SAS to Offer Business Class on Short-Haul European Flights

Starting next summer, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) will reintroduce business class on its intra-European flights, aligning its regional offerings with those of Air France-KLM, which took a significant stake in the Nordic carrier.

Currently, the best seat you can nab on SAS’s regional jets is branded “SAS Plus.” It’s a premium economy service with seats at the front of the cabin, complimentary snacks and drinks, free Wi-Fi, and, on the ground, lounge access and priority boarding.

Photo: Courtesy of SAS

The proposed business class would be a step up. Although it’ll use the same economy seats, the middle seats will be blocked off, giving travelers more space, and a curtain will be hung to create a separate cabin with a dedicated lavatory.

The food and beverages will be better too. Although the details are still unknown, SAS used to serve meals on ceramic plates in its European business class.

Business class ticket holders will also see priority treatment on the ground and gain access to lounges.

SAS hasn’t revealed when it will start offering business class seats, except that it will be during the summer of 2025. The switch won’t be difficult: SAS must block off middle seats and install a curtain between cabins.

Photo: SAS, Airbus A320. Courtesy of Miguel Angel Sanz / Unsplash

The announcement follows SAS’s recent emergence from bankruptcy proceedings, now part of the Air France-KLM Group.

The Franco-Dutch aviation group intends to increase its stake in SAS and lift it into its transatlantic joint venture with Delta Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. That means revenue sharing on certain flights.

The group doesn’t want to lose business-class customers who expect a higher class of service on every leg of their flight from, say, New York (JFK) to Stockholm (ARN) and might be put off by the limited perks of SAS Plus on their last let.

Photo: Courtesy of SAS

Beyond connecting passengers, European business travelers will benefit from SAS’s regional network of around 100 destinations.

Meanwhile, SAS announced 14 new intra-Europe flights from Copenhagen (CPH), alongside a new international departure to Seattle (SEA). Starting next summer, the airline will fly from Copenhagen to: