A little while ago I was fortunate enough to be able to fly to Copenhagen on a business trip. In this article I wanted to go over my experience. I’ll give you an impression of both the flight to Copenhagen, as well as the return flight. For the most part, the two flights were near identical, but the return flight, departing Copenhagen, was more polished.
I departed Newark Liberty Intl (EWR) at 5:30pm on SAS flight 910, scheduled to arrive in Copenhagen Kastrup Intl (CPH) the following day at 7:15AM. The return flight, about a week later, was scheduled to depart at 12:25PM on flight 909, and arrived at 2:55PM in Newark, local time.
- How I booked this flight
- Check-in experience and security
- The SAS lounges at EWR and CPH
- Boarding to takeoff and the seat
- Meal service
- Lavatories and service
- Sleep (or lack thereof), and pre-landing service
- Final thoughts
- Summary
How I booked this flight
This being a business trip, I booked this flight all cash, for ~3600$. I booked this August 2024 trip all the way back in March 2024, so some ways out. At the time, I selected it because it would be by far the cheapest nonstop option with a good-looking business class seat. The other option would have been Delta Airlines on their aging Boeing 767-300 with what looks like an ancient 2-2-2 business class hardware product.
Scandinavian Airlines had two frequencies at the time – and they still do. But, given that they joined Skyteam recently, let’s see how things will change. Before the jump to Skyteam, New York-Newark clearly was their focus, given that they were in Star Alliance, with United, and United has a massive hub at Newark. As such, SAS sends their A330-300 to Newark, while they send their newish A321 to JFK. SAS also has a dedicated lounge in Newark. Although I much prefer flying out of JFK, the business class product on the A321 does not guarantee aisle access: it is an alternating 2-2, 1-1, 2-2 setup, with the 1-1 being roomy throne seats, while the 2-2 looked a little cramped on the pictures. Hence, I decided to go with the Newark-Copenhagen-Newark itinerary although I do not like Newark airport at all and it’s more of a hassle for me to get there, since I live in the Midtown East neighborhood of Manhattan.
I had a quick look through Seats.Aero what availability looks like these days if you want to get this flight with points, but it doesn’t seem nonstop business class availability on SAS is available. One way premium economy is available for 37,500 points (20,500 in economy) however with Virgin Atlantic, which is not a bad deal. But, if you’re already paying that, why not fly through Paris and, for 5000 points extra, have 2-day stopover to enjoy the city?
Check-in experience and security
SAS departs from terminal B in Newark, in the pier that holds gates B60-68 (the northern-most pier of terminal B). In Newark, upon arrival, I made my way to the business class line, and was first in line. The process was quick: I placed my suitcase on the belt, handed my passport, and within minutes was ready to go. I had already checked in online through the SAS app, but was asked if I wanted a paper boarding pass, to which I said yes. Despite having the digital version, I do recommend getting a paper one, just in case. The service throughout was a little gruff, and I wasn’t shown where to go for security or where the lounge was. At security I was not pointed to the express lane either, but since there were no people whatsoever, it wouldn’t have mattered.
In Copenhagen the experience is somewhat better. You’d go to the international check-in area for this flight, at terminal 3. You’ll find the business class check-in area at your left. Here, too, there was no line. Since I’m not a US citizen, I was not able to check-in online, and so the process took a little longer. However, the service was quite a bit more friendly, and without much further, ado, was given my boarding pass. This time, I was directed to the fast lane security, as well as was given instructions to the lounge.
I’ll add that Copenhagen fast lane security is a separate room with two dedicated security lanes, with very friendly personnel that quickly ands efficiently scanned my belongings. I was on my way in under 5 minutes.
The SAS lounges at EWR and CPH
In Newark, to get to the lounge you walk down the walkway to the pier, and right before you get to the circular main area of the pier, you will see a sign for the SAS lounge, on the left. this is one of only two outstation lounges that Newark operates, the other one being in Chicago (ORD). All other lounges are in Scandinavia. Note that if I had flown from JFK, I had been directed to the Air France lounge in Terminal 1, which, honestly, may have been the better choice…
As a business class passenger, lounge access comes complimentary. Otherwise, lounge access also comes with an “SAS Plus [premium economy] ticket, as a benefit for EuroBonus Diamond and Gold members and for SkyTeam Elite Plus members“. Note that SkyTeam Elite Plus is typically received when reaching gold status with member airlines, such as KLM/Air France’s Flying Blue or Delta Airlines’ SkyMiles.
