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In these lounges you pay about 30 euros for one visit. Assuming 15-20 travels per year between Tallinn, Oslo and Helsinki:

Are there any cheaper methods to stay in lounges like bonus programs or credit cards?

I am now thinking about a Diners Club International credit card, but I am not sure whether it is the best solution.

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    I found out about the PriorityPass recently in a post: travel.stackexchange.com/questions/10048/… and aren't there lounges of the same airline company (SAS by any chance) in these three airports? I'll try to find more materials for a longer answer when I have time.
    – Vince
    Oct 17, 2012 at 12:49
  • Did you only mean Tallinn, Oslo and Helsinki (per your question) or "European airports" (per your title)? Those are very different questions. If you mean "main Scandinavian airports excl. Copenhagen" then say so. Also your question implies he flies 17 times/year (but presumably employer is paying for his ticket, it's economy class, and he always self-pays for lounge access, and isn't reimbursed).
    – smci
    Jul 29, 2019 at 6:51
  • If you're only interested in those three airports, then Oslo is the weakest link, as regards paid-aceess to lounges (more like near-total lack of). See my question When is OSL lounge at Gardermoen Airport full/unavailable for paid-access passengers?
    – smci
    Jul 29, 2019 at 6:53
  • @Vince: SAS doesn't offer lounge paid-access to non-members in Oslo. So if you're suggesting OP should move their flight business to SAS, simply to get lounge access at OSL, regardless of increased cost to employer, that seems uneconomical; I'd just expense the €35 fee, or make the case to employer. Or avoid OSL.
    – smci
    Jul 29, 2019 at 6:57

2 Answers 2

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There is some duplication with the techniques mentioned in this question. However, if Matthew is travelling a lot in that area, chances are he travels with the same airline a lot. So probably his best option is to make sure he always travels with the same airline or alliance and uses their frequent-flyer programme. Sooner or later he'll get upgraded to an elite level and start getting lounge entry for free (as well as other benefits such as faster check-in, security, and other good stuff).

It's probably best for him to pick an airline/alliance based in his hometown, assuming that's where he always flies from/to.

One good option (not the only one) in that area might be Finnair (part of the Oneworld alliance), who have their hub in Helsinki.

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One option is to use a PriorityPass which has 2 matching options: 250 euros every year for 10 free lounge accesses and then 24 euros each, or unlimited access for 400 euros every year. They offer lounges in Helsinki and Talinn, with some conditions on the time of the day or destination. But there is no lounge in Oslo!

So another option is, like @Andrew said, to become a frequent traveller on a specific airline. Scandinavian Airlines has lounges in Oslo and Helsinki and has partnership with IcelandAir, Estonian Air and Air Baltic when buying a business class ticket on these airlines (and they're member of Star Alliance). Talinn Estonian Air lounge is accessible to EuroBonus Gold card holders (SAS frequent flyer program) so I suppose this program would be a good choice. I don't know how much you need to fly get this status though (it sounds like a lot of points but maybe it's easy to get them)

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    Alternately, some high end bank accounts and credit cards give away free PriorityPass cards, so you could get it that way
    – Gagravarr
    Oct 17, 2012 at 21:21

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