Having arrived from Alicante with Finnair to connect onwards with Qatar, I was eager to try out the Finnair Premium Lounge in Helsinki. Overall it was a good experience. This said, the food selection was somewhat lacking if you’re looking for a proper pre-flight meal. The relatively small size of the lounge also risked making it feel overcrowded at peak times.
Access
The Finnair Helsinki Premium Lounge is located after the Schengen passport check, and is fairly easy to find. I was flying with Qatar in business, and crediting my miles to my Iberia account where I hold no status. This was no problem, and upon showing my LATAM Black card, I was granted access to the Premium Lounge. The lounge which is available for oneworld passengers in First Class and oneworld Emerald members.
The Space
The lounge is on the small side, and was very busy when we entered (although near empty when we left). We did manage to find some good seats in the end. The furniture could do with a refresh, and several of the recliner chairs we tried out were broken, and had very noticeable wear marks. It wasn’t a huge thing, but the lounge could definitely do with a refresh in the near future.
Unfortunately on this occasion we were unable to try out the sauna and shower rooms. We’d definitely make the effort to return and try them out though. One major disappointment was the lack of view, and limited natural light. If you’re on the search for tarmac or runway views, you’re likely to be disappointed.
Food and Drinks
We weren’t looking to eat much before our flight, and so for us the food selection was perfect. It’s best described as a canapé selection and the food on offer was of a high quality. This said, if you were in the mood to eat prior to your flight, you’d likely be disappointed. Although there was a hot meal selection, it was fairly limited.
The drinks choice was good, and available from a serviced bar. We had a couple of glasses of champagne, but the menu was fairly extensive. It certainly wasn’t a bad place to hang out prior to flying, although I tend to prefer a self-serve bar layout.
Overall, the experience was good – the food, although limited, was of a high quality. It was perfect if you’re just in the mood for a pre-flight canapé selection. This said, if you were looking for something more extensive, you’d likely be disappointed.
Conclusions
The size of the lounge could be a problem during peak times, and seating was limited on our arrival, but by the time we left there were a fair few options. Finnair’s Premium lounge Helsinki is a perfectly good place to spend an hour or two. With a refurb, and a slightly extended food selection, it’d quite easily fit into the excellent category.
Update 2020: Finnair have now updated their lounges in Helsinki. We hope to be able to try them out in the near future.
