A Unique Business Class Experience with Finnair’s AirLounge
Flying business class has always been a highlight of my travel experiences, but when I discovered that I could book Finnair’s A330 AirLounge from Seattle to Paris (via Helsinki) for 82,500 points, I knew I had to try it. A no-recline “lounge” seat to Europe? I was curious to see what the hype was about and whether it would actually be comfortable.
I was planning to meet my daughter in Paris for a train trip around Switzerland. I wanted to fly business class to make the long-haul flight more comfortable, but I also wanted to use points to save some cash for the expensive Swiss adventure. At the time, there was a transfer bonus, so I moved 64,000 American Express Membership Rewards points to British Airways Avios, then converted those to Finnair Avios. My SEA–HEL–CDG business class ticket ended up costing 82,500 points plus $151 in taxes. It felt like the perfect combination of comfort and smart points redemption. I had never flown Finnair before, and I wanted to see how their unique AirLounge seat compared to my other business class experiences.
Check-In & Lounge Access
I arrived at SEA airport about three hours before my 5:40 pm flight, mostly because of traffic and ride arrangements. The Finnair counters were empty, so check-in was quick. Finnair is located towards the north end of the airport (nearest to checkpoints 1 & 2). I have CLEAR and TSA PreCheck, which made security a breeze. SEA was surprisingly quiet for an evening international departure, so I had plenty of time to relax before boarding.
With my Finnair business class ticket, I had access to the British Airways Lounge in the S satellite concourse. It’s a nice perk to enjoy a drink or snack before boarding, as well as easy access to plug outlets to ensure all my devices were charged. I should mention that Finnair is a oneworld alliance member, so my oneworld Emerald status and Finnair boarding pass (any class) would also grant me access to any of the Alaska lounges at SEA (C, D, N concourses), but since I was flying out of S gates, it made sense to settle into the BA lounge since I had never visited that lounge before.
The British Airways lounge at SEA was recently renovated and while the space is pretty small, it felt clean and had nice seats, with ample charge ports. The food offerings were small but somewhat better than The Club lounge next door; with a few different hot and cold options. There was also a full bar which is the centerpiece to the lounge. I will say that in my opinion the view of this lounge is pretty ‘meh’ with a large roof extending below the windows and not allowing an open view feel – but you can spot some planes taking off (sort of). Bathrooms seemed surprisingly basic and I didn’t check out the shower(s) but I believe there is at least one.
Boarding Process
Boarding was slightly delayed, and there wasn’t much communication about it. The lounge told us it was time to board so I headed down, but then the gate agents told me boarding was delayed for another 10-15 minutes. Since the British Airways Lounge was close to the gate, I just headed back there for another 15 minutes before returning. Even with the delay, I still got to the gate early.
Once boarding started, business class passengers were invited to board after special assistance passengers. The gate was a bit of a clogged mess and I was at the end of the business class boarders, with regular passengers standing directly in front of the gate agents who were doing passport checks well ahead of the boarding pass scanner. This was a bit frustrating and I wish they had clear lanes for boarding and check-in, but oh well. Your passport was checked with your boarding pass prior to scanning your pass to board.
The Seat: Finnair A330 AirLounge
Finnair’s A330 business class is home to their unique AirLounge seat. It’s different from most business class seats because it doesn’t recline like a typical lie-flat. Instead, it’s designed like a wide lounge chair where you can adjust your position with pillows and padding until it’s comfortable for sitting, lounging, or lying flat when you pop up the lower flaps.
I’ll admit, I was curious if I’d like it. The pros? It feels spacious and fairly private, with plenty of room to stretch your legs. The seat itself is wide and open, and the fixed shell design makes it feel cozy without being cramped. For flyers who want to sit criss cross, this seat allows for that. The cons? If you’re someone who loves adjusting recline angles mid-flight, this doesn’t really allow for that. This seat does not recline and so it doesn’t lay flat. It’s also a bit firm in some spots, so using the provided mattress pad is a must.
I found the hinge spots for the pop up recliner to be awkwardly placed and when I tried to lay down or semi-reclined, it pushed into my hip and wasn’t the most comfortable. I’ll also note that since the back of the seat doesn’t recline, when you do lay down flat with your legs out in front of you, the seatbelt that used to be at your hips, now will hit you around your chest or armpits. I find that one of the oddest parts of this design — staying buckled while sleeping means a belt up high across your chest. And if you’re on the left side of the plane you will lay on your left side with your legs bent when you do lay down (if you’re tall — I’m 5’9″). The other side of the plane would be the reverse I would think; so you’d lay on your right side.
Overall, I found it comfortable enough to catch a few hours of sleep for the overnight flight, and it definitely stands out compared to other business class seats. I’ll be honest and say that I wouldn’t jump at booking it again, however also wouldn’t avoid flying it.
Entertainment & Wi-Fi
For entertainment, the seat has a sharp fixed 18-inch touchscreen. You control it using the panel, or there’s a small hidden remote tucked in the side storage cubby beside your shoulder. Just be aware when the remote is out, that compartment has to stay open (but it doesn’t really so the cord gets smooshed). The onboard system offers a solid selection, over 100 movies and about 50 TV series, plus music, games, and a flight map that includes forward and downward views.
