Chicago: €1,296 Nonstop Finnair Business Class from Helsinki (Cabin Bags Only)

Oneworld member Finnair is offering an interesting deal with direct flights from its hub in Helsinki to Chicago in business class starting at €1,296 in April and May 2024.

These flights are in Finnair’s Business Light fare, which includes only hand luggage and the business class service onboard. If you prefer to fly with Business Classic, you will have to pay an extra €250, but you will have access to VIP lounges, two checked bags weighing up to 32 kilograms each, one hour of in-flight internet, priority boarding, and fast lane in the security control.

Our availability calendar highlights all possible flight dates at the lowest price for trips up to 28 days. It will forward you to Finnair’s website or our flight search.

You will fly on Finnair’s Airbus 330 in their new business class cabin with 1-2-1 configuration. The airline implemented a quirky feature with their new business class seats, as they can be set in only two positions: Seating upright or lie-flat. Our author Peer tested the product and wasn’t thrilled.

Search & Book

The fare rules indicate that this fare expires on November 27, 2023, the minimum stay requires a Saturday night stay in Chicago, and the maximum stay with this ticket is 12 months.

We also found an open-jaw combination for Helsinki to Chicago, but returning to Madrid for €1,184. This fare includes lounge access and 2×32 kg of checked luggage, but requires a long stay in America. Your inbound has to depart May 8 or earlier and outbound may not happen before May 21.

You can use Google Flights (instructions) to find available dates quickly and easily. The flights can be booked directly through Finnair’s website if you want the Business Light fare. The Business Classic they can also be found on OTAs for less money than on the airline’s website. However, these savings will come with some downsides, as we explain here:

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

The flights are issued by Finnair with booking class I. Here are the miles or points you will earn if you book this deal from Helsinki to Chicago: