A Detailed Review of Scandinavian Airlines (SAS)

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) is the flag airline of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Founded in 1946, this older company has a rich history of high-quality service and reliability. SAS put a big effort into providing a comfortable experience for all their passengers, making it a wonderful experience when flying. Let’s discover more about why this airline is a great option, or when you might want to book elsewhere.

Key Facts

First Flight: 17 September 1946
HQ: Stockholm, Sweden
Alliance: SkyTeam (left Star Alliance in September 2024)
Fleet Size: 133 aircraft as of 2025
Destinations: Over 130 destinations worldwide
Passengers: Approximately 24 million annually

Digital Nomad Ratings

Overall Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

????Global Connections ★★★★☆ (4/5)

????Wi-Fi Performance ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

????Value for Money: ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)

????Sustainability: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

⏰Reliability: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

When To Use Scandinavian Airlines

SAS is a great option for European-based travelers wanting to fly in comfort. They provide spacious seating and Nordic-inspired meals on flights connecting Scandinavia to over 100 destinations across Europe, North America, and Asia.

Best For:

Exploring Scandinavia: SAS connects major cities like Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo with smaller regional destinations such as Tromø, Bergen, and Longyearbyen (Svalbard) – perfect for people wanting to immerse themselves in Nordic culture.
Long-Haulers: SAS has a huge global network, serving over 130 destinations, including major long-haul routes to New York, Toronto, Tokyo and Bangkok. It doesn’t quite beat the scale of KLM’s network but is still a great choice.
Eco-Conscious Travelers: the airline is aiming to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, having already invested in fuel-efficient aircraft, and committed to using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). This is great news for people who are conscious of their carbon footprint.
Comfort-Seekers: SAS pride themselves on passenger comfort, offering complimentary meals on long-haul flights, spacious seating options, and free Wi-Fi for business class. These features make it appealing for travelers who prioritize convenience and comfort over cost.

When NOT To Use SAS

Comfort and high-quality service are always good reasons to choose an airline, especially for long-haul flights, but the cost of these luxuries might not be the only reason not to fly with SAS.

Potential Drawbacks

Budget Travelers: SAS fares are typically higher than low-cost carriers like Norwegian Air because they include more services in their base fares, such as baggage and meals. It’s worth noting that they do offer competitive prices during promotions or off-peak seasons – but for budget-conscious flyers, SAS is not the best option.
Remote Workers: Although SAS offers high-speed Wi-Fi, multiple passengers have said they’ve experienced unreliable internet on some of their routes. This year, SAS have announced an upgrade to Starlink, so we’ll wait to see if this solves the issue.
Flexible Schedules: Travelers often need flexibility – but this could be an issue with the hefty fees for any ticket changes or cancellations. Unless you booked SAS Go Pro or SAS Plus Pro, rebooking fees start at €25 for short-haul flights and €75 for long-haul flights, plus additional charges if the new ticket fare is higher. This could be an expensive problem if you change your plans regularly!

Pros and Cons

Pros

An extensive network within Scandinavia and Europe
Commitment to sustainability and reducing carbon emissions
Comfortable seating and complimentary meals on longer flights
Member of SkyTeam Alliance, giving access to a huge network of partner airlines like China Airlines, Delta, and KLM.

Cons

More expensive compared to low-cost carriers
Inconsistent Wi-Fi performance on some flights
High fees for changing, rescheduling or cancelling your ticket

Booking Experience

Website and App Usability ★★★★☆ (4/5)

As expected from a Scandinavian company, SAS’s app and website are the perfect balance of modern, simple and user-friendly. Their updated app even won awards for its sleek design, intuitive navigation and functionality. The feature we like the most though, is the free access to newspapers and magazines – a nice touch for people who want a break from social media.

Payment and Transparency ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

SAS is pretty transparent about its pricing, clearly outlining the base fare and any additional fees during the booking process. They accept major credit cards at checkout and have paired with third-party companies like Klarna and PayPal to offer payment plans. The downside is that sometimes their fare prices do fluctuate, which can make rescheduling flights quite expensive (as you have to pay the difference).

