Melbourne’s long-haul map is set for a Nordic refresh, with Finnair confirming daily flights between Helsinki and the Victorian capital from October 2026.
The move makes Finnair just the second mainland European carrier, after Turkish Airlines, to fly to Australia.
The new Helsinki-Melbourne route, which will fly via Bangkok, will operate on A350 aircraft, offering business class with the AirLounge seat (a rare non-reclining, flat-bed seat), plus premium economy and economy classes.
Flights will depart Melbourne each afternoon (3:40pm), connect through Bangkok (arriving 8:50pm) and touch down in Finland the next morning (6:05am), with a midnight return from Helsinki and early arrival (7.15am) in Tullamarine.
Beyond city links, Finnair also adds easy access to Lapland – including year-round flights to Rovaniemi – and to around 90 European destinations via the carrier’s Helsinki hub.
While the new service most notably boosts European travel for Victorians, it also represents another option for flying to holiday hotspot, Thailand.
“Our extensive network, and especially strong offering across the Nordics and Baltics, provides excellent options for both Australian leisure and business travellers,” Finnair Area Vice President Pasi Kuusisto said.
“Melbourne is not only a popular holiday destination for Europeans, but also home to a large European diaspora, foreign students, and expatriates – making this route an attractive choice for these customer segments as well.”
Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said Finnair would help increase two-way travel, especially for holidaymakers and family reunions.
“Helsinki is one of Europe’s most innovative cities and Finland is regularly voted one of the happiest countries in the world, so to have a daily connection with one of the world’s most liveable cities means there is plenty at either end for people to explore and discover,” she said.
“These new flights will help bring more families together, as well as bringing thousands of extra people to our state each week, which will help support Victoria’s world-class tourism, dining and hospitality venues.”
Argus also flagged the $190 million that the new flights would add to the Victorian economy each year.
“So Finnair choosing Melbourne to launch its Australian operations is not only a huge vote of confidence, but also a boost for jobs in our state,” she remarked.
“This will be a record summer of international travel for Melbourne Airport with more than 2.5 million people expected through our international terminal across December and January.
“We’d encourage anyone travelling over the next few weeks to plan ahead, book parking online and allow extra time to get to the airport and find a car park.
“We’re building the infrastructure we need to support growth from airlines like Finnair, including our third runway which is due to open in 2031.”
Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements said Finnair adds choice and makes travelling to Victoria easier.
“The Visit Victoria Industry Partnerships Program promotes Victoria as a must-visit destination and will help amplify the airline’s new service in market while creating demand and converting it into visitation,” he stated.
“Partnering with Melbourne Airport and Finnair through this program will help build on Victoria’s record $43.7 billion visitor economy, which supports 288,000 jobs across the state.”
Finnair won’t be an altogether unusual sight for Australian skies, with Qantas having wet-leased AY planes on some services between Sydney and Singapore for many years now.
In 2023, the carrier also re-established a direct presence in the Australian travel market again after temporarily closing its local office.
KARRYON UNPACKS: This is a big deal for Australian aviation. A second mainland European carrier flying to Australia means more choice, stronger competition and smarter routings. For agents, it opens fresh selling angles across Europe via Helsinki, with reliable connectivity, year-round demand and real premium appeal.
