Lounge directory · HEL · Last reviewed 20 April 2026
Helsinki Vantaa Lounges (HEL): Every Lounge and How to Get In
Helsinki Vantaa runs six lounges inside one compact terminal, three on each side of passport control. Five of them will let you in without a business class ticket. Here is the full map.
- Lounge verdict
- Good for the airport's size. Six doors is a small bench next to the megahubs, but every gate area has a lounge within a few minutes' walk, and five of the six sell entry or accept lounge programs.
- Best access play
- Priority Pass opens three doors: the Aspire lounges by gates 13 and 27 on the Schengen side and the Plaza Premium Lounge near gate 40 on the non Schengen side. Flying Finnair in economy, paid entry to a Finnair lounge from 39 euros is the better room for the money.
- The one thing to know
- Passport control splits the terminal in two, and lounges only admit passengers departing from their own side. Check whether your flight is Schengen or non Schengen before you decide which door to count on.
Orientation
How the Helsinki lounge map works
Passport control decides everything. Helsinki Vantaa is one connected terminal, but a Schengen border runs through the middle of it, and every lounge serves only its own side. Fly within the Schengen area and your options are the Finnair Lounge near gate 21 plus Swissport's two Aspire lounges by gates 13 and 27. Fly outside it, to Asia, North America, the UK or Ireland, and the doors are the Finnair Business Lounge and Platinum Wing near gate 50 and the Plaza Premium Lounge near gate 40.
Hours below were checked on 20 April 2026. The airport is genuinely compact: even the longest gate to gate walk stays around half an hour, and no lounge sits more than a few minutes from the gates it serves, so there is no Heathrow style penalty for picking the wrong corner. Early departures are covered, with the Aspire Lounge by gate 13 opening at 04:30 and the rest of the field open by 05:30. Nothing runs around the clock; the Finnair non Schengen lounges close latest, at midnight, which matches the last departures of the day.
Schengen side
Schengen side lounges
| Lounge | Location | Hours | Access | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finnair Lounge | Near gate 21 | 05:00 to 23:30 | Finnair and oneworld business class, oneworld Sapphire and Emerald, Finnair Plus Gold and above, paid entry from 39 euros on Finnair flights | The best room on this side; buy entry through the Finnair app before you reach the airport |
| Aspire Lounge by Gate 13 | Next to gate 13, in the former SAS Lounge space | 04:30 to 19:00 | Priority Pass, DragonPass, paid 49 euros at the door, 25 euros for children | Opens earliest at the airport; the right call for a first wave departure |
| Aspire Lounge by Gate 27 | Next to gate 27 | 05:00 to 21:00 | Priority Pass, DragonPass, paid entry around 49 euros | The better of the two Aspires, with proper tarmac views and longer evening hours |
The Schengen side is where Finnair's European bank and most other intra European carriers depart, and it is where a Priority Pass earns its keep at HEL. The choice between the two Aspires is simple: gate 27 has the windows and the later closing, gate 13 has the 04:30 opening for the first wave. Both are functional rather than memorable, with a hot and cold buffet, beer and wine, and seating that turns over fast because most visits here are under an hour.
Without a lounge program, the smarter spend on a Finnair flight is the Finnair Lounge itself: entry bought in advance through the app starts at 39 euros against 49 euros at an Aspire desk, and the room, the food and the coffee are all a clear step up. Prices climb at the lounge reception, so book it before you fly.
Non Schengen side
Non Schengen side lounges
| Lounge | Location | Hours | Access | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finnair Business Lounge | Near gate 50 | 05:30 to midnight | Finnair and oneworld business class, oneworld Sapphire and Emerald, Finnair Plus Gold and above, paid entry from 39 euros on Finnair flights | Big, bright and central to the long haul gates; the default room on this side |
| Finnair Platinum Wing | Next to the Business Lounge, near gate 50 | 10:30 to midnight | oneworld Emerald, Finnair Plus Platinum and Platinum Lumo; no paid entry, no lounge programs | The prize at HEL, with a la carte dining and a sauna; timed for the afternoon long haul bank |
| Plaza Premium Lounge | Mezzanine level near gate 40 | 05:30 to 23:30; early opening to be confirmed | Priority Pass, DragonPass, Amex Platinum, paid from 59 euros | Opened April 2025 with showers included and a kids playroom; the only non airline door on this side |
This is the side that matters on a long layover, because it is where the Asia and North America departures live and where the lounges are built for multi hour stays. The Finnair Business Lounge near gate 50 is the centre of gravity, with showers, runway views and food designed around the long haul banks. The Platinum Wing next door opens at 10:30 ahead of the afternoon departures and stays the most exclusive room in Finland: oneworld Emerald or Finnair Plus Platinum only, no paid entry, no exceptions at the desk.