Headphones are provided and offer decent noise cancellation. Business class tickets include one hour of free Wi-Fi (and Finnair Plus Platinum members get full-flight access). After that, you can purchase more time, usually around €8–9 for another hour or around €20 to cover the whole flight. It worked well for light browsing and messaging. I enjoyed watching a few movies and watching the flight map during the trip.
Food & Drinks
Once I was settled in, the crew offered a welcome drink — Finnair’s signature blueberry juice, sparkling wine, or water. I went with the blueberry juice, which is a Finnair tradition, as well as the sparkling wine, thinking I’d make myself a bit of a bellini.
Service started shortly after takeoff with drink service and nuts. My dinner meal included two cold plates. The first was mozzarella with chutney (peach, raisin, pecan, ginger, caper berries). The second was chicken mousse with bread, yellow beet salad, and raspberry sauce. Personally I didn’t care for either of these but ate some of the beet salad and chutney.
For the main course, the options were roasted beef with creamy Parmesan polenta, tomatoes, broccolini, carrots, and peppercorn sauce; grilled salmon with potatoes, green beans, brussels sprouts, and beurre blanc sauce; or plant-based kafta with couscous, piperade, grilled zucchini, and roasted red pepper sauce. I went with the salmon and it was surprisingly ok although the vegetables were unseasoned and basic.
Dessert was cheese and supposed to be a choice of spiced pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting or passionfruit mousse with mango. But turns out they didn’t have the pumpkin cake option and I was instead given a tiramisu type dessert. Before landing, breakfast was served. The single option was a mushroom, potato, and chorizo frittata; served with yogurt and fresh fruit, and a small plate of meat and cheese. I asked for double fruit since I can’t eat mushrooms and they were happy to accommodate me.
Service
The crew was efficient and friendly throughout the flight. Service felt professional and pleasant, but not overly attentive. Additional drinks or refills were offered only during meal service, so I had to use the call button when I wanted tea and then more coffee. It wasn’t a problem, but it’s worth knowing if you’re used to a more high-touch service style. Although I feel this is fairly common with business class flights, especially when it’s overnight.
Lounges in Helsinki
We landed on time in Helsinki, and since I was connecting to Paris (Schengen) I decided to check out both Finnair lounges. First, I trekked over to the non-Schengen Business Lounge (it’s a bit of a walk from the gate we landed at and has to be done before border control into the Schengen area). It’s the larger lounge, about 16,000 sq ft with seating for up to 450 guests. Since I hold oneworld Emerald status, I was given access to the Platinum Wing, which is half the size and felt quietly upscale. I planned to use a shower, but they were all in use. I only spent about 20 minutes there before heading through customs to the Schengen side.
Once through, I visited the Schengen Business Lounge, which fits up to 440 people across roughly 9,000 sq ft and again was given access to the Platinum Corner, which was a separated area. This tucked-away section was small but comfortable, and busy but not crowded. The food was minimal, mostly salads and local bites, but the vibe was calm. I was able to use a shower in the Schengen lounge and it was well-stocked with SEES (a Finnish brand) shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hand soap, lotion, as well as a shower cap, toothbrush, and toothpaste. It was a great refresh before my short hop to Paris. I do think the showers in the non-Schengen lounge would be a bit nicer and more spacious.
Overall Verdict
Flying Finnair’s A330 business class from Seattle to Helsinki was a good experience and a nice use of points. The AirLounge seat is unique — it’s not my favorite business class seat, but it worked well for the overnight flight. I was especially thankful for the mattress pad, which made a bit of a difference in comfort.
Service was friendly, the food had nice Finnish touches, and the lounges in Helsinki (especially the Platinum areas) were a calm space and nice perk during my layover. I would likely fly Finnair again, especially if I could book it with points, but I’d go in knowing the seat design takes some getting used to.
While my flights went smoothly in the air, my booking did involve some customer service patience. When I wanted to adjust my trip after a small schedule change, it took 1 hour and 10 minutes on hold with the U.S. service line before my call was answered. The upside is that Finnair allowed me to change to a better travel date at no extra cost due to the schedule change – but I did have to find availability of the saver fare I had originally booked which was 3 days earlier than my initial booking.
Slightly before my trip, a Helsinki ground crew strike was announced. These strikes seem to happen periodically, and while my outbound Seattle flight was unaffected, my Helsinki–Paris flight was eventually canceled. Finnair told me when I called (a two-hour hold that time) that they wouldn’t know cancellations until about two days before the strike. They also explained that once a flight is officially canceled, rebooking options open up.
I wasn’t officially notified of my Paris flight cancellation until one day before departure, but within 90 minutes of that cancellation email, Finnair had automatically rebooked me onto an earlier flight to Paris the same day. It wasn’t the schedule I’d hoped for as I didn’t get my planned layover time in Helsinki, but I still arrived in Paris on time (earlier than scheduled actually) with absolutely no real disruption to my travels.
I hope this review has been helpful if you’re looking at booking with Finnair!