I was quite early so the lounge was probably 30% full. Entering was easy, with just a scan of my boarding pass. The lounge was airy and pleasant, though perhaps not as modern as you might expect from a lounge operated by Scandinavian airlines. Three distinct sitting areas were divided into an area with large, round tables for community-style snacking, comfortable lounge seats with side tables, as well as slightly elevated area with an elevated bench and bar-style seating. I grabbed a seat and placed my bag and coat, and checked out the buffet. Unfortunately, the food wasn’t being served yet:
Two drink stations gave you a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, with diverse kinds of spirits, beer and wine:
As you can see, when I got there the choices were limited to crackers and pretzels, and a cold salad bar. It was only about 30 minutes later that plain and buffalo wings were brought in, as well as some soup. The wings were nice, but nothing particularly special.
About an hour later, the lounge started to really fill up, as we were getting closer to the departure time of the SAS flights that day. Flights to Copenhagen, Oslo and Norway were all leaving around the same time, it seemed. Closer to my departure time the lounge was getting rather crowded and a little loud, and since the departures board had changed to say the gate from my flight was open (unexpected, since it was 20 minutes before the boarding time on my boarding pass), I decided to head for the gate. At this time, I’d say 95% of seats were taken, and the buffet rather crowded. There was even a line at the restrooms.
The Copenhagen SAS lounge can be reached by turning immediately left after the fast lane security. This lounge is much bigger and is divided immediately into two areas: the standard ‘SAS lounge’ and the ‘SAS Gold lounge’. The difference is that the SAS Gold lounge can only be accessed by those passengers that are “EuroBonus Diamond and Gold members or Sky Team Elite Plus travelers presenting a boarding pass for an SAS operating or a Sky Team partner flight departing from the local airport”, according to the SAS website. So, you need to have SkyTeam Elite Plus status and be flying with a SkyTeam member airlines. If you have that, you can turn right and up the stairs.
What makes Copenhagen airport’s setup a little different is that the lounge is located before passport control. So, don’t wait until the last minute to go to your gate if you’re on a non-Shengen flight (such as to the US).
Also note: upon arrival at Copenhagen you can go to the lounge and take a shower as well. Useful if you’re coming off of a long flight and it’s too early to check-in at your hotel!
Given that I do not have SkyTeam Elite Plus status (yet), I was directed to the ‘regular’ SAS lounge, on the same floor. This space perhaps was somewhat larger than the lounge in Newark (as you’d expect from a home lounge), with some distinct seating areas.
The seating options were very similar to those in Newark, consisting of an area with high tables for eating, an area with lounge chairs and side tables, as well as back area with more of such seating. To the right of that back-areas was also a hallway that lead to severla showers, which could be booked with the front desk.
When I arrived it was only about 9AM, and the lounge was quite empty. The food was breakfast, and not particularly interesting, with yoghurt, a cold salad bar, some breads and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Around 11AM, in preparation for lunch, much of that was replaced with some rather tasty salads.
While the salads were cold, they were flavorful and refreshing, and I enjoyed having them. Soon after I left the lounge and made my way to the gate.
Boarding to takeoff and the seat
Given that this was a simple return flight on the same aircraft type with the same overall product, I opted to combine the two flights into a single ‘impression’. Upon boarding, both times, group 1 was called early, before the boarding door was actually opened. It’s not clear to me if this is normal, but regardless it was a little awkward to stand in the jetway waiting to be allowed in. When we were finally allowed to enter the aircraft, boarding was through the second door, and I was directed to the left with a friendly ‘welcome’.
