TORONTO — A long-awaited return became reality yesterday as Finnair relaunched direct service to Canada with its inaugural Toronto–Helsinki flight on May 4.

The 3x/weekly seasonal service marks Finnair’s return to Toronto after an 11-year hiatus and represents the only non-stop connection between Canada and Finland. The airline celebrated the milestone with a media lunch in downtown Toronto yesterday, followed by a ribbon-cutting at Toronto Pearson Airport ahead of the inaugural departure.

Javier Roig-Sanchez, General Manager, North America, Finnair (centre), flanked by Finnair cabin crew members

“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, General Manager, North America, Finnair. “Whether they are exploring Helsinki or connecting elsewhere in the Nordics or Europe, we look forward to welcoming more Canadians than ever this summer.”

The new route will operate throughout the summer season until the end of August on an Airbus A330 featuring Economy, Premium Economy and Business class. In Business, passengers can experience Finnair’s AirLounge seat, a unique, non-reclining fixed-shell design that prioritizes space and privacy.

Toronto marks Finnair’s seventh gateway in North America, a milestone in the carrier’s 103rd year.

“I can confirm the Toronto flight is coming back next year”

While the global travel landscape remains volatile amid the Middle East conflict, Roig-Sanchez emphasized that the Toronto route has been long in the making.

“The Toronto flight was planned a year ago, and we wanted to keep it. We promised it,” he told Travelweek, noting that launching a new long-haul route requires significant planning, from securing slots to allocating aircraft.

Demand trends have been encouraging despite geopolitical headwinds. “The demand from Europe to Toronto and Canada has been really good,” said Roig-Sanchez, adding that “the load factors that I’m seeing now in the system are really healthy out of Toronto from mid-June to mid-July.”

And though it’s still too early to gauge performance on the new Toronto route, Roig-Sanchez said Finnair can draw a comparable outlook from the U.S. market, where it hasn’t seen any decline in demand. 

But even if the Toronto route gets off to a slower start, it’s nothing to be concerned about, he added. 

“We never think about making a profitable route in the first year – in fact, we build this into our business plan. This is why I can confirm that this Toronto flight is coming back from April next year. We need time to invest in this route, do a lot of things with agencies that can’t be done in only one season,” he told Travelweek, adding that 2027 flights are already on sale.

“Fuel has already been hedged for this year”

While many airlines have recently cancelled flights and reduced capacity in recent weeks due to surging fuel costs compounded by the Middle East war, Finnair is maintaining a steady course, thanks to careful planning.

“We are not limiting capacity because the fuel has already been hedged for this year,” Roig-Sanchez told Travelweek. “This is going to keep us stable. So we are not planning to cancel anything.”

He acknowledged that uncertainty remains, particularly when it comes to demand. “Of course, we are really concerned about how the situation will impact demand. But at the moment, we need to send a message to the market that this company will be stable in 2026,” he said.

Roig-Sanchez also noted that Finnair is prepared to adapt operationally if needed. “If there is one airport where we’re flying to that lacks fuel and we cannot refuel when we land, we are ready to do fuel tankering,” he said, adding that the airline’s 103-year history has helped it prepare for any type of disruption.

Roig-Sanchez confirmed during yesterday’s event that the airline has hedged fuel for nearly all of 2026, with 86% in Q1, 82% in Q2 and about 70% for the remainder of the year. “We’ll see what will happen with Iran next year, but this year Finnair is a really good option because we’re going to be really stable.”

Expansion across Europe and beyond

Finnair is continuing to expand its network across the Nordics, Europe and long-haul markets, reinforcing Helsinki’s role as a key global hub. The airline plays a central role in regional connectivity, particularly within Finland and neighbouring Norway.

“The domestic network of Finland is really important. We are the airline serving the majority of Finland’s nearly 20 airports,” said Roig-Sanchez, adding that as the official airline for Santa Claus since 1983, Finnair offers year-round service to Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland on the Arctic Circle, a major tourist destination with a Santa Claus Village.

Roig-Sanchez also noted that Finnair acts as “a gateway to places like Norway,” making it easy for travellers to combine destinations across the Nordics. This summer, the carrier will operate “up to 86 flights per week between Helsinki and Norway,” with service to multiple cities across the region.

Growth continues across Europe as well, with 12 new destinations added this summer. “You can reach via Helsinki to 90 places in Europe,” he said, highlighting new routes including Luxembourg, Valencia and Tirana.

Beyond Europe, Finnair is maintaining a strong long-haul presence despite ongoing geopolitical challenges. “We are still connecting our capital in Europe with 11 airports in Asia,” Roig-Sanchez said, noting continued service to key markets including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, China, Thailand and India. He added that “we have seen a lot of demand from Toronto via Helsinki to New Delhi,” a convenient option for Toronto’s large Indian community.

Looking ahead, Finnair is also expanding into new long-haul markets. “Starting in October, we will have our newest destination – Melbourne,” he said, marking the airline’s first own-operated service to Australia via Bangkok.

Strengthening Canada–Finland ties

Hanna-Leena Korteniemi, Ambassador of Finland

For Hanna-Leena Korteniemi, Ambassador of Finland, the new Toronto route represents more than just increased connectivity.

“The inaugural Finnair flight between Toronto and Helsinki represents a strengthened connection between Canada and Finland, between countries and people who have similar values,” she said at yesterday’s event.

“Distance does not define partnerships. Values do.”

She emphasized the broader impact of direct air service in fostering closer ties. “The direct Finnair flight creates opportunities, new openings for trade, for tourism, for dialogue, for understanding,” she said. “Today, that connection is made not only shorter but closer.”

Korteniemi also highlighted Finland’s growing global profile as the “happiest place on earth,” a distinction the country has held in the annual World Happiness Report for nine consecutive years. “For us, happiness is not perfection nor constant excitement. It is something practical, something built,” she said. “In Finland, happiness is not a moment. It is a state of mind.”

The new route, she added, invites Canadians to experience that firsthand, from Helsinki’s urban culture to the country’s natural landscapes and traditions.

Echoing that sentiment, Roig-Sanchez said the route represents a key opportunity for growth in the Canadian 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.”

Lead image caption: The official ribbon ceremony marking Finnair’s new direct service from Toronto to Helsinki at Toronto Pearson International Airport, May 4, 2026. Pictured from l-r: Katja Podduikin-Miettinen, Chief Purser, Finnair; Hanna-Leena Korteniemi, Ambassador of Finland; Javier Roig-Sanchez, General Manager, North America, Finnair; MIa Eloranta, Communications Manager, Finnair; Carl Jones, Head of Aviation Development at GTAA; and Konsta Kovanen, Senior Cabin Crew, Finniar.