Finnair Business Class Review: Our Experience from Singapore (SIN) to Helsinki (HEL) and Back

We had Finnair's A350 Business Class on our radar for a while for two specific reasons. First, its revolutionary "AirLounge" seat, a unique business class concept that doesn't recline but instead creates a spacious, private lie-flat bed. We were incredibly curious to see if this delivered on long-haul comfort.

Second, the incredible value. Among savvy miles-chasers, Finnair offers one of the best award redemptions for a business class ticket to Europe from Singapore, making it a top-tier choice for using frequent flyer miles.

So, we booked our round-trip journey from Singapore (SIN) to Helsinki (HEL) and onward to Iceland. This is our full Finnair business class review, covering everything from the Oneworld lounges at Changi Airport to the flight experience, an unexpected delay, and our economy flight on the return leg..

The Ultimate Oneworld Perk: Lounge Hopping at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 1

A major perk of flying business class is exploring the Oneworld lounges at Singapore Changi's Terminal 1. We skipped the Marhaba Lounge (also accessible with Priority Pass) to focus on airline-operated food experiences - Qatar Airways, Qantas, and British Airways lounges.

First Stop: Qatar Airways Premium Lounge

If you want a fantastic meal before your flight, start here. Qatar Airways Premium Lounge is, without a doubt, the best for food and service. It feels more like a private restaurant than an airport lounge. We were shown to our seats, and a server promptly took our order from an à la carte menu. The quality was exceptional. The only trade-off is its size. This popular lounge is the most intimate of the three, so finding a seat during peak hours might be a challenge.

Second Stop: Qantas Business Lounge

After our excellent meal at the Qatar lounge, we walked over to the Qantas Business Lounge to relax. This space is the opposite of Qatar's in terms of scale. It's huge, open, and offers plenty of seating. While the food is a standard buffet offering, it was decent and provided a lot of choice. If you have a long layover and need space to spread out or work, the Qantas lounge is a solid and reliable choice.

Final Stop: The British Airways Lounge

Next to Qantas is the British Airways lounge and it was our least favourite. While functional, the food options didn't look particularly fresh or appealing. However, if alcohol is your main priority, this lounge is the clear winner. While we aren't big drinkers, we noticed it had the widest selection of spirits and wines.

Our Lounge Hopping Verdict: For the best pre-flight experience, we recommend starting at the Qatar Airways Premium Lounge for a good meal, then move to the least crowded lounge to relax before your flight.

The Main Event: Finnair's A350 Business Class from Singapore to Helsinki

Stepping onto the Finnair A350, we were immediately struck by the cabin's clean, Nordic aesthetic. The atmosphere felt modern and airy. But we were here to test the main attraction - their much-talked-about business class seat.

The "AirLounge" Seat: Ingenious Design with Awkward Flaws

At first glance, the seat is a brilliant piece of engineering. It doesn't recline. Instead, you use 2 cushions to transform the large, shell-like seat into a completely lie-flat bed. The privacy is excellent, but we noticed some significant issues.

This support bar cuts directly into the leg space or "nook." As someone over 175cm (5'9"), this was a problem. I could only fully extend one leg comfortably due to the aggressive slant and this metal bar. We also found the seatbelt positions awkward. The shoulder harness, required for takeoff and landing, dug into our necks. Later, the retractable belt for sleeping felt too tight for comfort, an issue we never faced in business class on Singapore Airlines or Qatar Airways.

Sleeping, Linens, and Marimekko Amenities

Finnair provides beautiful Marimekko-branded bed linens, but you cannot secure the mattress topper to the seat, so it shifts around as you move. The amenity kit, housed in a lovely and reusable Marimekko pouch, was practical. It included an eye mask, slippers, and an eco-friendly toothbrush. We used all these items throughout our trip. Other items like lip balm, shaver and comb are available upon request.

The toilets were standard and didn't feel any different from what you would find in economy.

Dining and Service: A Mixed Experience

The service started strong with a personalized greeting, a pre-departure check on our menu choices, and a drink of choice between their signature blueberry juice or champagne.

For the main meal, we could pre-book beef or prawn, with special diet meals available as well. Our food tasted salty. The prawn dish was disappointing, and the beef was the better of the two. A highlight was the bread basket, which included a delicious and interesting rye bread.

In contrast, the breakfast, which was a standard offering for everyone, tasted much better. Unfortunately, the service level dropped mid-flight. At one point, I pressed the call button three times and, disappointingly, no one came to assist.

In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity

The entertainment selection was decent, though not as extensive as some other carriers. The screen was bright and responsive to touch. While movies offered various subtitles, we noted that TV shows did not. The provided noise-cancellation headphones did a good job.

There is a standard power outlet. The seat also features both USB-A and USB-C charging ports, a modern touch that many other airlines lack. Wifi is complimentary for 1 hour only but didn’t work well for streaming videos.

When Things Go Wrong: Our Finnair Flight Delay and EU261 Compensation Experience

Our flight from Singapore faced a 2+ hour mechanical delay. This caused us to miss our connection to Iceland, resulting in us arriving at our final destination more than eight hours late. This disrupted our itinerary in Iceland and caused us some anxiety.

