Finnair to launch Melbourne flights in 2026, marking first Australian service

Finnair has revealed plans to start flights to Melbourne in autumn 2026, marking the airline’s first entry into the Australian market. 

In a statement, the carrier announced that the Melbourne route marks a completely new destination for Finnair and connects Australia directly to its global network through Helsinki. 

“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,” said Christine Rovelli, Chief Revenue Officer at Finnair. “We expect that this new route will appeal to travelers from Europe heading to Australia, as well as Australians exploring northern Europe and beyond.”  

The new route will operate daily via Bangkok using an Airbus A350 aircraft. The flight is set to leave Helsinki shortly after midnight, arriving in Bangkok in the afternoon, and then continuing to Melbourne after a short stop, reaching the city the next morning. 

Return flights are planned to leave Melbourne in the afternoon, stop in Bangkok in the evening, and arrive in Helsinki early the following day, aligning with Finnair’s first morning departures across Europe.  

The airline announced that the new Melbourne flights will be open for booking starting December 18, 2025, with the first flight expected to take off on October 25, 2026, pending approval from the Australian government. 

In addition to Melbourne, the carrier said that its 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.

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