Review: Finnair Business Lounge, Helsinki Airport (non-Schengen)

This is our review of the Finnair Business Lounge at Helsinki Airport. It is Finnair’s flagship business class lounge and was refurbished in mid-2019, together with the Platinum Wing first class lounge next door which we reviewed in 2022

This is the main lounge for all non-Schengen passengers with Finnair: it is effectively the long haul lounge for all Finnair business class passengers and oneworld Sapphire members, whilst the Platinum Wing is reserved for oneworld Emerald customers only.

Although I’m oneworld Emerald, the Platinum Wing closes annoyingly early at 5:30pm. This means it is closed for the main bank of departures from Helsinki to Asia which are typically late in the evening. My flight to Nagoya departed just after midnight.

Where is the Finnair Business Lounge in Helsinki Airport?

The Business Lounge is in the non-Schengen part of the terminal so you’ll have to clear immigration after security.

If you follow the signs towards gate 52 you’ll eventually see signs for the lounge. It is a bit of a trot from immigration, but you’ll soon see the white exterior and signage.

The lounge is currently open from 5:30am until midnight.

Inside the Finnair Business Lounge

There are actually two lounges here. The Platinum Wing, which you can access if you are BA Gold and departing before it closes at 5.30pm, is on the left whilst the Business Lounge is on the right. All you need to do is scan your boarding pass at one of the gates to get in.

The first section of the lounge was the quietest, whilst the area towards the back near the buffet and bar were the busiest. Unfortunately, the lounge has no runway views and virtually no natural light, so whilst these photos were largely taken at night it looks the same whether it is midday or midnight.

First up were some high-tables as well as a trio of the famous bubble chairs by Finnish designer Eero Aarnio:

There is a small cafe area with self-serve coffee machine, soft drinks fountains and beer on tap in the corner, but no food:

To the right of all this is a softer area with more casual seating:

There are plentiful charging opportunities with mains and USB power throughout the lounge.

Showers and toilets are on the left. You can book a shower by using the tablets next to each one: green means it’s available whilst red is occupied/booked. I wanted to try a shower on my return but (unsurprisingly) they were all busy during the peak morning arrivals period.

After this the lounge widens again to the buffet, dining area and bar. This was the busiest part of the lounge on both my visits, I suspect because it is close to the food and drink.

Adjacent to this were more high tables and booths:

The bar was stylish with a beautiful LED light chandelier surrounding it:

The dining area is in the centre but you’ll also find a range of more casual seating around it, including personal booths.

Other features of the lounge include a ‘quick getaway’ exit door that deposits you nearer the gates, rather than having to walk a circuitous loop to the exit and then back around.

At the very back of the lounge is a darkened section with individual lighting and seating, clearly designed if you prefer to rest a little, although there were no loungers:

Buffet and bar in the Finnair Business Lounge

As on board, the food in the lounge is not Finnair’s strong suit.

Hot items were limited to a vegan and non-vegan option: in this case some kind of chicken in tomato sauce and a lentil coconut stew, accompanied by some rice and vegetables:

Some, clearly, like it hot:

During the breakfast service (until 10:30am) it was just scrambled eggs and frankfurter style sausages:

A few salads and some fruit and dessert round out the offering:

When it comes to drinks, wines, beers, soft drinks and tea and coffee are available around the lounge.

Joseph Perrier Cuvée Royal Brut was the champagne on offer:

For anything stronger you have to go to the staffed bar, where you can ask for a range of cocktails and mocktails. This was quite popular and with just one barman a little queue sometimes built up. I tried the gin basil smash which was refreshingly tasty.

Conclusion

As you will see from my upcoming long haul flight reviews, there is a trend: whilst Finnair runs a very stylish operation, the food offering is not strong.

Despite the lack of natural light or views this lounge is well designed, with lots of different areas suited for passengers of all types. When it comes to food, however, there is room for improvement and I was particularly disappointed by the breakfast offering.

Fortunately, you can drown your hunger with a drink from the good staffed bar! The cocktails here were better than I was expecting and well presented.

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How to get FREE airport lounge access via UK credit cards (April 2025)

Here are the five options to get FREE airport lounge access via a UK credit card.

The Platinum Card from American Express comes with two free Priority Pass cards, one for you and one for a supplementary cardholder. Each card admits two so a family of four gets in free. You get access to all 1,500 lounges in the Priority Pass network – search it here.

You also get access to Eurostar, Lufthansa and Delta Air Lines lounges.  Our American Express Platinum review is here.

You can apply here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold is FREE for the first year. It comes with a Priority Pass card loaded with four free visits to any Priority Pass lounge – see the list here.

Additional lounge visits are charged at £24.  You get four more free visits for every year you keep the card.  

There is no annual fee for Amex Gold in Year 1 and you get a 20,000 points sign-up bonus.  Full details are in our American Express Preferred Rewards Gold review here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard gets you get a free Priority Pass card, allowing you access to the Priority Pass network.  Guests are charged at £24 although it may be cheaper to pay £60 for a supplementary credit card for your partner.

The card has a fee of £290 and there are strict financial requirements to become a HSBC Premier customer.  Full details are in my HSBC Premier World Elite Mastercard review.

Got a small business?

If you have a small business, consider American Express Business Platinum which has the same lounge benefits as the personal Platinum card:

You should also consider the Capital on Tap Pro Visa credit card which has a lower fee and, as well as a Priority Pass for airport lounge access, also comes with Radison Rewards VIP hotel status:

PS. You can find all of HfP’s UK airport lounge reviews – and we’ve been to most of them – indexed here.