Finnair’s Premium Economy. Reviewed

Finnair’s new Premium Economy Class was gradually introduced on all long-haul routes. Is the 80 percent surcharge worth it? What do the seats offer? What is the service like? And what about the food? We took a look at this on the flight from Osaka to Helsinki

Finnair’s Premium Economy Class on board the A350 features a 2-4-2 layout. In the two configurations there are 24 and 26 seats respectively, initially in three rows. The separate Premium Economy section is separated from the Economy section at the rear by flexible partition walls.

The new class offers more space on all long-haul flights to and from Asia and North America on the Airbus A350 and A330, mainly in the form of a 17.8 centimeter wider seat pitch than in regular Economy Class.


Seat Quality in Finnair’s Premium Economy Class

Finnair’s Premium Economy Class guests are seated in newly developed Vector seats from the manufacturer Haeco. The seat has an extendable lower leg rest, but unfortunately no footrest. The armrests are wide enough.

In my case (1.85 meters), 96.5 centimeters of seat pitch means that there is just under a hand’s width of space between my knees and the seat in front of me when sitting upright.

The seat can be reclined by 12 centimeters, which is an angle of not quite 10 degrees. This puts Finnair well below Lufthansa’s almost 21 centimeters. But you can achieve a more relaxed sleeping position.

The seat width of 18 inches, i.e. 45.7 centimetres, corresponds exactly to the width of Finnair’s regular Economy Class seating on board the A350-900. SIA and Japan Airlines with 19.5 inches (= 49.5 centimetres) and Air New Zealand with 20 inches (= 50.8 centimetres) offer seats that are a good five centimetres wider.

The adjustable „wings“ of the headrest and the Marimekko neck pillow ensure comfort during sleep. There is also a matching amenity kit made of reusable, washable kraft paper with sleeping goggles, earplugs and a bamboo toothbrush plus toothpaste.

The 26-seat configuration has its own Toilet directly in front of the Premium Economy area. This saves the annoying queuing, which is a great luxury in itself. And the warm refreshing towel to welcome you on board is also an amenity that I appreciate.

Entertainment in Finnair’s Premium Eco

The 13-inch touchscreen is large enough, has a good resolution and is intuitive to use. The entertainment program includes around 200 films and series. For our 12-hour and 30-minute flight, the selection is definitely varied enough.

Real-time flight information and map services, camera views and the visualization of the flight progress with the service schedule also provide entertainment: When will the food be served? When will it get dark? The overview shows all of this, including links to transfer information and connecting flights. Unfortunately, I missed the time when we flew over the North Pole.

Finnair Premium Economy passengers receive the same Phitek headphones with Active Noise Rejection as those in Business Class. These suppress flight and ambient noise on board very well.

Wine and Dine in Finnair’s Premium Economy Class

Finnair’s Premium Economy passengers receive two meals: A three-course meal and a lighter second meal before landing.

For the first meal, we only have a theoretical choice between sautéed chicken and pangasius as the main course. The chicken is already out after the second row … There is also a duck pastrami starter.

These dishes are served on porcelain tableware from the design brand Iittala. Drinks such as beer, wine, whisky or vodka (except for sparkling wine at 12 euros a glass and snacks at 4 euros) are free of charge throughout the flight.

I really like the Finnish KYRÖ malt whiskey. It’s thanks to the KYRÖ nightcaps that I manage to get a few hours‘ sleep after all.

Breakfast is the end of the fun. A bowl of mushy scrambled eggs, a bowl of potatoes and beans from a soggy cardboard box. I take that as a kind of bouncer …

Is Finnair’s Premium Economy worth it?

Finnair offers three premium economy fares: light, classic and flex. The classic fare is usually almost double the price of the eco fare. For example, four weeks before departure in mid-February, a return eco ticket cost 900 euros, and 1,640 euros for Premium Economy Class, which is a surcharge of 80 percent. According to our observations, this surcharge decreases slightly (by 80 to 120 euros) if you wait a little longer before booking.

What Finnair’s Premium Economy passengers don’t get? Printed menus, pre-departure drinks and more seat width than in Economy Class, which also offers 46 centimetres, but only 12-inch screens. A look at the standard Premium Economy dimensions of competitors: ANA offers 49 centimetres of width, Singapore Airlines 48

You could also put it the other way round and put it positively: Finnair’s Economy Class seats are unusually wide, whereas customers of Lufthansa, KLM or Emirates have to make do with 43 to 44 centimetres.

Click here for prices, information and booking

Peter Pfänder

The author from Bavaria has been living out his wanderlust since his early youth and was editor-in-chief of a major German travel magazine for ten years. Since 2020, he has been working as editorial director of Bayern Tourismus Marketing. Peter finds relaxation in open water swimming, on the SUP and MTB as well as in the sauna.

This article was originally written in German. It was translated into English with the help of Artificial Intelligence