Finnair aircraft. Photo: Finnair Finnair is turning several of its newest European routes into permanent, year-round services, less than a year after first announcing them as summer-only additions.
The Finnish carrier confirmed that flights from Helsinki to Luxembourg, Valencia, and Turin will now continue through the winter season as well. The decision reflects steady demand not only from leisure travelers but also from business travelers and those connecting to Finnair’s wider network.
“We are constantly developing our network and increasing capacity where it best serves our customers. Year-round connections ensure that our customers can enjoy smooth and reliable travel options throughout the seasons”, says Antti Tolvanen, Finnair's Senior Vice President, Network and Revenue Optimisation.
Luxembourg, in particular, plays an important role in connecting traffic. Finnair plans to operate the route four times a week in winter, up from three weekly flights during the summer schedule.
Luxembourg. Photo: olrat / ShutterstockValencia and Turin serve different types of travelers, but both remain attractive even outside the peak summer months.
Valencia. Photo: Kirill Neiezhmakov / ShutterstockValencia offers mild temperatures and sunshine at a time when much of Europe is cold and grey.
Turin, Italy. Photo: saiko3p / ShutterstockTurin, on the other hand, draws winter sports fans heading to nearby Alpine resorts. Finnair will fly to Turin once a week in winter, increasing to twice weekly between January and March when ski season is at its busiest. Valencia will see four weekly flights continue through winter.
Other previously announced destinations, including Stavanger in Norway and Umeå in Sweden, will also stay on the map year-round. Finnair is planning nine weekly flights to Stavanger next winter and 10 weekly services to Umeå.
These additions are part of a broader expansion. Finnair recently unveiled 12 new European routes and is also preparing to launch long-haul flights to Toronto in May and Melbourne in October.
Alongside network growth, Finnair is also reshaping its onboard experience through music.
The airline has partnered with Finnish composer Lauri Porra to create a new musical collection called Matkantekijä, or Traveller. Passengers will begin hearing the music onboard aircraft, in lounges, and across Finnair’s customer touchpoints.
"Finnair has given wings to Finnish people, companies and culture for 102 years, and Finnishness has always been an essential part of us. It is a meaningful role that evokes emotions both within Finnair as well as among our customers," says Simon Large, Finnair's Chief Customer Officer. "We believe that Finnishness also serves as a differentiating factor for us."
Lauri Porra. Photo: Aija Lehtonen / ShutterstockPorra said the project reflects both travel and Finnish identity.
"I have been composing music for myself for a long time, especially for travel, and it has been inspired by Finnish nature and Finnishness", Porra says.
"This music is dedicated to all travelers, whether you're going on holiday or on an important business trip, I hope the music accompanies you on your journey and creates a peaceful space to tune in to your upcoming adventure."
The new soundtrack will gradually appear across the fleet starting February 27 and will also be available on streaming platforms.