On our way out of Iceland, we tried out SAS intra-Europe business class largely because we grabbed it for a great price.

View other posts in this series:

• Trip Introduction: Springtime in the Land of Fire and Ice
• A Nice Time at the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX
• Simple But Effective: Virgin Atlantic 787-9 Upper Class LAX-LHR
• Sofitel London Heathrow: Great for LHR Terminal 5
• Now With a Nice Kids Area: British Airways Galleries South
• The Reykjavik EDITION: Simple Luxury But Not Perfect
• The Steakhouse (Steikhúsið): A Great Spot in Reykjavik
• Forréttabarinn Reykjavik: Excellent Small Dishes, Good for the Family
• Northern Lights in Iceland: What to Know and How to Find
• Blue Lagoon Iceland: What You Need to Know Before You Visit
• Driving in Iceland: About As Simple As In The United States
• Vik, Iceland: An Excellent Day Trip From Reykjavik
• The Amazing Golden Circle in Iceland: Path and Activities
• Best Things to do in Reykjavik with Kids
• Where to eat in Reykjavik with Kids
• Icelandair Saga Lounge KEF: Simple But Calming
• Affordable Comfort: SAS Intra-Europe Business Class (this post)
• SAS Business Lounge CPH: A Great Place for a Layover
• Hilton Frankfurt Airport: Pretty Good with Kids and Families
• Lufthansa Senator Lounge FRA (Z Gates): Good for a Quick Bite
• Lufthansa 747-8 Business Class FRA-LAX: Good for Couples

Booking SAS business class KEF-CPH-FRA

We had a flight home that departed out of Frankfurt, Germany. Thus, that left us with only a few options:

• Fly Icelandair nonstop, which was quite expensive at roughly $350 in economy for the one-way flight
• Fly Discover nonstop, but it was a redeye
• Connect somewhere else for a cheaper price

Award flight options weren’t all that appealing from a price and availability perspective. But we happened upon SAS business class, which was at the time still considered “premium economy” within Google’s flight searches. With SAS business the same price as economy with Icelandair, I figured ‘why not’, especially since it didn’t factor in the luggage expense or seat fees I might have to pay with Icelandair. Or the points I would earn by paying cash.

While we like reducing our expenses by paying in points, this is one of those times where at best we would get only 1 cent per point. Why use points if cash represents a better deal?

Earning SAS Eurobonus miles

If you’d like to earn SAS miles and pay with those rather than cash, you’re now in luck. Rove is the only bank program that will transfer points over to SAS miles. Earning Rove miles can be a little tough as there’s currently no credit card that will quickly fuel your balance. You’ll have to stick to their travel portal for most of your point-earning capabilities, which can also earn you points/elite credit at hotel programs too.

First impressions of SAS Intra-Europe business class

We arrived at Keflavik International Airport (KEF) and quickly checked in our luggage. Thankfully, doing so was quite simple as there were no crowds at the SAS counter anywhere. At the desk, I confirmed with the agents that we have access to the Icelandair Saga Lounge. They took a moment to recall the rules (since they were brand new at the time) and then we were on our way.

There is a fast track lane for security if you’re flying in business class, which we were. However, a little bit of advice: stick all your electronics outside your bag. Apparently no electronics can be inside your backpack or duffel but no one was informing anyone of that rule nor was it posted anywhere. Thus, nearly everyone’s bag was flagged for secondary screening, causing frustration for security staff and a backup at the checkpoint.

Once through, you’re greeted by a large duty-free shop. Last chance for souvenirs!

From there, we spent most of our short time waiting in the Icelandair Saga Lounge. Once it was time to board, we joined the Sky Priority lane and waited for our turn. This particular gate (A13) felt like it was randomly in the hallway, which meant limited seating, forcing people to hover. It was a bit chaotic but I can’t blame SAS on the disorder when there really was no place for people to wait.

We’re going to break up the review into two mini-reviews: one for the A320 we flew KEF-CPH and one for the E195 we flew to FRA.

SAS A320 intra-Europe business class

As we entered the plane, the glass jet bridge gave us one last look at Iceland. In the winter, I don’t mind these glass walls at all. But during hot summer months, you get a strong greenhouse effect in here and it’s not pleasant.

The seats on this A320 are the typical setup you would famously see within Europe. A set of three seats that mirrors what you would find in economy class. A “blocked” middle, which here just means they only sell two seats of the three. Legroom isn’t different than what you would expect in economy.

One thing that will let you know you’re in business is the headrest, which mentions you’re in business class, and the curtain separating you from the rest of the cabin.

So, what are you paying for when you fly business class?

