Hello Flyertalkers, I wanted to share my experience of the Henri Coandă Airport VIP Departure Service, as I tried to find a review before booking and couldn’t. Now I know the days of the Bucharest tier point run are sadly over, but I hope this will be of use for anyone braving Otopeni in the future. It’s May 2025 and this was my first time travelling to Romania. As departure approached, I grimaced at Flyertalk tales of rowdy security queues, dirty and overcrowded lounges, Mastercard chicken nuggets, rude staff, and a ‘grin and bear it’ mentality - the consensus seemed to be that the airport was something to be tolerated, not enjoyed. Imagine my delight then to find that a VIP service exists for anyone to book, that promises to skip the bad parts and whisk you through the madness with efficiency, discretion and with nary a nugget in sight. I figured i’d be mad not to give it a go…

There is a section on the Bucharest airport website discussing the basics of the VIP offerings. From this I gleaned there were different services and prices available for politicians, contractors, the public and officials. Indeed it seems there is a standalone VIP ‘salon’ for dignitaries (think big flags and beige armchairs) but this is not bookable by the public. For the modest price of 650RON however (about £105 at time of writing), a ‘natural person’ can purchase a VIP ‘protocol’ aka departure or arrival service, and see a very different side of the airport. The service is available to both domestic and international passengers on all airlines and in all classes of service. Booking was simple, I just emailed the office and they responded within 5 minutes with a short form to fill in - no payment is taken until you reach the VIP lounge, and they provide a number to contact with your arrival details, all very easy indeed.

The morning arrived and I walked through the thick fog from the airport Hilton to departures (a pleasant five minutes at most). I believe the VIP office can arrange car transfers if you’re coming from further afield, but this wasn’t necessary today. I had already checked in online and called with a ten minute heads-up, and made my way to the meeting point for the service by desk 11, adjacent to the glamorous Wizzair check-in. Note my sarcasm dear reader, but tucked away just past the LCC hordes, you’ll find a very discrete security point for airport staff and wayward Flyertalk enthusiasts.

Here I met the charming Mihaela, right on time, who escorted me through this dedicated security channel in about 20 seconds flat. So easy, and that alone was worth the cost when I saw the scrums elsewhere. From here we moved apace through the terminal in the direction of gate 4; just before the gate you will see an escalator on the left with no obvious signage. Though not quite as hallowed as the one to Al Safwa, this stairway leads up to the VIP lounge for international departures, which I was delighted to find had gorgeous tarmac views. It was light, airy, and mine all mine.

Payment was taken by the friendly reception team on arrival, then I was given free rein as the only passenger there. A friendly barman immediately came over to offer water and a cappuccino, and I settled in with a view out over my BA chariot and several TAROMs. Now the Windsor Suite this is not, but the lounge was modern and spacious, with comfortable sofas and chairs, a small manned bar and a basic food station serving pastries, sandwiches, fruit and salad pots, yoghurts and biscuits - nothing fancy but more than sufficient this early in the day. Please don’t expect freshly squeezed juices - I asked for an orange juice and what came looked very far removed from the original orange, but it was chilled and served with a smile. The lounge has individual male, female and accessible toilets and while not luxurious, they are all private, clean and perfectly functional which is more than I can say for the toilet that greeted me on my first arrival into Otopeni. The bar serves a selection of soft drinks and spirits, a local red and white wine, and I believe Mumm champagne given the signage, though I didn’t partake. There is also a dedicated smoking room for those needing a nicotine fix, which seemed popular with a few staff from other parts of the airport, though they were very quiet and friendly. I was largely left to my own devices, privacy is very much valued, but there was always someone nearby if I needed them. Service was discreet but friendly, just as it should be.

As boarding time approached, a staff member asked if I would like to board first or last. Wishing to avoid the usual BA luggage jenga, I opted for first and sure enough, 5 minutes before boarding began, my escort came and we left the lounge. Now had ours been a bus gate, the service would have included a private car transfer in a shiny BMW - it’s the one and only time I’ve wished for a bus gate with BA, but alas alas the crew deemed a jet bridge appropriate today. I was escorted through the diplomatic line at passport control then ushered to the front of the heaving queue at the gate, and boarded first as promised. If you book the VIP service for arrivals or connection it says a car transfer is included by default, but I suggest clarifying this at booking stage.

Overall, I feel this service was worth every penny. I went from dreading the airport experience to relishing it. The staff at every stage were unfailingly friendly and welcoming, and my journey through the airport was calm, hassle-free, and exactly the kind of relaxed and easy start to a journey that a flight in business class should be. It’s a shame that the airport doesn’t seem to provide that under normal circumstances by all accounts, but if you find yourself in this part of the world, and have the RON to spare, the VIP departure is a well-priced service that I highly recommend - enjoy!