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A summary of my flight from London to Copenhagen with SAS in Economy Class (SAS Go) aboard their A320neo. As I was connecting internationally from the US, I had to switch terminals at LHR, and go through security. I also managed to try the Plaza Premium Lounge while I was waiting for my plane to board. Here’s a quick rundown of my experience.
| Route | LHR-CPH |
| Flight | SK502 |
| Cabin | Economy Class (SAS Go) |
| Equipment | Airbus A320neo |
| Aircraft | <A320neo |
| Flight Time | Approx. 2h |
How I Booked This Flight
I booked this flight using cash during a flash sale. I paid 860 SEK (roughly $80 USD) in total including taxes and fees on a SAS Go fare (including luggage). This was my 4th flight and 3rd airline in my EuroBonus Millionaire challenge.
Transit in LHR
I arrived early in the morning from my flight with Virgin Atlantic from Houston. I knew I didn’t have to go through passport control, but I had to switch terminals and clear security, so I rushed to get those things done before rush hour at Heathrow. We deplaned via a bridge, but after a short walk, busses connected to the different terminals. The bus took 5 minutes, and after a few escalators, I went through a quite empty security checkpoint and was ready to go to the gate.
Plaza Premium Lounge
I really suffered my flight with Virgin, so I was cold, tired, and hungry. I had a few hours to spare, so I looked at lounge options and found the Premium Plaza Lounge. I could enter using my Amex Platinum card. There was a long queue to get in, and it was getting worse, so I knew the lounge was going to be packed. Apparently, their system broke, so they were writing the credit card numbers manually on a sheet of paper and making the cardholders sign as ‘consent,’ something I’ve never seen before and sounded very sketchy. I hesitated initially to give them my card number, but since they were not collecting the CVV or expiration dates, I felt slightly more relieved.
Once I got in, the lounge was indeed packed, warm, and noisy. A couple of guests were taking conference calls in the middle of the lounge, plus the noise from the buffet area. There were several seating areas, such as mini living rooms and a food/kitchen pavilion that served breakfast. I grabbed a seat, used the restrooms to freshen up, and got some eggs and salad for breakfast. Unfortunately, there were no showers available, something I was looking forward to.
Boarding
About 10 minutes before boarding time, I started walking towards the gate, which wasn’t far. Once I arrived at the gate, the flight was already boarding, and I could use the automated gates to scan my boarding pass and get in quickly. I could see the plane from the bridge, an A320neo with one of the old liveries.
Cabin & Seat
My experience with SAS is quite consistent. I always get the same warm Scandinavian feeling when boarding. We were greeted gently by the crew, and then I was indicated my seat. The SAS Go (Economy Class) cabin on the A320 is simple and basic but also sober and stylish. It doesn’t feel plastic at all and also feels a bit ‘light’ compared to other airlines that use leather and other materials.
The layout is in a 3-3 configuration with a few rows of SAS Plus (sort of Premium Economy). I say *sort of because when flying on SAS Plus, you do get better soft service (including a snack), but legroom is the same, and the middle seats are not blocked.
All seats have a foldable tray table and a USB-A outlet. The pitch is decent for regional flights, but seats don’t recline. There’s plenty of storage room in the overhead bins. The newer planes have the overhead bins modified to accommodate carry-ons on the side, with 50% more capacity.
Taxi & Takeoff
All in all, the boarding was quick and finished on time. I liked how the SAS app has a real-time tracker of the boarding process. Once the gates were closed, there was a manual safety demonstration while we were taxiing to the runway. We quickly took off and were in the sky.
Snack/Drinks
With SAS you get complimentary coffee/tea/water, and you can purchase snacks or meal boxes. I only had coffee given that I already had breakfast at the lounge and I was planning to have lunch at SAS Lounge in CPH.
Arrival
During the flight, I walked around the cabin and spotted a few empty seats; I’d say the flight was at 70-80% capacity. As it was a short hop and I was tired, I tried to rest a bit; the cabin was quite calm.
Once we touched down, deplaning was very quick and efficient. I had to go through passport control, which had long queues, but as soon as I started queueing, they opened new lanes. In less than 5 minutes, I was already in the Schengen area and heading to the SAS Lounge to wait 3 hours until my next and final flight of that day to Paris.
I was surprised to receive a notification from the SAS app shortly after landing that my flight had already been credited to my account. Great job, SAS! I’ve also seen that on Delta.
Video Review
Summary
My short-haul experience with SAS has always been solid, and this flight from London to Copenhagen was no different. Warm flight attendants, free coffee, WIFI onboard, efficient boarding and deplaning, and a clean cabin make it a good option for both leisure and business. Compared to other full-service airlines like Air France or KLM, you don’t have a complimentary snack, but at the same time, I paid quite a cheap fare for this flight.