Finnair has introduced an online shop for its frequent flyer program. Members can buy products with Plus points alone, with cash, or with a combination of both–and members can adjust the ratio of points and cash used to make purchases according to their preference.

Currently there are approximately 1,300 products from which to choose and new items will continue to be added, including more electronics. All the leading Finnish design brands are available; for example Hackman, Iittala and Marimekko as well as renowned international names such as Design House Stockholm, Eva Solo and Normann Copenhagen.

The Unikko duvet cover caught our eye, listing for 10 euro plus 20,000 points as a “Campaign Product”, or special sales product, where you can buy only for the cost in cash and points that is listed. Visit www.finnairplusshop.com. You do not have to be a member of Finnair Plus to shop on the site.

Bottom line: We love this new award option for members. It gives the infrequent flyer a way to spend points when they can’t quite earn enough to get a flight award, and it gives very frequent flyers options to spend their points on something other than a flight award because sometimes the last thing a frequent flyer wants to do is get on another plane. Kudos goes to Finnair–we wish all programs would offer such flexible awards through their Web shops.