Plaza Premium near gate 40 gives everyone else a way in. The lounge runs 731 square metres on the mezzanine with around 135 seats, a live kitchen, and showers included in the entry price, which is rarer than it should be in this chain. Published hours vary between the operator and the card programs, so confirm the opening time before relying on it for a dawn departure.
Access decoder
What actually opens these doors
Priority Pass covers three of the six doors: the Aspire Lounge by gate 13 and the Aspire Lounge by gate 27 on the Schengen side, and the Plaza Premium Lounge near gate 40 on the non Schengen side. Stays are capped at three hours and entry is always subject to space, though capacity crunches are far rarer here than at the big western European hubs.
DragonPass mirrors the same three doors, both Aspires and Plaza Premium. The Finnair lounges are not on either network.
American Express Platinum opens the Plaza Premium Lounge directly through the card's Plaza Premium partnership. There is no Centurion lounge at HEL, so on the Schengen side an Amex only helps if it carries a Priority Pass membership.
Paying at the door works at five of the six lounges. Finnair sells entry to its Schengen lounge and non Schengen Business Lounge from 39 euros through the app, website and check in channels when you fly Finnair, with prices rising at the lounge reception. The Aspires charge 49 euros for adults and 25 euros for children, and Plaza Premium starts at 59 euros. Only the Platinum Wing cannot be bought.
Class of travel and status follows oneworld geography. Business class on Finnair or any oneworld carrier opens the Finnair lounges, oneworld Sapphire does the same from economy, and oneworld Emerald adds the Platinum Wing on the non Schengen side. Star Alliance and SkyTeam have no lounges of their own at HEL since the SAS Lounge space became the Aspire Lounge by gate 13, and most non oneworld carriers use the Aspires or Plaza Premium as contract lounges; confirm with your airline before counting on it.
Program rules shift and lounges move, so treat the tables above as the map and confirm the door you need on the day you fly. For the membership strategy in detail, including whether a pass pays for itself at this airport, see the HEL Priority Pass guide.
Get lounge offers for HEL
Three Helsinki lounges accept Priority Pass and five of the six sell entry at the door or through an app. Compare current access options, prices and hours before you fly.
Free. No spam. Unsubscribe any time.
FAQ
Helsinki Airport lounge questions
Which Helsinki Airport lounges take Priority Pass?
Three: the Aspire Lounge by gate 13 and the Aspire Lounge by gate 27 on the Schengen side, and the Plaza Premium Lounge near gate 40 on the non Schengen side. The Finnair lounges do not accept Priority Pass; entry there is by oneworld status, cabin class, or paid entry purchased from Finnair.
Can I pay for a Helsinki Airport lounge without flying business class?
Yes. Finnair sells lounge entry from around 39 euros through its app and website when you fly Finnair, the Aspire lounges charge 49 euros at the door, and the Plaza Premium Lounge sells entry from around 59 euros. Buying online in advance is cheaper than walking up.
What is the best lounge at Helsinki Airport?
The Finnair Platinum Wing on the non Schengen side, with a la carte dining and a sauna, if you hold oneworld Emerald or Finnair Plus Platinum. Without status, paid entry to the Finnair Business Lounge near gate 50 beats the independent options when you fly Finnair.
Can I use a Schengen lounge before a non Schengen flight?
No. Passport control separates the two zones and lounges only admit passengers departing from their own side. Flying outside Schengen means the Finnair non Schengen lounges or Plaza Premium; flying within Schengen means the Finnair Lounge near gate 21 or one of the two Aspire lounges.
Is there an arrivals lounge at Helsinki Airport?
No. Plaza Premium previously ran a landside arrivals lounge at HEL but it has closed. If you need a shower after landing, the hotels connected to the terminal are the realistic option.
Do Helsinki Airport lounges have showers?
Some. The Finnair Business Lounge on the non Schengen side has showers and the Platinum Wing adds a sauna, and the Plaza Premium Lounge includes showers in the entry price. Shower availability in the Schengen side Aspire lounges is to be confirmed.
More HEL guides
The rest of the Helsinki cluster
Nearby