Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has officially relaunched business class on intra-European flights as of October 1, 2025, nearly a year after SAS announced its intentions to do so after joining SkyTeam last autumn.
European Business Class Returns To SAS In October 2025
SAS removed intra-Europe business class in 2013, replacing it with a hybrid product it called SAS Plus (the same term it uses to describe its longhaul premium economy class cabin). In that move, it jettisoned curtains separating the cabin, meals served on ceramics and glassware, and guaranteed blocked middle seats.
Those elements now return to the new business class, wihich launched on October 1, 2025. Business class will be offered on all international flights, including intra-Scandinavia, and include four elements:
- Enhanced dining experience: a new food and beverage concept with a more “premium and flexible dining experience including reusable premium tableware”
- Dedicated cabin: A section in the front of the aircraft for business class travelers, separated with a curtain and overhead divider
- Blocked middle seats
- Priority treatment on the ground: Priority check-in, boarding and access to more lounges, ensuring a seamless premium travel experience from start to finish
On that last point, SAS Plus passengers currently face limited or no lounge options when not flying out of an airport with a SkyTeam lounge. Once again, front-cabin passengers will have access to more partner lounges at outstations.
> Read More: SAS Expands Lounge Access To 35 More Airports As Part Of Premium Revamp
SAS says this move “ensures a clear and recognizable Business Class product, providing an elevated experience tailored to customers seeking comfort, flexibility, and a higher level of service.”
Paul Verhagen, Chief Commercial Officer at SAS, said:
“Many of our comfort- and quality-focused travelers expect a clearly defined European Business Class that aligns with international standards. While SAS Plus has provided an upgraded experience, it has lacked the recognition and clarity that travelers seek. With the reintroduction of European Business Class, we are ensuring that SAS offers the premium experience of a top European airline.”
Recognition and clarity are important distinctions.
I have flown SAS Plus within Europe many times this year and while it represents an elevated service over economy class (including a delicious breakfast), it certainly felt like more of an enhanced economy class product…all these elements will help improve the experience.
I remember when SAS used to have a “real” intra-European business class and fondly recall delicious meals onboard, like this meal from Oslo to Reykjavik in 2011:
and this meal from Reykjavik to Copenhagen:
(honestly, two of my all-time favorite airline meals)
> Read More: Comparing Scandinavian Lunches in SAS Business Class
As far back as 2019, I lamented about all the waste in SAS Plus and suggested, “Why not invest in reusable containers…dare I say real dishes and glasses…for meal service? I doubt the extra weight to carry and water to sanitize such dishes and glasses would be worse than all the waste created by each passenger now. It would also create a more premium appearance.”
It now says, “SAS’ new food offering cuts food waste, boosts local sourcing, and replaces plastic with compostable materials—highlighted by the shift to reusable porcelain tableware.”
It only took six years, but I’m glad SAS finally listened!
> Read More:
- A Sensible Stewardship Suggestion For SAS
- SAS Cuts Hot Towels In Business Class “For The Environment”
- SAS Worried As “Flying Shame” Grips Sweden
Why Is SAS Adding Intra-European Business Class Back?
SAS hopes to join the Atlantic joint venture that currently includes Delta Air Lines, Air France, and KLM (Air France-KLM now owns a 19.9% stake in SAS).
Both Air France and KLM offer a real intra-European business class and this will align SAS with those products, providing a more seamless travel experience.
SAS says, “The launch supports SAS’ long-term strategy and strengthens Copenhagen’s role as a global hub for Scandinavian and European connectivity, while also simplifying connections and offering a more cohesive experience for passengers traveling across multiple alliance airlines.”
What Is The Future Of SAS Plus?
There is no future for SAS Plus on intra-European flights. With the return of business class, there is no longer a premium economy product on flights within Europe. SAS Plus will continue to be available on all longhaul aircraft.
SAS Plus passengers have already lost lounge access on longhaul flights and will now no longer enjoy upgraded service if connecting to or from an SAS flight within Europe.
CONCLUSION
As of October 1, 2025, a formal business class cabin has returned to SAS on European flights with upgraded amenities.
Frankly, this took a little long…I understand that provisioning with ceramic tableware and “real” drinking glasses and coffee cups takes time, but why not immediately restore curtains and block middle seats? Even so, better late than never and this is good news for premium cabin travelers.