Finnair's ground staff managed to rebook us on a same day flight to KEF with Icelandair and gave us a 17€ iCoupon (sent via SMS) for use at Helsinki Airport. We overheard that some passengers only got departure flights for the next day.

Here is the most important takeaway - Because our arrival was delayed by over 4 hours and the flight distance exceeded 3,500km, we were entitled to 600€ per person in compensation under EU261/2004 regulations.

Crucially, this compensation is not automatic. You must actively apply for it.

We submitted our claim through Finnair's online feedback form. The process was incredibly efficient. We received the compensation in the form of Finnair gift cards the next working day. For anyone in a similar situation, you can find the details and form on Finnair's "In case of disruption" page.

An Unexpected Detour: Comparing Finnair vs Icelandair Business Class

Our flight delay came with an unexpected silver lining. Because of our missed connection, Finnair rebooked us on Icelandair Business Class for the Helsinki (HEL) to Keflavik (KEF). This gave us a direct comparison between the two carriers' intra-Europe business class products.

The difference was immediately clear. Finnair's business class on these shorter European routes is typically just an economy row with the middle seat blocked for extra space. In stark contrast, Icelandair offered a proper business class cabin.

The Icelandair seats were in a 2-2 configuration, making them significantly wider, more spacious, and with much more legroom. Icelandair also had basic in-flight entertainment screen at every seat, a feature that is completely absent on Finnair's short-haul fleet. To top it off, the meal service on our Icelandair flight was surprisingly good, even better than the food at Finnair Lounge Schengen!

For this specific European route, the unexpected switch was a definite upgrade. Icelandair provided a superior hard product with better seats and entertainment.

A Tale of Two Lounges: Reviewing the Finnair Lounges at Helsinki (HEL)

Helsinki Airport is Finnair's home base, and it operates two business class lounges. The most important thing to know is that you cannot visit both on the same trip. Your access is determined by your destination, as they are separated by passport control.

For travellers on long layovers, it's crucial to know that neither lounge has dedicated quiet areas, daybeds, or reclining loungers for a proper nap. While you can relax, you will not find a comfortable place to get meaningful sleep.

Finnair Lounge Non-Schengen (Near Gate 52)

This is the lounge for long-haul flights to destinations like Singapore. It is the better of the two, with a stylish bar and a more premium feel. The food selection was decent but paled in comparison to the à la carte dining at Qatar Airways Premium Lounge in Changi and more along the lines of the Qantas lounge. The private showers were modern, spacious, and clean.

Finnair Lounge Schengen (Near Gate 21, Level 2)

If you are connecting to a flight within the Schengen zone (like our original flight to Iceland), you will use this lounge. The experience here is more basic. The food selection was limited and quite disappointing. The space feels more functional than relaxing.

However, it does have two good points. First, the showers are just as nice and clean as in the non-Schengen lounge. Second, it features several private, silent pods. These are fantastic if you need to take a video call or have a quiet meeting without airport noise.

Our Verdict: Finnair sells access to their lounges for around 40€, and we don’t feel it is worth paying for. Helsinki Airport's main terminal does not have public shower facilities, making the lounge showers the main draw. However, paying that much just for a shower, combined with mediocre food and a lack of proper rest areas, doesn't feel like a good value. It's a welcome perk when included with a business class ticket, but not an experience we would recommend paying for out of pocket.

The Return Leg: Finnair Economy Class on a Long-Haul Flight

For our return journey from KEF to HEL and HEL to SIN, we flew in Economy Class, giving us a completely different perspective on Finnair's long-haul service.

For our 3+ hours KEF-HEL leg, there is no food served with only complimentary water or blueberry juice. Meals and others drinks can be ordered off a simple menu. There was also no entertainment. It felt like a budget airline. Thankfully, we could bring our own food and drinks onboard.

For 13+ hours HEL-SIN leg, the most noticeable aspect was the food. Our first meal was a basic pasta dish served in a small cardboard box. Later, the main meal service was also underwhelming, with basic presentation and what felt like a very small portion of meat.

Between the main meal times, the service is primarily self-serve. If you want a drink of water or a snack, the expectation is that you walk to the galley at the back of the plane to get it yourself.

For someone used to flying Singapore Airlines Economy, the difference is significant. We felt the Finnair economy experience paled in comparison, particularly in food quality and service attentiveness. We don’t think Finnair places much emphasis on their food, in-flight or lounge.

The Final Verdict: Our Honest Finnair Round-Trip Experience

We admit, our experiences on award-winning airlines like Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways set a very high benchmark. In hindsight, we should have adjusted our expectations for these flights. Finnair delivers a solid and decent business class product, and our journey helped us appreciate just how well top-tier airlines differentiate themselves to earn those accolades.

What truly impressed us was Finnair's professionalism where it mattered most. The prompt, no-fuss handling of our EU261 delay compensation was a very pleasant surprise and showed a reliable side to the airline.

So, would we fly Finnair Business Class again? Absolutely. For a comfortable, lie-flat journey from Singapore to Europe, Finnair continues to represent some of the best value for miles (and money) you can find. And for this reason, it remains a top contender in our travel books!

Hope you find this post useful and share it with your friends! You can also support us by making your travel bookings via our affiliate links. Thank you! 🤩