Why am I contemplating Finnair Plus for premium cabin tickets

I am at all times searching for one of the best methods to redeem my hard-earned factors and miles, and with so many program adjustments and devaluations, it may be fairly time-consuming.

However Finnair Plus, Finnair’s loyalty program, not too long ago caught my consideration. In Might 2024, this system adopted Avios, the identical foreign money utilized by Aer Lingus, British Airways, Iberia and Qatar Airways.

Greater than 90% of my redemptions are for premium cabin tickets, so discovering candy spots or applications with optimum charges is one of the simplest ways to maximise my rewards.

Listed below are some explanation why I am contemplating Finnair Plus for future premium cabin redemptions.

Potential to e-book airfare sooner than most Oneworld applications

The easiest way to e-book award seats, particularly for premium cabins, is to e-book as far prematurely as doable.

This interprets into understanding when airways open up award seats as a result of even just a few days could make the distinction between snagging a premium seat in first or enterprise class or lacking out totally. I normally journey with my household, so discovering three tickets on the identical flight is kind of the problem.

Here is a have a look at some Oneworld airline frequent flyer applications and roughly once they open their schedule for award tickets.

Finnair Plus opens up award seats 361 days prematurely, beating generally used applications reminiscent of British Airways Membership, American Airways AAdvantage and Alaska Mileage Plan.

It is vital to notice that for accomplice awards, it’s important to account for each the calendars of the airline you are flying with and the airline program you are reserving with.

For instance, when looking out by means of Finnair Plus, you possibly can see award seats 361 days out, however when you’re seeking to buy an American Airways flight, the AAdvantage program solely means that you can e-book 331 days prematurely. So, on this case, you will want to attend till you are 331 days out to e-book an American Airways award ticket with Finnair Plus.

I am an enormous fan of the AAdvantage program, and certainly one of my favourite redemptions is to e-book enterprise class from the U.S. West Coast to Tokyo on JAL for 60,000 miles or top quality for 80,000 miles.

When trying to find business-class award availability for JAL by means of AAdvantage, the calendar stops in June; nevertheless, when looking out by means of Finnair Plus, I can e-book award seats into July 2026.

The Finnair award value is increased: 94,000 Avios versus 60,000 AAdvantage miles. Nonetheless, since three tickets are generally exhausting to return by, it is well worth the added value for me. Utilizing Finnair, I might spend 282,000 Avios for my household, which might in any other case value round $8,400, giving me a worth of two.9 cents per Avios. In keeping with TPG’s July 2025 valuations, Avios are value 1.4 cents every, which means this redemption would give me over two instances the worth.

Extra premium seat award availability (particularly for Finnair flights)

Having earlier entry to premium cabin award tickets is a good perk, but it surely’s much more helpful once you issue within the variety of seats out there for redemption.

For those who’re new to factors and miles, an vital side to recollect is that an airline will at all times launch extra award seats to its personal program than to different accomplice airways.

For instance, when you’re seeking to e-book a business-class award ticket on an American Airways flight, the AAdvantage program will present you extra availability than reserving an American Airways award by means of British Airways Membership. Equally, Finnair Plus provides extra business-class award tickets for reserving flights on Finnair.

One-way Finnair flights from the U.S. to Helsinki Airport (HEL) value 62,500 Avios in enterprise class, with a lot decrease surcharges than those who British Airways fees.

One of many largest constraints with award bookings is the provision of restricted seats per airplane. Since attending to Europe is the costly half, I discover it fairly simple for my household to fly direct from the U.S. to Helsinki in Finnair enterprise class after which buy an inexpensive money ticket to our subsequent vacation spot in Europe.

Finnair Plus is an efficient program to make use of when you’re seeking to journey to Europe with minimal taxes and costs for premium cabin award tickets.

Primarily based on a number of searches, accomplice airways additionally appear to launch extra seats to Finnair Plus than they do to different Oneworld applications. Cathay Pacific is infamous for being tight with opening premium cabin award house to companions, however Finnair appears to be the exception.

The January 2026 Cathay Pacific business-class flight listed above from Hong Kong to London confirmed up throughout my search outcomes. Nonetheless, availability for a similar flight failed to seem when looking out on AAdvantage and Alaska Mileage Plan.

I’ve but to fly Cathay Pacific business-class on a long-haul flight as a result of there may be such sparse availability by means of AAdvantage, however with Finnair Plus, I will be capable of test off that bucket listing merchandise.

Associated: Transfer over, British Airways — Finnair Plus now has some wonderful Avios candy spots

There is no scarcity of incomes Avios because of transferable rewards

Now that we all know you possibly can e-book award flights by means of Finnair Plus prior to different applications and have entry to extra premium cabin seats, this is begin making the most of it.

I have a tendency to make use of my AAdvantage miles for bookings. Nonetheless, since AAdvantage doesn’t accomplice with any transferable rewards bank cards, I’m frugal with my redemptions as they’re exhausting to earn.

Since Finnair adopted Avios as its foreign money, this system has turn into simply accessible for U.S.-based clients. For instance, you possibly can switch Avios to Finnair Plus out of your British Airways Membership account.

Fortunately, British Airways Membership companions with American Specific Membership Rewards, Chase Final Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One miles and Wells Fargo Rewards. You may also switch Avios from Iberia and Qatar Airways to Finnair through British Airways.

Moreover, you possibly can switch factors from American Specific playing cards to Qatar Airways Privilege Membership and hyperlink the account with a British Airways Membership account. From there, you will see your Qatar Avios stability and may switch Avios to Finnair Plus when logging in by means of British Airways.

An effective way to earn transferable factors is to use for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs), which has a profitable welcome supply. New cardholders can earn a welcome bonus of 100,000 bonus factors plus a $500 Chase Journey℠ promo credit score* after spending $5,000 within the first three months from account opening.

*The promotional credit score is legitimate for a one-time use solely, when you apply the promotional credit score to a transaction lower than $500, you’ll forfeit the remaining stability.

Associated: The way to switch Avios between your Aer Lingus, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Loganair and Qatar Airways accounts

How I am incomes Avios to make it work

I am at present incomes Avios by means of three bank cards in my pockets: The Platinum Card® from American Specific, Chase Sapphire Reserve and the Citi Strata Premier® Card (see charges and costs).

My spouse additionally holds a number of bank cards that may switch to Finnair Plus (through British Airways Membership), so it makes for a fair higher probability of getting premium cabin tickets.

Since I’ve ample alternatives to earn Avios with every of those playing cards, I haven’t got to really feel so pressed about my AAdvantage account dwindling, as that was once my major means of constructing premium cabin redemptions for Oneworld airways.

Positive, some awards value extra by means of Finnair Plus, however I might moderately safe premium cabin tickets for my household to have a extra snug journey expertise than miss out totally.

Associated: The bank cards that assist gasoline my luxurious journey

Backside line

The Finnair Plus program wasn’t even on my radar, however because of this system utilizing Avios, it has turn into extra accessible. The flexibility to switch a number of totally different transferable rewards to Finnair through British Airways or different Avios-earning airways now offers me extra methods to redeem factors for premium cabin tickets.

This system’s largest perk is the power to seek for award tickets additional out than different Oneworld frequent flyer applications, which is helpful for these reserving flights effectively prematurely. Total, I stay up for making the most of reserving hard-to-find awards, reminiscent of with Cathay Pacific and JAL.

Associated: Greatest frequent flyer applications for US vacationers