Despite recent challenges, Finnair continues to maintain an impressive long-haul network. Whereas Iberia has a particular focus on Latin America, Finnair’s focus is on the Asia-Pacific region. For flights outside of the Schengen zone, you’ll have access to the best of Finnair’s lounges. In this article, we’ll review our experience at the Finnair Business Lounge (non-Schengen).
Finnair Business Lounge (non-Schengen) Access
Finnair actually have two lounges after passport control. In addition to the Finnair Business Lounge (non-Schengen), they also have the Platinum Wing for oneworld Emerald members. While I haven’t tried it out since its refurbishment, I visited a few years ago if you’re curious to see how things used to be.
If you’re not travelling outside of the Schengen zone, you won’t be able to access the non-Schengen lounge because you need to clear passport control first. Instead, you’ll have access to the Finnair Business Lounge (Schengen) which I’ve also recently reviewed.
The Finnair Business Lounge (Schengen) and the Platinum Wing are located in the same place. Once you’ve cleared immigration head to gate 52 and you’ll see the entrance to the Finnair lounge complex.
I was travelling in Premium Economy, but with oneworld Sapphire status, which meant I was able to enter the Finnair Business Lounge (non-Schengen). If you don’t have oneworld Sapphire or Emerald, you can also enter if you’re travelling in business class on a oneworld carrier except if it’s a ‘Business Light’ fare with Finnair or Qatar.
If your ticket doesn’t include access, Finnair offer the option to buy access through manage my booking.
Finnair Business Lounge (non-Schengen) Space & Interior
The first unfortunate thing to note is the lack of natural light. There are no windows with a view, and the lounge largely relies on artificial lighting.
Despite this, the lounge feels fairly open and much more spacious than its Schengen counterpart. There are various seating zones, including a dining area, relaxed sofa seating adjacent to the bar, and lots of workpod style seating.
Overall, I found the space more relaxed than the Schengen lounge. It feels like more effort was put into creating seating areas for couples and small groups, rather than just business travellers.
This is largely because the non-Schengen lounge feels much more spacious. This means that despite the lack of natural light, the space manages to feel fairly open and inviting.
Due to a long connection, I spent several hours in the lounge, and although as the afternoon wore on the space filled up, there were always different seating areas to choose from and it never felt particularly crowded.
Showers are also available. I really appreciate being able to take a shower if I’m connecting, and was pleased to be able to use one during my visit!
Food and Drinks at the Finnair Business Lounge (non-Schengen)
Overall, I was impressed with the food and drinks options at the Finnair Business Lounge (non-Schengen). Although there wasn’t loads of choice, what was available felt substantial. I really liked the focus on using fresher ingredients and the salad options were great, especially since it can sometimes be hard finding attractive healthy options in lounges.
Hot options were limited, but the quality was good. There was one vegetarian option (aubergine pasta with vegan feta) and one meat option (meatballs in a creamy pepper sauce). Side options included mashed potatoes and bulgar with grilled vegetables.
A couple of different cakes were available too, as well as fresh fruits. While it’d have been nice to have a few more options, I found everything good enough.
There is a staffed bar, and it’s possible to order a wide selection of different drinks. With only one bartender, there was often a small queue though.
Champagne is also available, as are a couple of different red and white wines. Overall the quality of everything is fine – it’s not exceptional, but much stronger than your average Priority Pass lounge, for example.
Conclusions
I really liked the aesthetic and overall design of the lounge. While it would benefit from a dose of natural light, Finnair have probably done the best you can expect considering the space and constraints they have. Although it felt busy at times, it was always possible to find somewhere to sit and the space benefits from the open design. It certainly feels like a step above the Schengen lounge.
The food and drink options are sufficient. Although the quality is good, there could be a much greater variety of choice. Again though, the options are an improvement when compared to the Schengen business lounge.
If you just have an hour or two to spare, Finnair has done a good job. If you’re connecting though, the lack of natural light and limited food options make it a slightly less attractive prospect.