Nice to know since I have turned over a new leaf in my thoughts on Europe. Well, actually just Hungary and I see SAS offers flights from multiple cities there. I look forward to visiting the historic city of Budapest and supporting their brave leadership.
Budapest’s voters are the main Hungarian seat of opposition to Putin-loving Orban.
Hopefully this forces KL to stop serving disposable Wanders boxes now that SK is moving back to glassware and real cutlery.
Having recently stepped off an intra-Europe KL flight, I agree (though those boxes are very attractive and I do love those juice shots).
Those trays of food look so small; they need to be rectangular, so that adequate portions can be provided; the portions looks quite small; disappointing for what they charge for bus. class.
Are you expecting the new menu to include consommé starter, Lou Fassum for main and Baumkuchen for dessert?
just to note that paper based disposable products are far less damaging to the environment than plastic and probably less damaging and costly than dishes that have to be washed.
yes, SAS focused for years on competing w/ low cost carriers including Norwegian and now has to rebuild its brand as part of the AF/KL Group. they will get there and probably have a better onboard product than LH
You’re correct about the short-haul product, but it’s striking to me that the longhaul product has been virtually unchanged for 20 years. I’m wondering whether SK will just stick to what it has done or if there is any room for innovation and whether that will impact margins and finally bring the carrier back to sustained profitability (it has higher labor costs amongst its European peers per employee, but now funnels new hires into subsidiaries [as LH does] in an attempt to reduce labor costs) .
SAS Plus is likely to remain a superior Economy offering in intra-Europe but no blocked middle seats. You will get alcohol and a boxed meal at best.
Good news, but we’ll have to wait for the pricing. Unlike IAG and LHG, AFKL usually price short haul C at levels that are obviously designed to ensure passengers stay in the back of the bus [presumably in the hope of grabbing the odd full-fare intercontinental connecting passenger near departure]…I don’t think anyone is rushing to pay €750 for four 90-minute flights on an Embraer.
Among European airlines and their fraudulent offering of Business Class, SAS used to be the best by quite a margin. Let’s hope they lead the pack again and in particular, force Air France and KLM to up their game because both have reduced their offering in recent times down to similar offerings to Lufthansa and British Airways.
If the SAS business class food offering is better and more costly intra-Europe than AF-KL’s, eventually they will move toward the average offered by their most significant airline owner.
Big warning: they don’t keep an adjacent seat free om CRJ900s etc (2-2 seating). Flemming Poulsen of Frequent Traveler.dk says that’s a great idea and he thinks it’s better to sit next to someone, but I fear a majority of the flying public won’t agree.
His point is you can’t expect to have a free seat next to you in business class, because it wouldn’t be fair to other people. That’s of course a very Scandinavian take.
Thoughts?
That’s quite some twisted logic!
Best of good luck to smart SAS! It’s an example ITA Airways would do well to follow…
Dr. Güntürk Üstün
a blocked middle is in no way business class
WestJet only sells their domestic F cabin as premium economy. They scrapped their blocked middle seat as it is a rather poor substitute.
WestJet is brilliant as they allow for O cabin customers to get O on all legs, not dump them back in Y. Surprised SAS didn’t go to the blocked middle but still kept the cabin as O
The real business class benefit is the lounge access and priority services at the airport. My mum only has the useless *S status so whenever she travels alone (she’s fine when travelling with me as I’m *G and she also travels with a couple of groups/clubs to which she belongs and obviously aligns with whatever they’re doing) around Europe she’ll buy a business class ticket for the lounge access and queue jumping.
Great improvements overall in this move initiated by AF/KL and SkyTeam. The former ‘SAS Plus’, which was never before marketed as Business class, still exists today to an extent, now re-branded ‘SAS Premium’ on domestic flights, it offers no blocked middle seat and no elevated dining experience – at least not in the same sense. That said, there are also a few international routes such as CPH–BER and CPH–GOT that are marketed and sold as ‘SAS Business’ that does block the middle seat, but does not offer elevated dining experiences due to the short flight time. Similarly, there are different levels to the new dining concept, like in the states, where the service level is based on the scheduled flight time. For example, London Heathrow just barely made the cutoff to hot meals (or rather, was granted an exception). All this could of course change in due time based on feedback from passengers and crew.
Are the cutoffs for hot meals published somewhere?