In-Flight Experience

Food and Dining ★★★★☆ (4/5)

With a focus on high-quality, fresh food, SAS offer complimentary meals on long-haul flights to North America and Asia. They’re one of the better airlines if you have any dietary requirements, catering for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free (you just need to give them 24 hours notice). On shorter European and domestic flights, they serve complimentary coffee and tea with an option to purchase snacks onboard. If they gave out free snacks too, it would be five stars,

Entertainment Options ★★★★☆ (4/5)

The good news is that they have TV shows, movies (including all the Harry Potters!), music and games on all flights, but how you watch them depends on your flight. Long-haul flights to/from America and Asia have classic seatback HD touchscreens, flights to/from Canada have portable video screens, and you can stream SAS content on your device for short flights. That’s a lot of options! They also have USB and power outlets on each seat, which is always helpful..

Does Scandinavian Airlines Have Wi-Fi Onboard?

Availability and Performance ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

SAS offers Wi-Fi on most of their flights, but the availability and performance can vary depending on the route. Business class and EuroBonus members get free Wi-Fi, whereas if you’re in economy, you can buy Wi-Fi access from €3.90 for shorter routes and €16 for long-haul flights. We have heard, however, that connectivity can be patchy, especially over Greenland or regions where transmissions are restricted. We’re still giving three stars though because starting in late 2025, SAS plans to upgrade their Wi-Fi with Starlink, which should hopefully solve the issue.

Service and Reliability

Customer Service ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

Customer service reviews are mixed for SAS. Whilst most people say that their in-flight crew are incredibly friendly and helpful, others have faced challenges when trying to get assistance during disruptions. Common complaints include being on hold for hours, unhelpful responses, and difficulties claiming compensation for lost baggage or delayed flights.

Punctuality and Reliability ★★★★☆ (4/5)

With an on-time performance of 81.2% and a cancellation rate below 1%, SAS is Europe’s third most reliable carrier. This is good news for flyers who have tight connections or important in-person meetings they can’t miss. Despite this, you still need to be aware that delays can occur; although these are mainly due to bad Scandinavian weather conditions, which is outside of the airline’s control.

The Future of SAS

SAS is actively working to modernize their fleet, expand their network, and improve their customer experience. Their key areas of focus at the moment are:

Fleet upgrades: SAS is investing in seven more Airbus A320neo aircraft to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. For long-haul flights, they’ve bought two new Airbus A350s which are more fuel-efficient and more comfortable for passengers.
Sustainability: SAS have pledged to use biofuel for all domestic flights by 2023, which we think is pretty cool. They offer a more expensive fare option that includes the cost of using 50% biofuel for your journey.
Technology updates: next-generation Wi-Fi is due to hit SAS aircraft in 2025, having partnered with Starlink (SpaceX). This will provide reliable high-speed Wi-Fi to all passengers, even over remote areas.

Alternative Airlines

If the high-quality food, huge array of entertainment, and comfortable seating is just a little bit too expensive, or if you absolutely need reliable Wi-Fi, then you might need to consider other airlines:

Airline	Best For	Features
Lufthansa	International Business Travel	Extensive network of destinations, comfortable seating, great customer service, perfect for jet-setting business travelers.
KLM	Sustainable Flyers	Big commitment to sustainability and investment into customer service. Good for green travelers who still fly in style.
EasyJet	Budget Travel	Incredibly low fares because of their pick-and-choose extra services like baggage and seat selection.
Air France	European Travelers	With a much larger network, this is better if you’re wanting comfort whilst reaching every corner of Europe.

Conclusion

For passengers wanting comfortable and convenient travel to and from Scandinavia, SAS is a solid choice. Their excellent in-flight customer service, high-quality food and entertainment (don’t forget Harry Potter), make it an almost guaranteed comfortable journey. However, you do pay extra for these, which might not be ideal for more budget-conscious travelers.

Who Should Fly SAS?