The decidedly Finnish executive lounge
If there’s one thing you can say about Finnair, it’s that it lives and breathes Finnish values. That extends to its two lounges, both in terms of decor and the food and drink offerings. Their Premium lounge even has its own Sauna. We got to spend a couple of hours in the non-Sauna lounge, and it was a pleasant, comfortable experience.
Where is the Finnair Business Lounge?
Finnair operates three lounges at Helsinki, split into the Schengen and non-Schengen areas. If you’re flying internationally (for example, to the Far East), then your flight will be departing from the non-Schengen terminal. That has two of the three FInnair lounges.
Both the Business and Platinum lounges are located near gate 52, right next to where you enter the main departures floor if you arrived at a remote stand and were bused in.
There’s a single reception desk serving both lounges. Turn right for the Finnair Business class lounge. You can scan your business card for entry, which almost makes the receptionist superfluous. I think their primary role is just to point either left or right.
Who can access the Finnair Business lounge?
In the non-Schengen area, you have two lounges with different access requirements.
- The Platinum Wing is for status-holders only. You cannot access this lounge if you are flying business class alone.
You’ll need to be oneworld Sapphire or above, or Finnair Platinum or higher to get access. - The Finnair Business Lounge, which is accessible to anyone flying in business class, as well as Finnair Gold members. If you have Finnair Platinum, or oneworld Sapphire, or higher, then you can also access this lounge.
There’s also a lounge in the Schengen area, which is primarily a business class lounge with a Platinum “corner” for status holders. The same entry rules apply for the business lounge, and the Platinum corner.
Can you pay to access the Finnair Business lounge?
It may be possible to pay to access the business lounge (but not the Platinum one). Take a look at the “manage my booking” page on the Finnair website or within the Finnair app to see if this is an option for you. You will have to be flying with Finnair to pay for access.
Is the Finnair Business lounge open 24hrs?
Not quite. The Business Lounge opens from 5:30am, which is around two hours before the first non-Schengen flights depart. It stays open until midnight to cater to the final Far East flights of the day.
The nearby Platinum lounge doesn’t open till 10:30am, but it remains open, like the business lounge, till midnight.
What’s the Finnair Business lounge like?
It’s a big space, holding up to 450 guests, that’s tastefully decorated. The lounge follows the Finnair design cues, which themselves feel very Finnish.
It’s all about light woods, lots of white, and plenty of light. It feels modern and clean (and the lounge itself is very clean), whilst the seating is comfortable and decked out in Finnair blue.
There are lots of zones within this lounge, from the table and bar seating as you enter, to the comfortable sofas on the right-hand side of the lounge.
There’s a small, self-service drinks area as you walk in. This might feel like the only place to get something to eat or drink, but keep walking straight ahead, and you’ll find the much bigger self-service dining space. Within that, you’ll also find the manned bar.
The first drinks area is useful if you’re sitting on one of the sofas on the right-hand side of the lounge. You don’t need to schlep your way to the back, and that main food and drink area can get very busy.
What’s on offer in the Finnair lounge
As well as comfy seating, there are showers in the lounge. There is no sauna, which is in the Platinum lounge, reserved for status holders only.
There are a couple of booths for phone or video calls, and the lounge also has lockers.
Food and drink in the Finnair lounge
There’s a hot, self-service food offering that’s in the main food and drink area at the back of the lounge. Next to this is a small, manned bar which has a menu of cocktails and mocktails.
The food on offer is reasonable but not extensive. There’s just enough hot options to make this a lounge that you could sensibly dine in pre-flight. It’s passable, but I would say that the BA lounges at Heathrow have a wider selection of food.
We were there in the early afternoon and, despite it being hidden away at the back of the lounge, the dining space was extremely busy. There’s a lot of seating around here, with some bar-style seating, as well as sofas, and more standard dining seating. There are also some private booths.
Beyond the dining area, right at the back of the lounge, is a quieter area. We sat in here and found it to be a more relaxing space, despite it being right next to the dining area.
The bar is the highlight of the lounge. It’s a circular bar with just enough space to squeeze one barperson in. There’s a set menu of drinks you can order from, which makes it easier, but I still stood in a queue for five minutes.
We opted for the Bluesinki mocktail just to keep the Blueberry theme going throughout our Finnair flights. It was, as expected, delicious and contained ginger beer, lime, and blueberry juice.
Should you dine in here, or eat somewhere in the terminal?
Given that the food options in the Finnair business lounge are not extensive, you might want to dine somewhere in the terminal. There are some good options, and there’s much more of a focus on local chains rather than your typical mass-market brands. There is, however, a Burger King, a Starbucks, a Subway, and a pizza vending machine.
What’s Helsinki airport like?
The non-Schengen terminal has just completed a decade-long renovation programme, and it’s a really nice, modern terminal. It is also one of the most relaxing, large airports that I’ve been in.
There’s a relaxing seating area in the middle of the terminal that has video screens showing forest scenes and forest-like audio playing.
If you wander around the terminal, you’ll find some quiet, hidden seating areas. Some even have bird-noise audio playing around them. These are not seating areas for gates, but quiet areas for anyone to sit it. They have made a real effort to make the airport less airport-like.
The number of shops and restaurants in the non-Schengen terminal is a little light. Aside from the Moomin shop, there’s a duty-free, a Boss, Montblanc, Longchamp and Burberry store, alongside some local brands.
If you want to dine outside the lounge, there’s an Asian restaurant, an Italian and a Sushi and Noodles eatery. There’s also a Nordic Kitchen, if you want something more local.
The Finnair Business Lounge: The Verdict
If you’re flying long-haul with Finnair, then this is where you’ll end up. It’s a comfortable, attractive lounge that would be fine to spend an hour or two in.
Some lounges are built for long stays. The Qatar First Lounge in Doha springs to mind. You could easily spend five or seven hours in there and not get bored. Other lounges are better suited to shorter stints, and that’s where the Finnair lounge excels. Grab a quick drink, or a bite to eat, take a call, or have a shower. If you have a layover of less than three hours, you’ll be fine in here.
What it lacks is simply a better food offering. The space is nice enough, and it does have showers, plus the manned bar is a real bonus. You’ll have a perfectly decent time in this lounge.
Rating the Finnair Business Lounge at Helsinki
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