Xi’an, China: €1,300 Finnair Business Class from All Over Europe

Oneworld member Finnair heavily promotes its service from Helsinki to Xi’an in China by selling business class tickets from several European airports at €1,300 for a roundtrip. All flights include a short layover in Helsinki and – of course – the chance to see the magnificent terracotty army. The latter is located right outside the city limits of Xi’an.

We’ve found the following departure airports and fares:

• Copenhagen at €1,285
• Milan at €1,288
• Tallinn at €1,289
• Amsterdam at €1,292
• Vilnius at €1,299
• Brussels at €1,299
• Riga at €1,299
• Madrid at €1,299
• Paris at €1,317
• Oslo at €1,320
• Stockholm at €1,330
• Lisbon at €1,400

The long haul segments are operated by Finnair Airbus A330. These feature alternating 2-2-1 and 1-2-1 seating patterns in business class. Inner European flights are Embraer 190 or Airbus A320 family aircraft without a dedicated business class cabin, but preferred seating in form of an empty middle seat.

Search & Book

According to fare rules, this offer remains online until January 27, 2020 or until sold out. It is valid for flights between April 23 and June 19, 2020. You need to stay at least five days or a night from saturday to sunday to get the lowest fare, while not more than one month may pass between out- and inbound flight.

Google Flights displays all possible flight dates accurately. Enter the dates you’ve found in our flight search to see what online travel agencies have to offer. More often than not, the cheapest tickets are sold directly by Finnair, which is the best option to purchase your tickets anyway.

Why is booking with an airline better than with an online travel agency?

More often than not, online travel agencies offer lower fares than airlines do. We still recommend booking with the airlines directly. There are two main reasons for that:

Better Customer Service
In case any problems like delays, cancellations or missed connections arise, you can communicate directly with the airline. The airline has to take care of you because you have a contract with them.

If a travel agency issues your ticket, you may have to reach out to them first. You also depend on your OTA to forward information like flight changes instead of receiving them directly from the airline. In many cases, you may get a prime exhibition of responsibility shifting rather than problem-solving.

This especially applies to premium tickets. You don’t want to spend more than €1,000 to wind up with some budget OTA’s telephone hotline in case anything goes wrong.

Baggage and Other Fees
Economy fares not including hold luggage are industry standard by now. In most cases, travel agencies charge much higher baggage fees than the airlines themselves. If bags are not included in your fare, airlines are often the cheaper alternative.

This also applies to other things like food services, insurances or priority treatment. In almost all cases, you pay less for additional amenities when booking on the airlines’ website.

Mileage

Finnair issues tickets for all flight segments in booking class I. This results in glorious earning opportunities in British Airways Executive Club if you’re flying from Lisbon. In this case, each flight segment is worth 140 tier points – adding up to 560 tier points for a roundtrip. That brings you very close to the 600 tier points needed to gain British Airways Executive Club Gold and therefore Oneworld Sapphire tier (among its perks are lounge access for two persons). Your mileage accrual with other airlines on the same route looks like this:

Information & Tips for China

China offers a wide range of sights, from historical landmarks like the Great Wall, the Terracotta Army, and the Forbidden City to modern cities like Shanghai and scenic areas such as Zhangjiajie and Guilin. The currency is the Chinese yuan (CNY), and mobile payments via apps like Alipay and WeChat Pay are widely used, though cash is still accepted. Prices vary—major cities can be moderate to expensive, while rural areas are generally more affordable. Weather conditions differ greatly by region, with cold winters in the north, hot, humid summers in the south, and a generally best travel period in spring or autumn.

China has a highly developed transport system, especially in urban and coastal areas. Most major cities have extensive metro networks that are cheap, efficient, and easy to navigate with English signage. For travel between cities, the high-speed rail network is one of the most advanced in the world, connecting even distant regions quickly and reliably. In rural or less-developed areas, transport options can be more limited and slower, but basic bus or train connections are usually available.

We’ve compared various eSIM providers, such as eSIM4Travel, RedteaGo, and Textr. To see which plan is best for your travel needs, and which network offers the best coverage, feel free to read our detailed guide:

The Best eSIM Plans for China 🇨🇳 Compared

→ All Dealz for China

Information & Tips for Xi’An

Xi’an was once known to the world as Chang’an and stands as one of the great ancient capitals of China. While modern hubs like Beijing and Shanghai now hold the political and economic spotlight, Xi’an possesses a historical gravitas that is arguably unmatched. It served as the imperial seat for numerous powerful dynasties and was the eastern terminus of the legendary Silk Road, a legacy far deeper than any modern skyline. The local currency is the Chinese yuan (CNY), with mobile payments like Alipay and WeChat Pay being the standard, although cash is still widely accepted. The city offers great value, with famously delicious and inexpensive street food and reasonably priced accommodations. Xi’an has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons: hot summers and cold winters, so it’s wise to pack in layers, especially for the cooler spring and autumn months which are ideal for visiting.

We’ve compared various eSIM providers, such as eSIM4Travel, RedteaGo, and Textr. To see which plan is best for your travel needs, and which network offers the best coverage, feel free to read our detailed guide:

The Best eSIM Plans for China 🇨🇳 Compared

→ All Dealz for Xi’An

Cover Picture: Thanks to pixabay user artemtation