The seat is a Thompson Vantage XL seat, customized for SAS. This seat faces forward, with the seat bring a ‘true’ window seat in even numbered rows, while being removed further away from the window in uneven numbered rows. In that case, the console will be next to the window and the seat will be closer to the aisle. In the middle the seats alternate by being adjacent or further apart, and the former would be preferred for a couple traveling together. Now, SAS actually makes you pay for your seat in business class, but 48 hours before departure you can select a seat for free. Initially I was assigned to row 5, but when I checked back later, 6A had opened up on the flight to Copenhagen, and on the flight back seat 2A. Note that if you have no preference for a window seat, it shouldn’t matter what row you’re in.
It features a full flat bed with a console to the side that included a storage space with a plank that held the amenity kit and a bottle of water, as well as a hook with noise-cancelling headphones with the SAS logo, a ‘mood light’, a spotlight with variable angle, and the tray table popped out from under the armrest. Right next to the seat, in a place that’s a little awkward to get to, was a USB-A outlet as well as an international power socket. The seat controls are in three locations: on a remote control that can be popped out of its socket; on a control panel that’s on the center console, and along the edge of the side table. The latter is a practical location to initiate upright position when fully reclined. The center console control panel also has light controls and a massage mode for the seat, but don’t expect too much from that.
Directly in front was a 15.4” screen and to the right of that a small storage pocket, and at the height of the footrest was a literature pocket. This contained some guides on how to access the WiFi and such matters.
It was easy to get situated quickly. The overhead storage bins are large and offer plenty of space for larger carry-ons, although I only carried a backpack into the cabin. I tend to prefer check in as much luggage as I can and then travel light around the airport and in the cabin. There isn’t however really any suitable place to leave a laptop, so the only thing o do was to leave that in my backpack until after takeoff. I had only taken out a book, which could be conveniently stored in the pocket to the right of the entertainment display (as can be seen on above photo). There was also a coat hook.
The seat was comfortable to sit in, and tucket in-between the window and the side table/console, it felt very nice and private, almost cozy. The styling on the seat, with the dark tones on the fabric and finishings on the console, contrasted by the light tones on the shelf of the console, was calming. A good start to the flight!
Presented on the seat was the bedding, by Dux in partnership with SAS. The pillow felt a little flimsy unfortunately, though the blanket was nice, definitely thicker and more cozy then what you’d get in premium economy or economy. There was no mattress pad.
On the little shelf to the right of the seat was the amenity kit. This came in a reusable bag of sorts, and in it were a pair of stockings, which were quite comfy, as well as an eye mask, a bamboo toothbrush, lip balm and moisturizer by Verso, and ear plugs. The amenity kit was therefor a little basic, but it gets the job done. The stockings were probably the nicest part of this kit.
After 20 minutes or so a flight attendant came by offering water, champagne or a changing juice, which was cranberry to CPH and orange juice to EWR, and this came in glassware. on the flight to CPH, the flight attendant also came by to ask if I wanted to be woken up for breakfast, which I did not (the flight departed at 5:30PM so it would take some time before I’d be able to fall asleep and I wanted to maximize that time. Besides, the breakfast was yoghurt, granola and fruit, so didn’t sound too tantalizing). Otherwise they came by to distribute the menu, though they did not ask for your order. SAS does give the ability to preorder a meal up to 24 hours before departure, which is what I did. See below for a sample of the menu, with the full dinner and pre-landing. The options differ depending on where you’re departing from. I felt the food was better on the return flight, which shouldn’t be surprising given that outstation food is usually less good than the food from an airline’s hub. Needless to say I was very excited for the pre-landing meal: the traditional Scandinavian open-faced sandwich.
Both flights’ boarding was completed early and we pushed back earlier than scheduled. from there it was a 10 minute taxi to the runway, and takeoff was otherwise uneventful with beautiful views of Copenhagen on the return flight.
Meal service
Service was a little slow to start after takeoff. After about 30-40 minutes, the flight attendants came by to distribute tablecloths, and this was followed some 10 minutes later by a large ramekin of warm nuts (which was very tasty) and a choice drink. I opted for wine one way but juice the other way, as I had decided to pace myself a little better. They had a Portuguese and a French white wine, besides reds and champagne, which were both rather good.
