Finnair is the flagship carrier of Finland and a oneworld alliance member, and it’s one of my favourite European airlines because of how it embraces its Finnish-Nordic origins. From cosy dark blue business class pods and aurora-inspired mood lighting to Moomin-adorned aircraft and signature blueberry juice, the entire experience feels special and unlike any other airline.
Why should you consider Finnair?
Finnair stands out for three reasons: its modern fleet, its efficient Helsinki hub and competitive premium cabin fares. You’ll likely fly on the quiet A350 with cabin pressure closer to ground level and efficient ventilation, so you arrive feeling better. The Helsinki airport is excellent for connections thanks to its compact size and thoughtful layout. And did I mention the blueberry juice?
Destinations
Finnair connects North America to Europe and Asia through its Helsinki hub.
In the UK, Finnair serves London, Edinburgh and Manchester – and can offer connections to just about anywhere in Europe, Dubai or even onward to east Asia, if you’re so inclined.
Previously one of the main selling points for Finnair was its quick connections between Europe and Asia thanks to the positioning of Helsinki along the great circle route and very short minimum connection times at Vantaa Airport. Nowadays the Asian network isn’t as extensive because the closure of Russian airspace forced a fundamental adaptation of the airline’s strategy, resulting in cutting some Asian routes and frequencies to build a more balanced network.
However Finnair tends to offer really good fares (especially in premium cabins) if you find yourself headed from Europe to Asia. And with less Asia flying to do it has pivoted to placing more focus on its westbound routes in Europe and North America, and has started working with alliance partner Qatar Airways to operate a number of flights between the Nordic capitals and Doha.
The Finnair fleet
Most Finnair long-haul flights (and the occasional short or medium-haul to places like London or Dubai) are operated by the A350 - the airline has 18 of these aircraft with one more on order. The rest are onboard the A330 which isn’t quite as modern but is nevertheless quiet and pleasant. The good news is both have the identical renewed cabin products onboard so you don’t need to stress too much about which one you’ll get.
On short haul it’s mostly the A320 family, alongside some Embraer 190 regional jets and ATR 72 turboprops operated by Norra. All of these are similarly outfitted but the Embraer and ATR have the distinction of not having any middle seats – which for me is a great reason to fly them. Still you can’t really go wrong.
What it’s like onboard
Finnair fully renewed its economy, revolutionised its business class and introduced a premium economy as well on long-haul flights (A350 and A330). It’s also been investing in its food & drink, amenities and more. That means it now offers a fresh and highly competitive product throughout the aircraft that’s much improved from ten years ago.
Long-haul economy class
Finnair’s new economy is a nice evolution from its older product with memory foam cushioned seats that are 18 inches wide with 31 inches of pitch. It’s quite comfortable. You’ll find USB-A and USB-C ports for charging and 11-12 inch personal entertainment screens. Try to get a seat in the Comfort seats area (in the front section) for more legroom - for a small additional charge, that added space can make all the difference.
Long-haul premium economy class
The newest addition to Finnair’s offering, premium economy is a fairly standard offering comparable to many competitors. The seat is 18 inches wide with 38 inches of pitch and a comfortable recline.
What’s special here is that the main meal is plated on Iittala chinaware and offers a significant upgrade from economy. Complimentary beverages are served throughout the flight although in an unusual twist if you want sparkling wine you’ll have to pay for it. That feels a bit cheap but otherwise I can recommend this product for the extra space.
Long-haul Business Class
Business class is where things get interesting: the AirLounge seat has no recline function. But not to worry, it is great for sleeping. The seat pod is made to feel like a little living space, a cocoon to settle into. Memory foam pillows are provided for getting comfy in a lounging position. And when it’s time to sleep you simply pop up a little section of seat to complete the flat bed. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I am a big fan. If you have any kind of back issues though, you may want to book elsewhere.
