Finnair ready to fly to Melbourne

It will soon be possible to fly from Melbourne to Helsinki with Finnair. 

The Finnish flag carrier has unveiled plans to expand its long-haul network and start flights to Melbourne late in 2026. 

The route will be operated daily via Bangkok with an Airbus A350 aircraft.

The Melbourne route marks a completely new destination for Finnair and connects Australia directly to Finnair’s extensive network via Helsinki.

“We are very excited to introduce service to a new continent," said Christine Rovelli, Chief Revenue Officer at Finnair. 

"By connecting Helsinki and Melbourne, two cities on opposite sides of the world, we can offer a truly unique bridge between the northern and southern hemispheres. 

“We expect that this new route will appeal to travellers from Europe heading to Australia, as well as Australians exploring northern Europe and beyond.”

The flight is scheduled to depart from Helsinki shortly after midnight, arriving in Bangkok in the afternoon, and continuing to Melbourne after a brief stop, reaching Melbourne the following morning. 

On the return, flights will leave from Melbourne in the afternoon, with a stop in Bangkok in the evening, and land in Helsinki early the next day, aligning with Finnair’s first morning departures across Europe. 

The Melbourne flights will be available for booking on Finnair.com as of today, and the first flight is expected to be on October 25, 2026, subject to government approval.

In addition to Melbourne, Finnair’s network for 2026 comprises a total of 93 European destinations, 11 Asian destinations, seven North American destinations, including Toronto, which opens in summer 2026, and two destinations in the Middle East.