I estimate it took another 15 minutes or so before they came by again to clear the ramekin and to follow it up with the appetizer. Initially they served butter and a warm bread roll as well as cutlery, and then a few minutes later they came by for the appetizers. What’s kind of nice is that the attendant distributing the meals is dressed with a chef’s coat, which adds to the ambiance, and I really enjoyed that little details.
For the appetizer I selected smoked turkey breast with sauteed mushrooms on the way to CPH, which was quite tasty, though it was cold – heated it would probably have been better. On the way back I selected the scallops, which again was cold and would have been much better if heated, but nevertheless it was quite tasty. Both were served with a side salad.
For the main dish, I had selected the ‘Yankee pot roast’. Here the flight attendants addressed me by name and confirmed my preorder choice, and added that SAS appreciated that I’d did as it helps prevent food waste, plus she said that the pot roast does tend to run out first, so it’s good I ordered it. I she to say, it was very good. The beef was very tender and full of flavor. The vegetables were a little forgettable but tasted fine nonetheless. On the return flight I selected something rather similar, namely what was described as ‘smoked beef burnt ends’, which was also very good. Again the vegetables were a little bit dead, but fine regardless. I did prefer the mashed potatoes of the outbound flight, rather then the fried potato rosti on the return flight.
Soon after I finished the main course, the table was cleared. A little later the flight attendants passed by for dessert. The truth is hat I was very full after the meal on the flight to CPH, so while there was a selection of cheese, fruit and a pastry, I could only stuff down some fruit. On the way to EWR I did partake in all of the dessert, which was similar except for swapping the cheese from a popsicle (totally fine with that!). All were tasty, though I thought the apple pie was a little watery. Still tasty, though.
Finally, when this was cleared, there was a choice of tea or coffee. I was offered a selection of teas to choose from, but then no hot water came. The particular flight attendant that served me was a little bit forgetful, was my impression. She seemed a little chaotic up to this point and so I wasn’t too surprised that the hot water never followed. When she finally came by with a thermos I made the mistake to immediately reach out for it, only to find out that she poured me.. coffee. So I drank it dutifully and then later had some hot water for my tea.
Lavatories and service
So then this may be a good point to discuss the service a little bit. On both flights I found the flight attendants to be perfectly sufficient and helpful, though there was some clear variability between them. Some flight attendants gave very friendly and attentive service whereas others seemed rather chaotic and out of place. It didn’t seem to have much to do with seniority or age either, was my feeling. So, I did come away with some mixed feelings on that.
At this point remaining items from meal service were cleared, and I decided to work a bit. The tray table is more than big enough to fit my 16″ work laptop. After extending the tray table, it can be pulled towards you so you don’t have to sit hunched forward, making for a rather comfy work setup. Afterwards I watched some movies. I wouldn’t say that SAS’ entertainment library is extensive. There’s more than enough available, though perhaps not filled with the latest releases. It was nice however that there was a mix of things, including shows and movies from Apple TV+, which surprised me: I assumed these would remain entirely exclusive to that platform. Otherwise, there were some games one could play, a very small selection of music, as well as the regular moving map feature. There were also outside cameras, one for the front of the plane and one oriented downwards, but this one did not appear to show any kind of live feed. As for the headphones, they were perfectly adequate. The noise canceling function was effective, though I didn’t find them that comfortable. They were a little stiff and tight around my head, which ultimately became a little uncomfortable.
At this point it was time to check out the lavatory. There are three business class lavatories on this plane, one to the left-front, and two in the back of the business class cabin, on either side of the plane. To my surprise, SAS outfits their business class lavatories (the back ones at least) with a window! This was very nice, as it added some natural light to an otherwise dark and cramped room. The lavatory was also spacious, and the finishings were that of a wooden texture, though there wasn’t much in terms of premium amenities. The flight attendants did a good job to keep the lavatory clean until the end of flight, though.
