Heading north – The best Finnair Routes for your Holidays.

Disclosure: Finnair paid for my flight from Frankfurt to New Delhi.

In the mood for a Finnish holiday? I get that! There are few airlines that show off their nationality as well as Finnair. From the lovely Finnish cabin staff that is always eager to share their favorite Helsinki tips with you to the Marimekko soft furnishing onboard and the signature blueberry juice – all Finnair routes offer you a glimpse into Finnish traditions and hospitility. 

But of course it doesn’t stop there because Finnair doesn’t just bring Finnish flair to destinations all around the world. No, because they also offers routes to plenty of places in Finnland and northern Europe. The perfect carrier if you want to see reindeers, the Northern Lights or meet Santa. 

Cabin classes on long-distance Finnair Routes

I discovered Finnair routes years ago when I took my first trip with them to China. They have long been known for their extensive flight network to Asian destinations. They currently have direct flights from Helsinki to Thailand, Singapore, Korea, and India as well as multiple cities in Japan, and some other destinations. 

On their long-distance flights operated by Finnair, they offer three cabin classes: economy, premium economy, and business class. I got to try all three on my recent flights with to Tokyo, from Osaka, and to and from New Delhi. 

The staff in all cabin classes is incredibly kind and lovely, and Finnair is one of the few airlines offering a premium economy at a really good price. Unlike others, it is truly affordable and a great option if you need a bit more space or an bigger luggage allowance. 

Their new business class is truly one of a kind thanks to the Collins’ AirLounge seats. They don’t convert into a bed but offer enough space that you can simply scooch down and lie flat. Business class also offers the cutest Marimekko amenity kit and of course, never-ending bubbles in their beautiful signature Iittala flutes. 

In all cabin classes, Finnair offers a really clever inflight map. It not only shows you the remaining flight time but also where you are during your flight and when meals will be served (always important in my opinion). 

Best of all: Finnair has its own loyalty program that allows you to collect Avios. This is a great option if you have already signed up for other programs with Avios. 

Nordic Finnair flight map

Finnair is not only a superb option if you want to fly overseas though. After all, they are Finland’s national airline and as such offer routes to 15 Finnish destinations. Interestingly enough these include two bus transfers from Helsinki to Turku and Tampere, routes that are no longer operated by plane. 

Other exciting destinations include Lappland and there are more flights planned in 2025 to Rovaniemi (say hello to Santa), Kittilä, and Ivalo, especially during the winter season. Winter in Lappland is truly one of a kind but chances are, you won’t take a rental car to drive up. That is where these Finnair routes come in handy. 

FROZEN – SLEEPING AT THE GLASS IGLOO HOTEL IN FINLAND.

If one winter wonderland is not enough for you, you can also head to the Baltics or Nordics with Finnair. There are plenty of flights to Riga, Tallinn, and Tartu as well as to Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Stockholm, and even Reykjavik. In addition, Finnair offers direct flights from Helsinki to Norway. Cities include Bergen, Trondheim, and Tromsø. 

If you want to combine two Christmassy destinations in one you can even fly directly from Rovaniemi to Tromsø. These flights operate until March and again in October and November 2025 for now. 

In the summer months, you can fly directly from Ivalo, Finnland to Kirkenes in Norway instead. 

Traveling through Helsinki Vantaa Airport

Unless you are catching one of those direct flights, you will have a layover at Helsinki Vantaa Airport, the Finnair hub. When coming from another destination during a long-distance flight you can even book a designated stopover in Helsinki. 

Regardless of your options, Helsinki Airport is one of my favorites because it is just so cute. 

I know that is a strange word to describe an airport but you will immediately see what I mean.

Layover times are incredibly short as the airport is quite small and well-designed. While lines at security can get quite long, the staff is super friendly, and if you have an EU passport there are plenty of e-gates you can use (unlike you, Frankfurt Airport!). 

On the ground, cute Nordic design with Marimekko and a Mumins store, and plenty of lovely cafes and eateries. They also have a few lounges though, to be honest, a Priority Pass may not get you very far as they always have a long line. I recommend booking Finnair business class instead (if you can of course) as this means you can use one of their incredible lounges. 

If you are doing Helsinki stopover or Helsinki is your departure airport, check-in couldn’t be easier. Finnair has plenty of self-check-in kiosks though there are of course regular counters if you need help. There is also a dedicated priority check-in area that leads you directly to the priority security lines. 

Something I really enjoyed at Helsinki Airport – it seems incredibly quiet compared to others. I am not sure how that is but if you are prone to sensory overload while traveling, this is the airport for you.