What Finnair Short-Haul Business Class is Like in 2024

Oneworld member Finnair has had a rough few years. Just as travel was starting to pick up again following the COVID-19 pandemic, it had to completely reinvent its business model due to losing access to Russian airspace.

To try to stay profitable, Finnair has recently had to cut costs. In 2021, it also introduced “Business Light” fares which don’t come with some of the usual inclusions you would expect in Business Class.

From its hub in Helsinki, Finnair offers an extensive short-haul network to destinations across Europe. As a Qantas partner airline, you can earn and redeem Qantas points on these flights, including in Business Class. But is it still worth booking Finnair short-haul Business Class?

In this review, I’ll share my experience flying Business Class on Finnair’s Airbus A319 from Reykjavik to Helsinki in 2024.

Flight Details

Flight number	AY994
Route	Reykjavik (KEF) to Helsinki (HEL)
Aircraft type	Airbus A319
Class of travel	Business
Seat number	4A
On-time performance	We arrived 10 minutes late
Star rating

The route

Flight Cost

I paid €254 (~AU$415) for a one-way Business Light fare from Reykjavik to Helsinki. I thought that price was fairly reasonable, given I would also earn 80 Qantas status credits.

An important thing to note is that Finnair’s Business Light fare does not automatically include checked baggage, seat selection or lounge access, and is non-refundable. However, I was still able to access these benefits thanks to my Qantas Platinum status, which grants Oneworld Emerald benefits on Finnair. Without status, you would need to purchase a Business Classic or Flex fare to get those benefits.

As an alternative to buying a ticket, you could redeem Qantas Frequent Flyer points (or any other Oneworld points currency) to book this Finnair flight. A Business Class reward ticket from Reykjavik to Helsinki would cost 43,800 Qantas Points + €37 (~AU$60) in taxes & charges.

When redeeming points for Finnair Business Class, you do get all the extra inclusions such as lounge access and baggage allowance.

Airport Experience

Checking in at Keflavik International Airport was an absolute breeze. There was a clearly marked priority queue, but nobody was waiting in any of the lines anyway. The Icelandair staff contracted to check in Finnair’s passengers were super friendly and even took the time to point out the location of the lounge and security fast-track lane.

In Reykjavik, Finnair uses the Icelandair Saga Lounge. This appears to be the only lounge at this airport, so it’s not as though Finnair has much of a choice. Nonetheless, this is a really nice lounge.

I would just note once again that lounge access is not an included benefit with a Business Light ticket. I was able to get in with my Oneworld Emerald status, although Oneworld Sapphire (Qantas Gold status) would also suffice.

The Saga Lounge has lots of natural light and good views over the airport, being on the upper level of the terminal. It has a range of seating areas with comfortable chairs, as well as toilets and showers.

The buffet included some hot food options and local Icelandic cuisine. In my opinion, the food selection could have been a bit more substantial but it certainly wasn’t bad. There was also a great drinks selection, including some local Icelandic beers and spirits, I particularly enjoyed the blueberry liquor and Icelandic chocolate, which aren’t things you’d find in most airport lounges.

Boarding for flight AY994 was slightly delayed due to the late arrival of the inbound aircraft. But once it got underway, boarding was efficient and painless. Finnair boards in groups, and Business Class was called forward first with Group 1.

The Hard Product

When you fly in Business Class on one of Finnair’s wide-body aircraft, such as the Airbus A350 or A330, you’ll get to enjoy Finnair’s excellent AirLounge seat. Unfortunately, you won’t find anything nearly as fancy on Finnair’s short-haul flights operated by the Airbus A320 family aircraft.

Let’s not beat around the bush: Short-haul Business Class within Europe is nothing particularly special. Almost every European airline uses the same seats in Economy and Business on its shorter flights, merely blocking the middle seats in Business. This approach allows the airlines to expand or shrink Business Class based on the demand for each individual flight. They merely need to move the curtain to “create” or “remove” Business Class seats.