Sleep (or lack thereof), and pre-landing service
On the return flight I lounged around a little, reclining my seat so as to more comfortably watch a movie. I tried to snooze a little without much luck. On the flight to CPH, however, I tried to sleep as soon as the desert was removed. I fully reclined the seat, put on the eye mask and tried to get comfortably. Unfortunately, not much luck there. The cabin was kept quite warm, and without individual air nozzles, reclined in the seat, there was very little air flow, so that it became uncomfortably hot. I was too warm to use the blanket, and was sweating. The seat was also quite hard despite setting it to the ‘softest’ setting, and the cushion being a little flimsy, I found it difficult to get really comfortable. Truthfully, the wine didn’t help, as well as the early departure time. Everything combined, I probably fell asleep sometime around 10pm New York time – about 4.5 hours into the flight, so with only about 2.5-3 hours to go, I would barely sleep on the flight. That was a huge bummer, but a valuable lesson: If I fly to Europe and have the option to sleep in a reclined position, I really ought to prioritize a departure time that coincides with my normal bed time. If flying economy, the earlier time probably makes more sense.
Towards the end of the flight to CPH breakfast was served, but as I had noted, I opted to skip it and ‘sleep in’, as the flight attendant had noted (perhaps ironically?). On the flight to EWR I was very excited for the open-faced sandwich that the menu promised. This was served on a single tray with a chocolate by Hedh Escalante, based in Lund, Sweden, as well as a small bowl of fruit. suffice it to say that I adore these sandwiches. This particular one was a slice of (excellent) rye bread, with on top dill mayo, egg, shrimp and sweetened onions. If that sounds strange, I agree – but it’s delicious. Please try it sometime! I conveyed my enthusiasm to the ‘chef’ flight attendant, and he seemed excited about my excitement, which made for a fun interaction!
Not too long after the pre-landing meal, the descent was started. The flight attendants really allowed you to stroll around until quite close to final approach, and they didn’t even really check if everything was secured. They were most interested in ensuring the seat was in its upright position, the tray table was locked in place, and you were wearing your seatbelt correctly, but otherwise didn’t really ensure phones and other objects were stowed. I left my phone on the side table, which certainly moved around as the plane made its way down the runway and touched down – in a rather cloudy Newark.
Despite the fact that I do not like flying in and out of Manhattan due to the trouble of getting there, plus what I feel is a horrible confusing, 60’s-era departure/arrival area with very outdated facilities, I do have to give credit where it’s due. EWR, if landing in a southern direction, can have a stunning view of the Manhattan skyline. Plus, I found the terminal B immigration screening area to be rather nice, with a big glass canopy that made it not nearly as depressing as JFK’s immigration facilities, or the one at SFO’s Intl terminal.
Final thoughts
I’ve generally read not-so-good comments on SAS’s business class product, and while I feel there are some rough edges in the service, I thought these were very pleasant flights overall. I thought the seat was comfortable, though not as comfy for sleeping; the amenity kit was okay but practical; the food overall was quite good (beef may be SAS’s strong point); the service varied by flight attendant but was generally good (though I recognize that those less familiar with north-western European service standards may think of it as quite bad, given that north-western service culture is generally friendly, but standoff-ish. I do think it’s still miles friendlier than on any US airline and would much prefer SAS’s service); the entertainment was perfectly fine. Overall, I’d be happy to fly them again, though, with their entry into SkyTeam and eventual joining in the SkyTeam transatlantic alliance (that’s the goal, at least), I imagine SAS’s fares may go up to match those of KLM/Air France, Delta and Virgin. If that were to happen, I do think I’d prefer the service of KLM/Air France and will be more inclined to fly through a stop in Amsterdam or Paris (not London, though).
Summary
I flew Scandinavian Airlines from Newark to Copenhagen and back in business class on their A330-300. Overall, I enjoyed these flights but did think that the flight from Copenhagen to Newark was more polished, with better food options, a little better service, and a plane that was in slightly better condition. I had mixed impressions from the service but was overall pleased. I have often heard that not everybody likes the ‘Scandinavian’s tyle of hospitality, which tends to be more direct and no-frills compared to most other countries. I suppose this was exemplified by the amenity kit, which was rather practical in nature, rather than being more luxurious. I did not mind this personally. Overall, I wouldn’t hesitate to fly this product again, but would also not go out of my way to fly it, and if fares go up, I’d probably prefer to fly with KLM or Air France.
Points to Seats 
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