge at Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport in Rome [Review]

With its quality food, numerous seating options, and ample space, the Plaza Premium Lounge at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport (FCO) is a great place for a respite for travelers. Its location could be ideal or inconvenient, depending on your departure gate, but its amenities make for a quality lounge.

I visited this lounge in Terminal 3 (in the international flights area) during a layover in Rome in mid-August 2023. Here’s what my stay was like.

Location

There were 2 Plaza Premium Lounges at FCO. I visited the Terminal 3 lounge, near the E gates, accessible only to passengers on international flights leaving the Schengen Area. There’s another in Terminal 1 near the A gates for Schengen departures.

I took the escalator near gates E1 to E4 to the upper floor, though elevators were also available.

The entrance was at the far end, next to the British Airways lounge, with a large Plaza Premium sign.

Gaining Access

The Plaza Premium Lounge in Rome partners with several airlines to host business class passengers, including Air Canada, Air Serbia, American Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Bulgaria Air, China Southern Airlines, EL AL, Etihad, Hainan Airlines, and Iran Air.

The lounge also accepts visitors with memberships from Priority Pass, LoungeKey, and DragonPass. It’s also part of the American Express Global Lounge Collection. This means travelers have several means of accessing the lounge, including credit cards like The Platinum Card^® from American Express and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card*×Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One., as well as credit cards from banks outside the U.S. Additional corporate partners included Alpitour World, AmBank, China Merchants Bank, CIMB, Citibank, Get Your Guide, HSBC, Maybank, OCBC Bank, ParkVia, and Tiqets.

BEST LOUNGE ACCESS

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

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The Platinum Card^® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Welcome Offer

Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

80,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,760

Annual Fee

$695

APR

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Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card^® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $695 annual fee (rates and fees)
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

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Card Highlights

• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card^®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card^® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• The American Express Global Lounge Collection^® can provide an escape at the airport. With complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more airport lounge options than any other credit card issuer on the market. As of 03/2023.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Save on eligible delivery fees, shipping, and more with a Walmart+ membership. Use your Platinum Card^® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership and get up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes back on one membership (excluding Plus Ups) each month.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card^®.
• $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card^® Members can get out and about and explore their local area with $15 in Uber Cash for US rides each month, plus a bonus $20 in December. That can be up to $200 in annual Uber savings. Simply download the Uber app and add your Platinum Card^® to your Uber account to get started. Available to Basic Card Member only. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
• $199 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: CLEAR^® Plus helps to get you to your gate faster at 50+ airports nationwide and get up to $199 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Card. CLEARLanes are available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues.
• Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck^® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card^®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card^®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card^® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.¤
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

You can also pay to visit the lounge. Walk-in rates include a 2-hour visit for €53 (~$57). There’s a 20% discount for Smart Traveller members, dropping the price to €42 (~$45). If you prebook your visit online with Plaza Premium, the cost is €38 (~$40).

Hours of Operation

During my mid-August 2023 visit, the lounge was open from 4:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily.

First Impressions

The first thing I noticed was the size. The lounge had a large, open layout and high ceiling, making it feel spacious.

After checking in at the front desk, I followed the hallway to the largest seating area: the café area between the bar and the kitchen.

Seating

The lounge didn’t suffer from a lack of seating. Along with the café tables, there were 7 types of seating in the lounge.

Along the wall separating the café from the rest of the lounge were chairs with gray cushions and a few small, round tables.

Nearby, long counters with outlets looked like an ideal place to work. However, they were uncomfortable as the chairs were rigid metal and the cushions were thin. After eating, I moved to a more comfortable spot to check emails.

Along the wall, near the bathrooms, octagonal privacy booths had cushioned seats with a small desk, outlet, and reading lamp.

At the far end of the lounge, by windows overlooking the runway, rows of recliner chairs had lamps and were separated by end tables with built-in outlets.

Curving around behind the bar were 2 more types of seating. The first had a handful of padded chairs with high dividers for privacy. These were excellent for focusing on work and included a small table, outlet, and reading lamp.

Beyond this, an open area had swivel chairs and a handful of sofas in a layout that reminded me of a hotel lobby.

Even though I saw numerous people coming and going throughout my 3-hour stay, the lounge never felt full, and finding open seats wasn’t a problem.

Food and Beverage

I love Italian food, and the offerings here didn’t disappoint.

Buffet

The buffet was divided into 2 sections. Along the bar was a salad bar with many ingredients to build a salad. This area also had muffins, slices of cake, finger sandwiches, and focaccia.

Multiple hot dishes were at an open ledge from a window into the kitchen. The staff did an excellent job keeping these stocked. There were types of chicken and lots of kinds of pasta, potatoes, and rice.

Paper signs on the heat lamps overhead told the names of the dishes and indicated allergens.

Every time the trays started to empty, a cook cleared and replaced them.

Beverages

Along with a full-service bar in the center of the lounge, there were coffee machines at both ends of the lounge. Near the hot buffet, there was also a self-serve drink station with Coca-Cola products on tap.

Amenities

Bathrooms

The bathrooms had a light, neutral palette and wood and stone features, making the space bright. And the staff did an excellent job keeping them spotless, despite the constant flow of visitors.

Showers

The lounge had 2 showers to the left of the café area. Both were wheelchair accessible. The cleaning staff had the key and supervised the line (which only grew to 2 people during my visit).

Booking a shower through the Plaza Premium site costs €22 (~$23).

Outlets

I wouldn’t normally classify power outlets as an amenity, but Rome’s Plaza Premium Lounge deserves a special call-out. There were outlets everywhere. It was incredibly easy to find a spot to charge my devices.

Internet

The lounge had its own private Wi-Fi network. Staff provided the password at check-in, and the connection worked reliably. I got average download speeds of 50 Mbps throughout my stay.

Service

The staff did a great job here. Visitors were coming and going at all times, and that meant the bathrooms were used frequently, dishes had to be constantly cleared, and food was vanishing into people’s mouths at a dizzying rate. But the bathrooms looked clean at all times, food trays never sat empty, and dirty dishes disappeared from tables quickly. The employees were busy during my visit and did well keeping the lounge clean, organized, and functioning.

Staff members at the front desk were friendly and efficient during check-in. Despite joining a line of 5 people when I arrived, I waited less than 2 minutes to get in.

Front desk employees also provided a hearty goodbye when I left, thanking me for visiting and wishing me a safe flight.

Hot Tip:

Flying to Rome but don’t want to splash the cash? Do it on points! Read how in our guide to flying to Rome on points and miles.

Final Thoughts

This was a quality lounge experience. Given its central location, the Plaza Premium Lounge is easy to find at FCO and has quality amenities. The food was good, the staff did a great job handling the many visitors, and both seating and outlets were abundant.

If you’re passing through Rome’s Fiumicino airport and have access, this lounge is worth a visit.