Background
I was flying out of Helsinki Airport to head over to Oslo on a short Finnair flight. There are currently two Aspire Lounges accessible by Priority Pass on the Schengen side of the airport terminal, and then there is a Plaza Premium Lounge on the non-Schengen side. Since we were flying to Norway, part of Schengen, I could choose between this Aspire Lounge at Gate 27, or the one at Gate 13. I’ve read that the one at Gate 13 is more peaceful, but Gate 27 was the closest after clearing security, and not too far from my gate. So, I decided to give the Aspire Lounge Helsinki Gate 27 a try.
Access & Location
The Aspire Lounge Helsinki Gate 27 is open from 5 am to 9 pm daily. Access is permitted 3 hours before your scheduled flight departure.
It’s located on the 2nd floor, so you can either take the stairs next to Gate 27, or there is elevator access for wheelchair passengers only, located by Gate 26. While non-Schengen passengers can use this lounge, you will need to allow sufficient time (at least an extra 15 minutes) to clear passport control.
Dragon Pass and Priority Pass cardholders can access this lounge, and you can also buy a pass for 39 EUR.
The Lounge & Seating
The lounge isn’t huge, and once you pass the check-in desk, there are some seats as well as the drink & dessert section. They had coffee machines, soda machines as well as wine and spirits.
Restrooms are to the right of the entrance, and it’s nice they had their own lounge restrooms rather than having to go into the terminal.
As you go further down the lounge is the main seating area overlooking the runway.
Then in the back are more buffet sections with salads, cold cuts, breads, and my personal favorite, the Cauliflower Soup. It was a pretty limited selection, with the only hot option being the soup. Thankfully, it was quite tasty.
The lounge was a bit packed, but luckily we found a dining table seat next to the buffet towards the back. At a certain point, I did see some people have to circle the lounge trying to find a seat.
The Verdict
Overall, the Aspire Lounge Helsinki at Gate 27 was not a bad spot to relax for a bit before my flight, and I’m glad I stopped by for a snack even though the food options were limited. The Cauliflower Soup was so good and I will always remember that.
Have you visited the Aspire Lounge Helsinki at Gate 27 before? How was your visit? Comment below!
Cheers,
Ty
Have any questions? Comment below or email me at takeofftotravel@gmail.com. I’ve also started working with a travel agency, Fora Travel, and can assist in booking hotel stays or planning trips. You can also view all my other posts here! Thanks for stopping by!
