Aspire Lounge is one of two Priority Pass lounges offered at Helsinki airport, and its only such lounge in the Schengen area.
I had a chance to visit it after arriving from Nagoya onboard Finnair flight 80 – before taking my transfer flight to Budapest. Since the lounge is located in the Schengen area, first I had to clear immigration.
The lounge itself is located quite centrally, right next to gate 27. It is fairly well sign-posted and is one floor above the main departures level.
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Lounge Overview
Before continuing, I will note that the lounge was very crowded during my visit – to the extent where finding a seat took a bit of time.
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Anyways, right after the reception, there is a seating area with counters overlooking the apron in the distance and with some tables and chairs. Right next to it is the buffet area consisting of a couple of counters and a kitchen island.
Along the inner wall, just behind the buffet area was a magazine rack as well as the entrance to the lounge’s shower. The restrooms were further down an aisle, to the left of the shower room.
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Further down, past the first seating area and buffet area, there was a couple of communal high-top tables, as well as some dining tables. There were also some more private areas with individual seating.
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The most interesting part were “eggs” hanging off the ceiling that people could sit in and swing – very “Scandinavian!”
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There was also a separate seating area in the very back that seemed to be reserved for premium passengers as it was roped off.
Food and Drinks Selection
As for the drinks offered in the Aspire Lounge at Helsinki airport, there was a soda fountain with the typical selection. There were also some juices as well as a fancy coffee machine.
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On the alcoholic side, there were some wines and liquors as pictured below.
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There was also a selection of snacks and food.
First, there were some vegetables and salads, as well as a salmon soup. (Just as a side note, the soup was excellent!) There were also some cold cuts, fruits, as well as desserts and some salty snacks.
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Aspire Lounge Helsinki Summary
Overall, the thing that struck me the most – both about the lounge itself as well as the Schengen part of the terminal – was how crowded it was. While I was there likely during some of the busiest time, it certainly took away a lot from how pleasant the experience was.
At the same time, the Aspire Lounge is a nice place to stop by if you have a transfer in Helsinki and are a Priority Pass member. If for nothing else, I would stop by for the salmon soup!
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