Review: SAS Plus Airbus A320neo

Best think about sas plus is that it offers good millage earning on partner airlines. 150% on a3 for example.

1) The legroom is pretty bad when you consider how the fact that Swedes, Danes and Norwegians are significantly taller than other nationalities.

2) The only go thing about SAS Plus is the lounge access, when you can actually access the lounge. Getting drunk for free is great since they basically don't have any in-flight service with free booze.

Further drinks are included in SAS Plus. In fact, you can order anything off the buy onboard menu without paying for them as they are included in your SAS Plus ticket. I usually get the muffin as they are quite good. The crew are told to not proactively offer this nor tell passengers unless being directly asked about it, so only their regulars know to ask and will get it. This is another initiative to reduce costs. Up until about late 2018 they used to make cabin announcements about this so passengers who aren't regulars would be aware, but they have stopped under management directive since then.

@Lucky, "I don’t believe any further drinks are included with SAS Plus, so this isn’t like business class, where you get free alcohol and other beverages."

Wrong, unless things have changed since the pandemic. In Plus, you can order anything from the BOB menu and get it for free, including alcohol, water bottles, smoothies, snacks, sweets, etc. That's the case on intra-Nordic, European, and long-haul flights. They usually aren't proactive on short-haul, so you have to request them.

Also, fast track security is a huge benefit for flying Plus at SAS hubs, since non-SK *G members are specifically excluded. OTOH, neither Plus nor *G will help at most other airports for lounge access/security - only works at airports with *A lounges/Gold Track.

Have they changed the policy about SAS Plus getting the buy on board products? I haven't flown them since 2019, but I used to fly them several times per year and loved that you could get anything from the Buy on Board menu for free. They usually had good chocolate, and their gin is quite yum.
If that still is the policy, but you chose not to take anything, it seems a bit harsh to critique them just because you chose not to ask...

Also, it isn't only Plus passengers offered free coffee and tea. All passengers are offered this.

Technically, SAS Plus IS premium economy. It isn't advertised or sold as business class as they have a separate SAS Business for their long haul fleet and removed business class on their short haul and medium haul flights a long time ago. Also, if you book SAS Plus and the flight is operated by, say Lufthansa, you'd be seated in economy. As a premium economy product it's perfectly fine, nothing fancy or extraordinary, but not too bad either.

They have limited alcohol to three units/bottles, but the rest is free of charge. The chocolate praline is back too, though last week they only gave one per person. Having commuted quite a lot on both SAS, Lufthansa, SWISS and United, there is a fairly big difference, but Ben is assuming SAS Plus is the equivalent to business class, which it isn't, and isn't marketed as such either, though I can understand the confusion.

Last week, they had limited all alcoholic beverages to three units/bottles. Anything in excess of that you had to pay for, and that was on a 6 hour flight in SAS Plus.

Anybody surprised that the sign at check-in was in English ... US English?

No. I'm sure it's mostly directed to the American passengers, so it makes sense to write it in English.

You expect it to be in Hindi or Mandarin?

Ben ben... everything from that menu is free for Sas plus passengers.

Flew SAS Plus last week, was not proactively offered alcohol, but asked for and received red wine, three servings, on a two hour flight with no charge. Also several bottles of water, and a box of chocolates.

Not really. English is the global language of aviation.

Furthermore, almost all Swedes speak excellent English.

Yeah, Ben you are incorrect as to alcohol, which is served “limitless within reason” in Plus……

In SAS Plus you can choose anything on the menu for free - except the “Specials” section.

But on morning flights it is not offered actively for some strange reason. They do try to keep it as a secret to save money obviously.

@Ben - just a small correction to the sentence where no was typed instead of "now".

"now" queueing for the buffet

On a different note, the choice to limit power provisions to a USB is deliberate for two reasons:

1. Most personal devices are now coming with USB charging cables where the adapter is replaceable. This is compact.

2. Airlines want to limit high current loads much as possible. I have observed people plugging in their multiplug adapters to the conventional seatback power plugs and charge their laptop, ipad, phone, camera batteries, powerbanks and what not. If everyone did this, there would be a significant load on the power supply units on the aircraft and much greater amperage capacity needed to each seatback along with ways to dissipate the greater heat. Hot and heavier cabling are undesirable on aircraft.

In business and first, airlines can get away with higher amperage plug points since these cabins serve a smaller number of passengers.

I flew CPH-KEF in June 2021...also on SAS Plus and we got the same exact box and service from FAs. the Plus cabin was mostly empty, friend and I each got our own rows. As far as food, something more substantial would have been appreciated since flight was over 3.5-4hrs long.

@ David -- Thanks for the heads up, I updated the post to reflect this. What a bizarre system, given that this is neither listed as a benefit on SAS' website, nor is it encouraged by the crew. But good to know nonetheless, thanks!

Ben, I’m curious, where did you credit the flight?

@ Chris -- I credited it to Singapore KrisFlyer, simply because I'm a Star Alliance Gold member there, so wanted to have that on the reservation.

The SAS Plus concept is mainly aiming at corporate travelers, whose employers do neither permit Business nor Premium Eco. Therefore, even in GDS it is coded either as Plus or as Eco, but not as Business or Premium eco.

Apart from the benefits you mention, the Plus fares are also flexible.

Does SAS Plus come with any additional mileage bonuses or baggage allowances? If so, I could see myself paying an extra $50 for it despite already being Star Gold.

I have between Brussells and Stockholm and Stockholm to Copenhagen. We got a meal on one and the I think it was fish and we could get something else. I got something else. I find SAS flight attendants not rude but don't go out of their way to be nice or chatty. Compare it to an Air Lingus flight where tweo flight attendants and I had a nice chat

@Weymar Osborne, yes, SAS Plus earns more miles/points than SAS Go (Economy), but it depends on who you credit to. The checked baggage allowance is 2 bags (instead of 0 or 1), and if you're on or connecting to/from a long-haul flight, your carry-on allowance is 2 (or was before COVID) plus 1 personal item, the same as business. The fares are flexible, and can be changed/cancelled for free, except for long-haul Plus Saver fares.

One word: CRAP!

I might be weird but I actually like SAS Plus. It is fairly cheap compared to regular European business class on other airlines, yet still delivers almost all the benefits.

I recently flew ARN-MMX in Plus. It cost 30€ extra compared to SAS Go and I got fast track, lounge, beers and some snack on boad, WiFi in board... Absolutely worth it. Just the food and drinks on board were worth 14€, not to mention all I ate and drunk in the lounge. And no row had more than 4 people in it, so everyone got a free middle seat, although it's not guaranteed.

Perfect flight as far as I'm concerned.

Bad service no more trips with Alaska , costumer service to bad

They're called "Scandinavian Airlines", of course they're not going to small talk. It would freak people from their own market out 🙂

I personally like the service on SAS, it's efficient and friendly, but not intrusive. The only thing I'd like is for them to make more proactive drink rounds in Plus.

Thanks, great article. I have basically the same experience with SAS - my girlfriend and I always try to avoid SAS when traveling in Europe for the same reasons you list.