Finnair is no exception. In Business Class on the Airbus A319, I simply get a regular Economy-style seat with nobody in the middle seat.

That said, I found Finnair’s Airbus A319 seats perfectly comfortable for a three-hour flight where I wasn’t planning to sleep. The seats have just enough padding and recline, and the legroom is very decent. I could comfortably stretch my legs out under the seat in front and with nobody in the middle seat, I felt like I had enough space.

The particular plane operating my flight was 23 years old, but seemed to be in good condition. There were no charging outlets or in-flight entertainment, but Wi-Fi was available. You could also access a moving map showing the flight status through the Wi-Fi portal.

Finnair Plus members, as well as anyone with a Business Classic or Flex ticket, can get free internet access for part of the flight. As I was on a Business Light fare and had my Qantas Frequent Flyer number on the ticket, I did not qualify. But I could have purchased access at a cost of €6.95 (~AU$11) for an hour or €11.95 (~AU$19) for the whole flight.

Interestingly, Qantas Classic Reward tickets in Business Class would qualify you for 30 minutes of free internet streaming on Finnair short-haul flights. My travelling companion was on a Qantas reward ticket and successfully connected.

The Soft Product

A bottle of water was waiting for me at my seat when I boarded. There was also a blanket on the middle seat, although I’m not sure if that was intended to be used or just to signify that the seat was blocked, since there was only one blanket between two passengers.

We took off just before sunset and had some great views of Reykjavik…

…then the recent of Iceland as we headed east into the sunset, bound for Helsinki.

After take-off, the purser, who was looking after Business Class, handed out hot towels. This was followed by a packet of pretzels and a choice of drinks. I opted for a glass of sparkling wine, while my travelling companion ordered Finnair’s signature “Northern Blush” cocktail.

Business Class passengers got a hot meal on this flight. There were no printed menus and there was just one “one-size-fits-all” meal provided, but it was a good one.

The main dish was a very tasty chicken schnitzel served with potatoes, leak, a caper and lemon. This came with herring and carrots on the side.

Smoked fish could be a polarising appetiser choice for non-Finnish passengers, but personally I liked it. I do love when airlines embrace their national culture and cuisine, and I can’t really think of a more appropriate route to serve herring than on a flight from Iceland to Finland! This came with a bread roll that was surprisingly soft and warm, and metal cutlery.

After dinner I ordered Finnair’s excellent blueberry juice and tried the Northern Blush cocktail for myself. I really like this mixture of gin, lingonberry and orange peel, but it’s apparently not for everyone. The flight attendant asked us later in the flight if we liked the cocktail, admitting that she really wasn’t a fan herself.

For dessert, the crew served a warm cinnamon scroll. Yum!

Even though it’s just a small thing, I really like the glassware Finnair uses in Business Class. It has a distinct Finnish design and adds a small touch of elegance to the Finnair short-haul Business Class experience.

While the meal service and drinks were very good, I do think that Finnair offered used to offer slightly better catering in its short-haul Business Class. Unfortunately, the airline has done a bit of cost cutting in recent years.

Notably, there wasn’t a separate selection of drinks available for Business Class. Instead, Business passengers could simply order anything off the Economy Class drinks menu for free. This covers most bases, but for example, they no longer offer champagne (just sparkling wine) and there were no herbal teas available. Finnair also seems to have stopped supplying pillows on board.

These are mostly just small things and overall, I still enjoyed Finnair’s on-board service.

Matt Graham

The editor of Australian Frequent Flyer, Matt's passion for travel has taken him to over 90 countries… with the help of frequent flyer points, of course!
Matt's favourite destinations (so far) are Germany, Brazil & Kazakhstan. His interests include aviation, economics & foreign languages, and he has a soft spot for good food and red wine.

You can connect with Matt by posting on the Australian Frequent Flyer community forum and tagging @AFF Editor.