SAS Business Class To Copenhagen Reflects The Danish Spirit Of Hygge

28.05.2024 - 00:47 / forbes.com

There are so many great reasons to visit Denmark this summer, including the fact that 1) It’s number two on the official 2024 list of the happiest countries in the world 2) It’s, literally, a cool alternative to the extreme heat of the Mediterranean and 3) Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), with its excellent business class option, is adding more nonstop flights from the US to Copenhagen.

I booked one of those flights from Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago when I decided to take a road trip along the Danish Riviera, and it was a game-changer. Since SAS will be introducing daily non-stop flights from Atlanta to Copenhagen next month, I wanted to share my experience because it just may encourage you to move on from France, Spain and Italy and get to know a whole new part of Europe.

With travel busier and more unpredictable than ever, I always fly internationally in business class, where I have a better chance of sleeping. Having a seat that turns into a bed is the only way I can actually fall asleep at least for a few hours and be able to function when I arrive. But, coming from the west coast, it’s hard to get a nonstop international flight, which means half of my long trip is usually cross-country and my business class, lie-flat flight doesn’t really last long enough to get a good rest.

I decided to try SAS, which I had never flown before, because I was excited they offered a nonstop flight where I would be able to take advantage of business class the entire 11 hours and have the luxury of the lie-flat seat whenever I felt like closing my eyes. Although I always try to fly on Delta or its partners to get back up to my former Diamond Medallion status, the nonstop flight took priority. Fellow Medallion members, take note: SAS will soon be switching from its current Star Alliance to SkyTeam (hence the new flight from Delta’s hub in Atlanta), giving you yet another reason to book a trip to Denmark this summer.

These may have been my first SAS flights but they definitely won’t be my last. Both flights were smooth and on time, I had access to great lounges and was able to Fast Track through security in Copenhagen.

I loved that the airline honored its homeland by serving traditional Scandinavian open-faced sandwiches, supporting Scandinavian companies in their amenity kits and basically teaching passengers the meaning of hygge — the highly-coveted Danish lifestyle which Merriam Webster defines as “a cozy quality that makes a person feel content and comfortable.”

I was happily surprised to find that the way the SAS lie-flat seats were designed, I had more room than usual to lie on my stomach with my knee out (yes, I am a high maintenance sleeper) so I was able to get more shut-eye than usual and was ready for a