Getting to Nice, France
Why I Chose SAS Airlines to Fly from Chicago O'Hare to Nice, France
I found a great price on a flight from Chicago O’Hare to Nice, France on SAS with a stopover in Stockholm. SAS has quickly become one of my favorite European Airlines so I decided to book this flight. Getting to Nice would be quite the adventure as it would also be my first time in Business Class on a long haul flight.
When I choose my destination, I usually use Google Flights to search Chicago and Minneapolis to everywhere. The roundtrip airfare to Nice was under $600 so I decided that Nice is where I would be traveling to. This trip would give me a chance to visit Monaco, a place I have always wanted to visit.
A few days before my flight, I was offered a chance to bid on an upgrade to either SAS Business Class or SAS Plus. Taking a chance, I skipped SAS Plus and went right for SAS Business Class. My bid was accepted, and I was thrilled.
Business Class doesn’t only come with a lie-flat seat, plenty of extra legroom, and better food, but I also would receive priority boarding, SAS Lounge Access at Chicago O’Hare and Security Fast Track. To say I was excited about my upgrade would be a total understatement.
Chicago O'Hare to Nice, France - SAS Airlines - Table of Contents
Disclaimer: At Buzzin’ Around the World, we do our best to offer the most factual information that was available to us at the time of posting based on our research. If you believe something on our site is incorrect or misleading, please email us.
We follow all local, national, and international laws and ordinances based on our best interpretation at the time of posting. If you are a representative of an organization that believes one of your ordinances has been violated, please know it was not intentional. To have content removed, please email us.
Finally, under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
We use affiliate links to help pay for fees associated with our website. When you book a service (i.e. flight, hotel, tour) or purchase a product through any of our links, we may/will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Buzzinaroundtheworld.com may be compensated for reviews posted on this website. We always review each product truthfully.
Buzzin’ Around the World uses our individual travel experiences to write our content. All photos and content are original. Buzzin’ Around the World sometimes uses AI to generate titles, summaries, or descriptions of our original work.
For more information, please click HERE to visit our private policy page. We can be reached at buzzinaroundtheworld@gmail.com.
Getting to Nice - Leg 1 - Chicago O'Hare to Stockholm in SAS Business Class
SAS Check-In at Chicago-O'Hare International Airport
I arrived at Chicago O’Hare about three hours before my flight was set to depart. After arriving at International Terminal 5, I found the check-in desk 5E which is the assigned area for SAS Airlines. There was a separate queue for business class, and within 60 seconds I had my boarding pass.
SAS Lounge at Chicago-O'Hare International Airport
The SAS Lounge at O’Hare Airport is relatively small as SAS only has one flight departing at a time. Upon entry, I presented my boarding pass which was quickly scanned. The lounge had a nice seating area for working which meant I could work on my website. This section was created while sitting at a work station in the lounge.
Boarding - SAS Airlines - Chicago O'Hare to Stockholm
Boarding started on time, and as a Business Class passenger, I was among the first to board. There was an amenities kit on my seat, along with bedding, a bottle of water, and headphones. The flight attendant came around and offered everyone their choice of juice, water, or champaign.
On-Board Experience - SAS Business Class - Chicago O'Hare to Stockholm
The Business Class Cabin on SAS Airlines is configured in a 1-2-1 configuration. I chose seat 5A which was a single window seat. The odd-numbered seats near the windows are closer to the aisle while the even-numbered seats are closer to the window. My seat was a lie-flat seat which would allow me to get 4.5 hours of sleep.
The flight included a 5-Course Meal and free Wifi. I spent the first half of the flight working on my website. I then decided to take advantage of the lie-flat seat and slept. The flight attendant woke me up one hour before the flight left for breakfast.
You can read a full review of my SAS Business Class Experience by clicking on this link or by clicking on the picture below.
Arriving at Stockholm's Arlanda Airport
I arrived at Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport around 8:00 a.m. local time. There was no wait for clearing passport control and my bag was checked through to Nice. After a quick stop at the ATM I purchased a breakfast Danish and Coke Zero and found a place to sit and relax. My second leg of Stockholm to Nice would depart at 10:00 a.m.
Getting to Nice - Leg 2 - Stockholm to Nice in SAS Economy
Leg two of my journey getting to Nice was on a 737-700. This plane definitely had a lot of wear and tear on it. My seat was in the exit row, which was the only exit row. Seat 15 D provided plenty of leg room.
SAS’s European Service does not provide free drinks or food. I decided to buy a pizza and a Coke Zero which cost around USD$8.
How to Get from Nice Airport to the City Centre
My flight landed about three hours later at Nice Côte d’Azur Airport. Due to the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping, all of the roads were closed. As a result, I took the Street Tram to my hotel. Looking back on it, I could have easily walked as the Street Tram followed a walkway.
To get to my hotel, I purchased a ticket in the Direction Magnan and exited at the first stop. Getting to Nice from Chicago O’Hare was a simple process, and SAS provided excellent service.
Buzzin' Around the World's Affiliate Partners
Affiliate Partner of the Month - Viator
Viator is my favorite website for booking tours and packages. With over 300,000 unique tours to choose from, everyone should be able to find something on Viator that interests them. I like Viator because anytime I have an issue with a tour company, Viator has intervened and helped on my behalf. I highly recommend using Viator for booking your tours and vacation packages.
Book Through the Link Below to Help Buzzin' Around the World Earn Commission
Earn $200 in Travel Rewards with the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card
The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card is one of the few rewards cards that does not charge an annual fee. Cardholders can earn 1.25 points for every dollar spent while enjoying 0% APR for 15 months.
Currently, Capital One is offering a signup bonus of 20,000 points (worth $200 in travel rewards) when the cardholder spends $500 in the first three months. If you are interested in this card, I would appreciate it if you would sign up with the link below, as I earn a referral bonus of 10,000 points. Those points are worth $100 in travel rewards and will help me continue to bring great content to Buzzin’ Around the World.
Once again, the Capital One VentureOne card is one of the few reward cards without an annual fee and is the perfect card for someone who is just starting to get into the travel points game.