Join me as we try to fly SAS economy—and I do mean try, because the first time things didn’t go as planned. Instead of disappointment, I was met with a pleasant surprise. But four days later, I was back to experience the real thing. Stick around to find out what happened and to see if SAS Go lives up to the hype in 2024.
It’s been a while since I’ve flown SAS in their long-haul economy class, known as SAS Go. So, we’re going to check that out. I am curious how SAS stacks up against the major US competitors in 2024.
The Journey Begins: Oslo to Copenhagen and Beyond
This flight took place in the beginning of summer in Norway, and Oslo Airport was busy with activity. The security queue today was really long, actually for the fast track as well; it took around 5 minutes to wait for them to check the bags of everyone.
I had just checked in online and had to drop my bag at the desk. SAS operates two lounges at Oslo Airport: one for domestic flights and another for international. I made my way to the international lounge. Just as I was settling in with a cup of coffee, my phone buzzed with an email from SAS. Usually, messages from airlines aren’t great news, but this time it was a delightful surprise.
A Surprise Upgrade
I got an email from SAS that I’ve been upgraded from economy or SAS Go to SAS Plus, which is their premium economy. The reason I got upgraded was because I’m an SAS Diamond member, and they usually have some courtesy upgrades, which is a nice feature. They only do this on the Diamond side, not the Gold side of SAS.
So I guess we’re not doing the SAS economy review on the first leg, but we will try again in 4 days when I’m going back from San Francisco to Copenhagen.
Round Two: The A350 Experience
Okay, welcome back. It’s 4 days since the last time I have flown, so it looks like we’re going to fly economy today. We’re going to fly the A350 from LAX to Copenhagen. I was originally planning to fly the A330, which has a 2-4-2 layout in the Go economy class. Today is the A350, and that has a 3-3-3 layout.
Since I had the connecting flight from San Jose Airport, I didn’t need to recheck my bags. With some time to spare, I decided to check out the lounges.
Lounge Access at LAX
I’m curious if I’m going to check out the Amex Lounge or the Star Alliance Lounge. Access is granted with the Gold card from SAS. As of this video release, SAS unfortunately no longer has access to the Star Alliance Lounge, which is a real shame. The Star Alliance Lounge at LAX has always been one of my favorite spots in the US, especially when you’re not flying business class.
The Star Alliance Lounge:
- It has won the Skytrax Award for best Alliance lounge seven times.
- It features a variety of seating options, extensive food offerings, and best of all, an outdoor terrace.
- It is a perfect place to unwind hours before a flight.
The Amex Centurion Lounge:
- Access is granted if you have the American Express Platinum or Centurion card.
- Upon entering, you are greeted with lush green plants.
- The lounge itself is a maze of interconnected rooms offering plenty of space to explore.
- It includes a main bar, several dining areas, and even a quick spa service including a 15-minute chair massage.
- However, it’s in a basement, kind of crammed there, and has no daylighting.
Just tried out both the lounges, and I have to say that the Star Alliance Lounge is the best lounge. Now it’s time for boarding, so I will go to the flight and we will check out the aircraft.
The Aircraft: Airbus A350-900
This four-year-old Airbus A350 will take us from LAX to Copenhagen. Today’s flight has three classes of service: Go (economy), Plus (premium economy), and Business Class.
- SAS Go (Economy): Features 228 seats in a 3-3-3 layout.
- SAS Plus: Offers wider seats and more legroom with 32 seats in a 2-4-2 configuration.
- Business Class: Contains 40 lay-flat beds configured in a 1-2-1 configuration.
The cabin has a Scandinavian style with dark colors and wooden details, giving it a modern feel. Walking down the aisle, you will see seats on both sides, each with a pillow and a blanket ready for you.
The Seat: SAS Go
When I got to my seat, 38 Juliet, I put my backpack in the overhead bin and sat down. Just sitting in the seat, it’s kind of comfortable. Good leg space, and I think it’s going to be okay here for 10 hours. I know that I have a free middle seat, so that’s going to help a lot.
Seat Features
- Screen: Each seat has an 11.6-inch glossy touchscreen TV.
- Storage: By my knees, you will find storage pockets for personal items. There’s a small pocket on the outside for things like a passport or phone and a larger pocket for snacks, an iPad, or other belongings. Overall, the storage space is average.
- Tray Table: The tray table can be partially folded if you only need space for drinks, which is convenient. However, mine wasn’t very clean, with noticeable dirt, and the TV screen also had a sticky residue in one of the corners.
- Recline: The seats offer a 6-inch recline, which is decent, and the headrest is adjustable, helping you to find a comfortable position for resting.
- Power: Only one thing that is a downside: they don’t have a universal power outlet, only a USB-A port. So that is something you need to take into consideration if you want to charge your peripheral devices. They do not have a USB-C.
As for temperature control, there are no individual air nozzles, so we will be relying on the cabin crew to manage the temperature for the entire cabin.
