Trip Report: Flying SAS to Milan from Mumbai via Copenhagen in Premium Economy

‍MILAN — Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) started operations to India, flying to Mumbai (BOM), on October 1 2026. With the airline celebrating its 80th year of operations, this new route is a special addition to its network and marks its return to India after a 17-year hiatus. 

Airways had the opportunity to fly to Mumbai on its inaugural flight. We're now returning to Milan on premium economy to Copenhagen (CPH) and business class to Milan Malpensa (MXP).

Leg 1: Mumbai – Copenhagen

My travel started quite far south of India, in Kerala, before reaching Mumbai. As with any other international airport around the world, BOM was active at night/ early morning, with people rushing at one point to take a picture after spotting a famous Indian cricketer.

My flight to Copenhagen departed from Terminal 2 at 06:30, which meant I could check in three hours prior to departure. Terminal 2 of BOM is one of the most iconic airport terminals ever built, with tree-like mushroom columns supporting the roof and a very spacious interior. I proceeded to the departures at section L, where SAS has their check-in desks. As a premium economy passenger, I could drop two bags, and I personally had a single piece of hand luggage.

The check-in process was smooth, and I walked towards security and passport control. When you are in India, be prepared to take all your electronic devices, including chargers, through security. But during those early-morning hours, I completed the entire process from check-in to passport control in 30 minutes.

Mumbai airport offers private lounges, food courts, cafes and shops for last-minute shopping. I made sure to hit my coffee intake before proceeding to the gates. If you haven’t tried Indian filter coffee, it’s a must-try! As I walked towards gate 74, where an Airbus A330-300 was waiting to fly me back to CPH, I saw the airport slowly getting busy with early-morning departures.

The boarding started right on time, according to the seating zones, and passengers travelling in premium economy could board early. The premium economy has 56 seats configured in a 2-3-2 layout, whereas Economy has 182 seats in a 2-4-2 layout. As I arrived at my seat, there was a pillow, a blanket, a bottle of water and earphones on my seat. There is also a universal charging port under the seat.

The seat was comfortable, with a width of 18.3 inches and a pitch of 38 inches. With a slight delay, we departed Mumbai from runway 27. It was also a good time to check the in-flight entertainment system. Just like my trip from CPH to BOM, the list of movies and TV shows was similar, so I decided to watch something I needed to catch up on.

Forty minutes after take-off, the crew began serving breakfast, along with fresh juice and soft drinks. I was served a vegetarian meal, and I am unsure whether that was the only meal type. But I was pleasantly surprised to see Indian breakfast dishes such as Poha and Dosa with Tomato Chutney! Along with it were some grilled vegetables, cheese and bread.

After my breakfast, I soon caught up on a good sleep, as there was still a long way to go! Also, I didn’t forget to stretch myself and walk a bit in the cabin in between. Some time later, we were also served light drinks and snacks. I opted for red wine and had a samosa as a snack. SAS partners with caterers in Mumbai to serve their BOM-CPH leg, which is also why there are different Indian foods on board.  

A couple of hours before arriving in Copenhagen, the crew served lunch. I chose the vegetarian option, which included rice with Paneer curry (Indian cottage cheese), Aloo mutter (Potatoes and peas), along with some vegetables on the side. I made sure to have my Indian food cravings satisfied before flying back to Italy.

Also, it was comfortable to work on board, with enough space around me, and I had some work done before landing. Around 12:38, we landed in Copenhagen with a 23-minute delay. Surprisingly, I was fresh enough to walk around and wait for my next flight, even after my 9-hour flight from Mumbai.

Transit in Copenhagen

As I was entering Europe, I had to go through passport control, and it took me exactly 1 hour from exiting the aircraft to clearing it. It was a busy time with multiple lines at passport control, but the airport officials gave us water while we waited. As my next journey to Milan was in business class, I had access to the SAS lounge, and this time I made sure I did not miss it.

SAS lounge offers dedicated spaces to work, relax, and enjoy food. As I stepped into the lounge, I saw tables offering salads, cold appetisers, and hot food. There were not many options, but I went with classic meatballs, mashed potatoes and some coffee. 

I walked around the lounge to see a dedicated space with tables and table lamps for work, slightly away from the dine-and-relax area. The SAS Lounge also provides shower facilities, restrooms, and changing stations.

As my next flight to Milan departed at 17:00, I had some time to relax and energise myself before heading to the gate. Also, at this time of day, the lounge was busy, but not so much that it bothered me. If you are flying in SAS Economy or on a SkyTeam partner airline, access to the lounge can be purchased at the entrance.

Leg 2: Copenhagen – Milan

Boarding for the next flight started at 16:30, and I was among the first to board. One of the big positives I found during the whole trip was the SAS mobile application. It gave me the live status of my baggage, the boarding completion percentage and aircraft details, to name a few. Also, it was much easier to connect to the onboard Starlink Wi-Fi using the app.

We pushed back on time and departed Copenhagen from runway 22R. As we approached cruise altitude, the crew served light snacks and drinks. I chose the Scandinavian Clouds (IPA) on board, with some nuts to go along with it. Soon after, the crew served dinner of seared salmon with a butter sauce, along with potatoes, seaweed, and broccolini. A cheese plate and chocolate cherry shortbread were served on the side.

After flying over Germany and the Swiss Alps, we descended shortly for Malpensa and arrived 10 minutes early. And soon I received my bags and bid bye to the airport before heading home!

Final Thoughts

A couple of great positives in the entire journey to Mumbai and back are the crew and the food. The crew have been some of the friendliest and most professional, attending to passengers when in need. Furthermore, the food served throughout the entire journey, in both business and economy classes, has been among the best I have ever had on board. If I look back on my journey, this is something I will cherish and may bring me back to fly with SAS again in the future.

Moreover, upon landing in Copenhagen, I found flights connecting to US destinations such as Boston, Chicago, and Atlanta, as well as to European destinations. This new connection to Mumbai provides a great alternative for flying to India from these destinations.

Trip photos: Author