You could also consider applying for an Amex platinum card. First year is EUR 350 and includes Privum Plus + Privium partner subscription, so the wife/girlfriend/husband/etc can also join you through the Privium lines on a leisure trip. It includes Privium plus, so that gets you into the Privium lounges as well, and you can also use the Privium P1 and Privum P3 parking. Especially Privium P1 is pretty convenient, and booking a spot in advance gives very reasonable rates, often compareable to P3 (around EUR 50/week).

In addition, the included Priority Pass wil get you in the airside Aspire lounges prior to each flight while you're still working to obtain your FB Gold status. If you use a referral from an existing card holder (just sent a message if you want one), you'll also get 30k points, or EUR 120 if you use those towards spend on the card. You can choose to move those points to Flying Blue to buy a reward ticket, at a 5:4 conversion rate, resulting in 24k FB miles.

Normally I’d also recommend the AMEX Plat, especially if you can share Privium Plus with someone. However be aware you still have to find a spot for the iris scan appointment which is near impossible now. Additionallu, forget about access to the Aspire lounge with PP. With the BA lounge still closed, capacity at Aspire is almost always limited to J-class only.

For those interested about Privium (in Dutch use translate), this blog shows a bit more about Privium (+lounges)
https://inhetvliegtuig.nl/privium-schiphol/

[not my blog]

According to them, business class checkin possible with:
Aeromexico,
American Airlines,
Cathay Pacific,
Emirates,
Etihad,
Finnair,
Icelandair,
Scandinavian Airlines,
Tap Portugal,
Swiss,
Lufthansa,
Qatar Airways

*they also mention Jet Airways which is ofcourse impossible as they have gone bust,
so hope Privium regulars can verify if this present list is accurate

Reads like a (not very well written) paid promotion to me. It's undated, and definitely not up to date.

Johan

Thanks for gving us the expert look.
I was already afraid that it wasn't up to date....

The current list can be found here.

Tentatively scheduled to fly into AMS on 6/2, connecting on KLM to Prague (approx. 3 hour connection window).

What is the transfer experience like (transit connection instead of going through customs) and how should I plan to account for these security delays? Mainly curious if the impact is also being felt airside or only at the terminal entrances. Thanks!

johan rebel & KLflyerRalph : thank you for the current update!

Is your origin inside or outside Schengen?

Johan

Outside, coming from US.

Seems rather frivolous when it's 17 minutes door to door by buss.
Appreciate the thought, may actually get back to you on that

https://liveandletsfly.com/klm-surge...rom-amsterdam/

Another weird move in the AMS drama...... :confused:

Ralph, do you happen to know what's going to happen with the *A lounge and Aspire #26? Lounge #26 is at capacity often as well, but -as far as I know - the *A lounge next door is still closed. Which seems odd to me as the demand is obviously there. Any insights?

Indeed the demand is definitely there. But having seen even the Privium ClubLounge West closed last trip, I suspect staff shortages are also still affecting airport lounges which are part of ‘horeca’.
I don’t know how the staff at the *A/BA lounge were employed, but as both locations are still closed I figure they may be under a different contract/company than the Aspire staff and possibly did not maintain their job during covid?

It's not only this weekend.

I don't book or pay my own work tickets, but looking at FB miles earnings, I'm getting ± 2-2½ times as many miles now as I did in the second half of last year for exactly the same flights. The other day my colleague who does book the flights said that prices for June and July have almost doubled again. Talking about shorthaul return flights to AMS here.

Johan