The legroom is okay for me, though I wouldn’t complain if it were a bit more spacious. For reference, I’m about 5’11” or 180 cm.
| SAS Go Light | SAS Go | |
|---|---|---|
| Small Underseat Bag | Included (free) | Included (free) |
| Carry-On Bag (overhead bin) | Extra charge on European flights; typically included on US/Asia flights | Included (free, 1 piece up to 8 kg) |
| Checked Bag | Not included (can be purchased for an extra fee) | Included (free, 1 piece up to 23 kg) |
| Price | Lower cost | Higher cost than Go Light |
The Flight Experience
As the safety video played and everyone settled into their seats, I glanced out the window and spotted a sleek Dreamliner from the Scandinavian low-cost carrier Norse Atlantic.
Now let’s talk about today’s flight path. We will cover 5,610 miles, flying over mainland US, Canada, and Greenland before crossing the Atlantic Ocean, passing Norway, and finally landing in Copenhagen. The estimated flight time is 10 hours and 40 minutes.
In-Flight Meals
Shortly after takeoff, the crew began the drink service ahead of the meal. The menu is accessible on the IFE screens but only outlines the type of service rather than specific dishes.
SAS Go Meal Policy:
- Passengers receive two complimentary meal services.
- Each meal is accompanied by a non-alcoholic drink.
- SAS Go and SAS Go Light passengers generally pay for additional snacks or alcoholic drinks.
- As a Diamond member, however, I enjoy unlimited drinks including alcoholic options.
The First Meal:
For my meal, I was served a small salad with ranch dressing as a starter, followed by a roasted chicken with sweet potato mash. Unfortunately, salt and pepper aren’t provided, so if you like seasoning your food, you’re out of luck. There was also a cracker included, but surprisingly no cheese to go with it.
The portion size was reasonable, but if you are super hungry or if you are a picky eater, grabbing something beforehand might be a good idea. To finish off the meal, I was served a carrot cake, which was a pleasant way to end it.
The food was mediocre, I will say. I think SAS should have gotten some salt and pepper with the food; it’s strange that it doesn’t provide that. I think the food actually would have been great if they provided that—it was a little bit tasteless.
The Second Meal:
As I woke up, it was time for the second meal service, a light breakfast snack. This included a warm bagel with ham and cheese and a small serving of orange juice. It was nothing fancy, and it felt a little bit sparse for an 11-hour flight. The taste was fine though, and with a cup of coffee, I started to wake up and get ready for landing.
If you are trying to save money by booking a room for fewer people than are traveling, check out our guide on lying about guests to see if it’s worth the risk. Just like meal portions, sometimes what you pay for is exactly what you get.
Entertainment and Wi-Fi
SAS offers Wi-Fi for most of its long-haul fleet. It’s free for passengers flying in SAS Business and for EuroBonus Diamond and Gold members.
Wi-Fi Costs for SAS Go:
SAS Go and SAS Plus passengers need to pay $16 or 3,000 EuroBonus points for a full flight package, which is reasonably priced. The Wi-Fi speeds are decent for basic browsing and messaging, though streaming or heavy browsing might be a challenge. Speeds can vary from flight to flight; once I experienced very slow connectivity, but overall the service was acceptable for casual use.
As for the IFE (In-Flight Entertainment), SAS has made improvements over the years, but they are not exactly leading the pack in this area. The selection includes standard movies and TV shows, good enough to pass the time but nothing particularly groundbreaking. Each seat has an 11.6-inch touchscreen TV which is great for passing the time.
Before you travel, make sure you know your safety options on the ground as well. Read our article greyhound if you plan to connect via bus.
Amenities and Comfort
I wanted to maximize my sleep on this flight, so I decided to check out the toilet before settling in. The onboard toilets are standard economy class—nothing fancy, just the usual compact size you expect on most planes. While not particularly spacious, they were kept clean throughout the journey, which is always appreciated.
I slept for 4 or 5 hours, I think. So yeah, nice flight, nice crew.
Arrival and Final Thoughts
We landed on a Sunday morning in Copenhagen and swiftly disembarked the aircraft.
Well, this was SAS from LAX to Copenhagen in economy or SAS Go. It was a nice flight. Seating was okay; there was enough space for me, and I was so lucky that I got a free middle seat.
SAS Go vs. SAS Plus Summary
| Feature | SAS Go (Economy) | SAS Plus (Premium Economy) |
| Seat Layout (A350) | 3-3-3 | 2-4-2 |
| Seat Pitch/Recline | Standard / 6-inch recline | More legroom / Wider seats |
| Meals | 2 Complimentary Meals | Enhanced Meal Service |
| Drinks | 1 non-alcoholic with meal | Complimentary |
| Wi-Fi | Paid ($16) | Paid ($16) |
| Power | USB-A only | Universal Power + USB |
| Baggage | 1 x 23kg (Go), 0kg (Go Light) | 2 x 23kg |
If you are flying SAS Go Light, remember that it is the most basic fare. It typically does not include checked baggage, and you board in the last group. However, the onboard experience in the seat is the same as standard SAS Go.
Until next time, have a safe flight.