Review: Aspire Lounge at Gate 27 at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport
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We’ve visited the Aspire Lounge at Gate 27 in Helsinki-Vantaa several times, both before and after its 2025 refurbishment. Swissport-operated lounges are known for their colourful look across Europe’s major airports. In this article, we introduce the Aspire Lounge and rate it.
Covered in the Article
Aspire Lounges at Helsinki Airport
Aspire Lounges are a pair of lounges in the Schengen area of Helsinki Airport. This review covers the lounge near Gate 27, operated by the international ground-handling company Swissport. The lounge is not tied to any airline and is open to all travellers.
We stop by the Aspire Lounges regularly when departing from Helsinki on both domestic and international flights. Because Helsinki Airport is our home base, its lounges have become very familiar to us. In addition to the Aspire Lounges, the airport has several lounges.
Location
Helsinki Airport has just one large terminal where you can move between gates without leaving the secure area. As walking distances can be long, it’s wise to allow about 20 minutes to get around. Fortunately, the Aspire Lounge is in the middle of the terminal, near Gate 27, making it especially convenient. After security, it’s only a short walk to the lounge, and all Schengen-area gates are easy to reach.
This Aspire Lounge works best when you’re flying within the Schengen area. You can also use it before non-Schengen flights, but in that case, allow time for passport control. In Helsinki, passport checks are usually quick, though crowds can be heavy. Going through passport control after the lounge can be stressful, so we recommend choosing another lounge if your destination is outside the Schengen area. In that case, for example, the Plaza Premium Lounge is an excellent alternative.
The Aspire Lounge is upstairs from the departures level at the top of the stairs. There is also an elevator to the upper floor, a few steps from the staircase.
Opening hours
The Aspire Lounge is open daily from morning to evening. Doors open at 5:00 and close at 20:00. It’s worth arriving at the airport in good time so you can relax and enjoy the lounge before your flight.
How to access the Aspire Lounge
The Aspire Lounge welcomes travelers with a Priority Pass or LoungeKey membership. These memberships often come with premium credit cards, such as the Nordea Platinum card. You can also purchase a Priority Pass membership separately. In addition, the Aspire Lounge offers discounted entry for Eurocard holders. Check the current price with your card issuer.
Admission to the Aspire Lounge includes almost all services. You won’t pay extra for drinks, snacks, or other amenities. Alcoholic beverages are available as well. The exception is sparkling wine, which carries an additional charge.
Airline customers
Some airlines send their business- and first-class travellers to the Aspire Lounge. For example, airBaltic and Icelandair use this lounge, so their premium customers can visit free of charge. Finnair invites its premium passengers to the airline’s own high-quality Finnair Lounges.
Pay-per-visit access
You can also visit the lounge with a one-time payment. By our estimate, buying access at the door costs about €40, even though no official price is published. That’s why we recommend booking in advance from Lounge Pass. Booking ahead guarantees entry even at busy times and is usually the cheaper option. When reserved via the Lounge Pass service, a visit costs just €32.
Our experiences at the Aspire Lounge
Over the years, we visited the Aspire Lounge many times. The lounge was closed for a while but reopened in early 2025 after a refurbishment. They made no major changes, but the space is now a little larger, there is a bar, and other decor has been improved. Below, based on our experiences, we share how we rate the lounge’s different aspects in its current state.
Location
The Aspire Lounge is easy to find upstairs near Gate 27. After security, it’s just a few minutes’ walk. Follow the signs and it’s hard to get lost.
Getting to the Schengen departure gates after your lounge visit is smooth and typically takes only 5–10 minutes. The transfer is straightforward, with no additional checks required. At many airports, lounges sit far from the gates, but in Helsinki, that’s thankfully not the case. If you’re departing outside the Schengen area, allow a little extra time for passport control. In those cases, the location isn’t quite as ideal.
Comfort and ambience
The Aspire Lounge is a quiet, pleasantly tucked-away space upstairs. It's a fresh, yet now more subdued, colour palette that creates a nice atmosphere, and overall, the lounge is very comfortable. During peak periods, however, it can feel a bit crowded.
The lounge has plenty of seating, and the renovation increased capacity. There are tables and chairs for dining and working, and nearly every seat has a nearby power outlet. For relaxing, you’ll find soft armchairs and sofas. A decorative fireplace adds warmth to the space.
As evening falls, the lounge is wonderfully atmospheric thanks to the soft lighting.
The apron view is excellent. The lounge is perfect for plane spotters. Aircraft are right behind the large glass walls, and you also get views of the runways.
Food and drinks
The lounge’s food and drink selection is mid-range — perhaps its weakest link.
During the day, soup is the only hot dish. We have often enjoyed tomato soup here. Alongside the soup, there are usually salads, potato chips, fruit, whipped quark, breads, ham, cheese, and desserts.
In the mornings, the lounge serves a familiar breakfast. Instead of soup, there is porridge with fruit, and you’ll also find yoghurts. There are plenty of rolls and croissants, which you can top with various cold cuts and cheeses. Other typical breakfast items are available, too. The food fills you up, but the spread is pretty standard.
The drink selection is excellent. Previously, the lounge offered self-serve juices, soft drinks, water, draft beer, wines, and spirits. Now most of these drinks are ordered free of charge from the bar counter. Sparkling wine carries an extra fee. The refreshed bar is a welcome addition, further improving the atmosphere.
Visitors can still self-serve non-alcoholic drinks from taps. Coffee and speciality coffees come from machines.
Facilities and services
Beyond the food offering, the lounge provides additional amenities. There are flight information screens and dedicated restrooms. Helsinki Airport offers an excellent, reliable Wi‑Fi connection, and the lounge has plenty of power outlets for charging devices. The only thing missing is a shower.
Customer service
Customer service is typically Finnish: the staff are professional and friendly, even if the service isn’t always especially smiley or effusively warm.
Our rating
The Aspire Lounge stands out for its location and interior compared with many other lounges we’ve tried. Overall, it’s good and functional, even if we wouldn’t call it top-tier. Pricing is competitive, and we think the services offer solid value for money. We warmly recommend stopping by the Aspire Lounge — we visit several times a year ourselves.
Bottom Line
Premium-class travellers usually access lounges by airline invitation at no extra cost.
Those flying on an affordable economy ticket can also use lounges for a fee, regardless of airline or fare. The Aspire Lounge is a quality option that suits both leisure travellers and frequent business flyers. A visit offers a pleasant, calming break before your flight. Do note that the lounge may fill up quickly at peak times, so reserving entry in advance is advisable.
Do you often visit the Aspire Lounge? Share your experience below!
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