When it comes to food and drink, the menus are always interesting, with fresh Nordic-inspired dining and often something from the destination region too. The drinks list is fantastic with unique cocktails including the signature Northern Blush cocktail made with lingonberry, gin, and orange peel, again often Nordic inspired – and plenty of delicious alcohol-free options too, including Finnair’s signature blueberry juice. Wireless charging and a lovely light wood-effect surface make this a very nice place to work, sleep, or just hang out
Regional business class
Sadly most short-haul, intra-European flights feature a typical “Euro biz” class meaning you’ll get an economy seat with the middle blocked and better food and drinks. That’s fine on a quick hop but you’ll find this offering even on some longer legs around Europe too. The good news is that routes like Gran Canaria often get widebody A330 or A350 aircraft with the full long-haul business class AirLounge seats, which can be a pleasant surprise on what’s technically still a European flight.
The blocked middle seat does make a difference though, and then there are the other perks like priority check-in, priority security where available, extra baggage allowance and lounge access. If the fare isn’t too much higher than economy, I find it well worth the upgrade.
Loyalty programme
Finnair is a oneworld alliance member, which means most US travellers will find it better to credit miles to American Airlines or Alaska Airlines programmes for awards tickets and elite status. Finnair Plus itself is a reasonably good program that’s gotten more useful with its adoption of Avios, a common points currency shared with British Airways, Iberia and Qatar Airways.
Tip: You can transfer points from Capital One directly to Finnair Plus Avios at a 1:1 ratio, or from other US credit card programs like American Express, Chase and Citi to British Airways or Qatar Airways Avios, and once you have Avios with any of the airlines that use it, you can link your accounts to transfer between them, for instance from British Airways to Finnair. This can be useful to know especially if you want to try and use points for an upgrade. Once you have those Avios in your Finnair account, it’s then straightforward to use them towards an upgrade (subject to availability).
Helsinki transfer & lounges
One of the best things about a connecting itinerary on Finnair is the ease of transfer at Helsinki-Vantaa, its efficient, airy and relatively compact hub. Connections can be as short as 40 minutes but it’s not a terrible thing if you find yourself with a little time to kill – assuming you have access to the Finnair lounges (flying in business or as oneworld Sapphire or higher). Both the international and intra-Schengen (Europe flights) lounges have been recently renovated and they’re beautiful spaces with good, fresh food and tasty drinks (don’t miss the lingonberry cocktail if you get the chance).
Sauna at the airport
Which brings us to the Finnair Platinum Wing, which may be the only airline lounge in the world to feature a sauna. This lounge is only for top-tier elites (Finnair Plus Platinum Lumo, Finnair Plus Platinum members, and oneworld Emerald members), a business class ticket won’t cut it. But if you’re one of the lucky few, it’s a lovely experience.
Ask to use the sauna and the team there will prepare a bucket of cold drinks and show you to the locker rooms. Note that it’s mixed gender with separate dressing rooms, something quite normal in the Nordics but which may come as a surprise to others. The good news is it’s usually empty, so you’ll likely have it to yourself.
Seat selection charges
Finnair has followed the unfortunate trend among European airlines of charging for seat assignments even on some business class tickets. Generally if you’re on a discounted ticket (Economy Light, Economy Classic, or Business Light fares) and you don’t have oneworld elite status you can expect to pay, and sometimes a significant amount. So make sure to factor that in before booking if seat selection is important to you.
Wi-Fi
Finnair offers inflight Wi-Fi on all long-haul flights and on short-haul flights operated by Airbus aircraft. That means on long-haul you’ll be able to stay connected and at reasonably good speeds. Business class passengers holding Classic or Flex tickets will get one hour of free access on long-haul flights, while within Europe and the Middle East that’s 30 minutes. Beyond that, there are reasonably priced full-flight Internet packages you can buy onboard via the Nordic Sky portal.
Duty Free that’s a cut above
While Finnair recently discontinued its in-flight retail service, the special Nordic touches remain throughout the cabin experience. From the Iittala glasses used in business class to the Marimekko textiles featured in the cabin design, these distinctive Finnish design elements are still part of what makes a Finnair flight feel special - even if you can no longer purchase them onboard. If you’re looking to take home these Nordic treasures, you’ll need to shop at Helsinki Airport or online instead.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up to date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