• Lounge access before your flight and during connections
• A meal, even on shorter flights
• Complimentary drinks
• Checked luggage allowance
• Among the first on and off the plane
• Extra space on the flight due to the blocked middle seat

Meal service started with a bag of nuts. I’m sure you could tell they weren’t warmed.

Then drink service followed. Jenn chose to stay hydrated with sparkling water. And I chose some champagne.

And then the food came out. We’ll start with the kids, who both selected the kids meal. This was meatballs with potatoes and vegetables with a chocolate cake. Alex generally is a fan of meatballs, so he was fine with the meal. But Char wasn’t that interested in it. At least she got food before the flight!

That’s the one thing that’s good about having lounge access before these short flights. It’s extra insurance in case the kids don’t care for the food on the plane. These flights are short enough where they’ll survive.

The adult meals came out shortly after the kids meals. Our meals were a lemon gnocchi in a tomato sauce with mozzarella and basil. A little surprisingly, the adult meal main dish seemed a little more kid-friendly than the kids meal did. The gnocchi was a bit overcooked and lacked a little flavor but still enjoyed it.

Being on this flight gave us one last chance to peek at Iceland. Until next time!

SAS E195 intra-Europe business class

In Copenhagen, we spent some time at the SAS lounge before heading over to our gate to continue on to Frankfurt. Being in this area made me realize that we’ve actually departed here at this same gate all the way back when Alex was just a 1-year-old. Memories!

Soon enough, it was our time to board. While I could have boarded in Zone 1 thanks to my SkyTeam Elite Plus status, I went with the rest of the family in Zone 2. In fact, there wasn’t anyone who went in Zone 1 on this particular flight so it didn’t matter much.

Now, the E195 is a much smaller plane than the A320, but the great news is that business class is more like what you might expect in the US. There was more legroom, seats had better padding, there’s no blocked middle to worry about.

Once the kids got settled in, they were good for the journey. It helps bringing their own entertainment so they can relax on the plane.

And given how small the plane was, before we knew it, everyone was onboard and the plane was getting ready to depart.

Once up in the air, I wasn’t looking to drink more. However, I wanted to try out this Hazy IPA strictly because of its cute label. I haven’t seen Scandinavian Clouds before but I was happy to have tried it out. I’m a bit partial to beers that clearly seem intended for flights.

This time, we’ll start with the adult food since it came out first. This meal is a selection of cheeses, a venison and creamed celeriac remoulade, and some cheesecake. This dish was cold likely because it’s such a short flight. Given that we ate enough during our layover, we only lightly ate this dish. It’s not too filling, but it’s probably better that way.

But it’s great that even on short flights like this one you still get a meal. Compare that to the US and you’ll find that airlines would just give a bag of chips and call it a day.

The kids meal was some tortellini with balls of mozzarella cheese, peas, and bell peppers. On the side were some vegetables and chocolate cake. I think the kids were thrown off a little by it being a cold dish too, as they would normally prefer it warm. Maybe I need to get them used to eating cold meals at some point?

There wasn’t too much interesting scenery to see on this particular route. But before we knew it, we were on approach to Frankfurt.

Wi-Fi and Entertainment

Let’s start this section by noting that SAS is still trying to figure out how to offer premium services. They only started getting into the intra-Europe business class game, including offering lounge access at third-party contract lounges within Europe in 2026. While we’ve heard their long-haul business class is comfortable, their intra-Europe amenities are a bit lacking in any cabin.

Case in point: they have no inflight entertainment… at all. No seat-back monitors, no entertainment over Wi-Fi, no old-fashioned magazines to read. This is one of those flights where you just need to bring a book and entertain yourself.

In fact, there was no Wi-Fi on either flight. Hopefully, that changes by the time you read this because you’d expect planes to have something in 2026. I can understand a regional plane like the E195 not having internet, but an A320 too?

Recommendation: Only if the price is right

In our case, we were able to get SAS business class for a pretty low price, making it easy for us to say yes. Sure, it’s not as efficient as a nonstop flight would have been, but at a price that was ultimately less than nonstop economy, it felt worthwhile.

We might have benefitted somewhat from SAS still trying to get into the intra-Europe business class game, suppressing the price they could command. If you’re able to get a great rate, we’d recommend it. But once SAS starts charging more of a premium, whether you decide it’s worthwhile will depend on what you’re looking for. If you need the lounge access and extra luggage space, we’d consider it.

Have you flown SAS intra-Europe business class yet?

Suggested reading:

• Review: British Airways A320 Club Europe Business Class
• A Bit Too Simple: Brussels Airlines A319 Business Class (Intra-Europe)
• Know Your Rights: EU 261/2004 Helps With Flight Delays