Finnair, Finland’s flagship airline, today celebrated the inauguration of a new direct flight from Toronto to Helsinki at a luncheon held at Toronto’s Scotia Plaza. Representatives from the carrier were joined by members of the Finnish Embassy and over twenty of Canada’s travel and trade media for an exciting look at everything awaiting Canadians in Helsinki, culminating in a ribbon-cutting at Toronto Pearson Airport prior to departure.
“We’re extremely excited to be returning to Canada with the first and only direct, transatlantic flight between Canada and Finland,” said Javier Roig Sanchez, Finnair’s General Manager, North America. “As Finnair continues to grow its presence in the North American market , Canada was a welcome addition to the network. Whether they are exploring Helsinki or connecting elsewhere in the Nordics or Europe, we look forward to welcoming more Canadians than ever this summer.”
Roig Sanchez and the Finnair team were joined at the event by Hanna-Leena Korteniemi, Finland’s Ambassador to Canada, who spoke to the media in attendance.
In service as of May 4, 2026, the new Toronto-Helsinki direct route will operate thrice weekly during the summer season, offering three choices of cabin: business, economy, and premium economy. The route will be flown by the Airbus A330. Business and leisure travellers alike will be well-served by the airline’s lauded AirLounge seat in the Business Class, with an innovative pod-like, no-recline design.
Beyond being a compelling and accessible urban destination, Finnair’s home hub, Helsinki, is also a major regional gateway to major destinations in Europe, the Baltics, Nordics and South Asia market, such as New Delhi India. Being a member of the oneworld alliance, strong partnerships with the likes of American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia and Aer Lingus make Finnair well-connected extending its network through partner airlines . The Finnish carrier also enjoys a partnership with WestJet, serving origins like YEA (Edmonton), YYC (Calgary) and YOW (Ottawa), among others. The Toronto route represents Finnair’s 7th gateway in North America.
Speaking to those in attendance at the event, Roig Sanchez confirmed Finnair’s deepening commitment to the North American market:
“We believe the Toronto direct route represents a great opportunity in the Canadian market, and will continue to support the growth of Helsinki and Finland in the Canadian tourism consciousness. We look forward to the summer season.”
