Cheap flights to Finland

Finland is home to one of the busiest airports in Scandinavia. It’s also where you’ll find some of its most sought-after locations, including Lapland, which is famed for its diverse nature and wildlife, as well as the home of Santa Claus and his busy little elves.

Helsinki Cathedral. Credit: Pixabay

Popular Airlines / Companies for Finnish Flights

Finnair is the flag carrier airline of Finland. It is headquartered at Helsinki Airport and is one of the oldest continuously active airlines still in operation today. It also has an enviable safety record and has previously been called the “safest airline in the world”. It flies to more than 100 destinations at the last count and has a fleet of more than 70 planes, most of which consist of Airbuses (including the Airbus A350-900, Airbus A321-200, and Airbus A320-200).

The government of Finland owns more than half of the company and it hires over 6,700 employees. If you’re taking Finnish flights out of the country or you’re connecting to Finland airports domestically, you will likely find Finnair options during your comparison searches. Not only does this airline provide a wide number of routes across all major Finland airports, but it’s also a low-cost provider.

In addition to Finnair, there are a number of international airlines flying into and out of Finland airports to major destinations across Europe. These include:

• KLM
• Icelandair
• Scandinavian Airlines
• Lufthansa
• KLM
• Aeroflot
• Turkish Airlines
• TAP Portugal
• Qatar Airways
• Ryanair
• SWISS

Main Airports in Finland

Helsinki Airport is the biggest and busiest airport in Finland, as well as one of the five busiest in Scandinavia. It is a hub for Finnair and spans over 4,400 acres. Terminals 1 and 2 were combined in 2022, so all flights now leave from a single terminal.

Helsinki airport is very modern and easy to navigate. There is signage in multiple languages, including English, and there are many amenities in the building. You will find a number of restaurants covering everything from Asian cuisine to gourmet burgers and fast food, with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options to ensure that all needs are met. The shops include a pharmacy, bookstores, clothing stores, and jewelers. If you find yourself with time to kill before a flight, you won’t be short of options.

Getting to Helsinki Airport is also very easy. There is an airport rail station that runs commuter trains every ten minutes during busy periods and at least every 30 minutes during quieter periods. You can use this station to connect to and from Helsinki city center for just a few Euros.

There are taxi ranks outside the terminal building and these are operated by different providers.

Oulu Airport and Rovaniemi Airport are the second and third busiest airports in Finland. Their passenger numbers both hover around the 500,000 to 1 million mark so they have changed places in the rankings a few times.

Oulu Airport is served by a local bus service, with regular direct routes from the airport to the city of Oulu. There are a few cafes to grab a drink and a bite to eat and the airport also has a few shops, including a souvenir shop.

Rovaniemi Airport is in the city of Rovaniemi in the Arctic Circle. It has been called the “official airport of Santa Claus” due to its location in Lapland. This Finland airport has a restaurant, clothing/accessories store, luggage storage areas, and a café.

Before your Finnish flight—Preparation for Departure

Get to the airport with a couple of hours to spare, making sure you have time to check in, get through security, and account for any delays. If you want to speed things up, consider traveling without a checked bag and checking-in online. This will allow you to skip the check-in queues and go straight through security.

To get through security, you’ll need to show your ticket to the digital scanner and then wait in the queue. Remove keys and coins from your pockets—anything metal that could trigger the metal detector—and keep medication in your hand luggage along with a prescription.

When you have finished, you can pass through the metal detector, following the instructions of the security staff who should be nearby. If you set off the metal detector (it can happen for a variety of reasons, including inserts in shoes and bras, as well as zips) you’ll be checked using the security scanner. Alternatively, you can request to be checked by hand.

Interestingly, the instructions provided by Helsinki Airport state that you should leave all electronics in your bag. However, if you are using one of the regional airports, you’ll need to remove them, as is the case with most European airports.

After your Finnish flight—after landing

There are several airports in Finland, as noted already, but if you’re an international traveler there’s a high chance you’ll be landing in Helsinki.

If you don’t have any Euros on you, consider changing some when you arrive. There should be a foreign exchange in the airport.

If you’re heading for the center of the city, you can use the airport rail station to connect directly. It’s quick and cheap and there are connections running day and night. Alternatively, head outside and you’ll see a series of taxi ranks. These are run by different companies and everything is neatly ordered so you can see which companies are which. Unlike many other major airports in Europe, there is no fixed rate for airport transfers and this is something that you will have to negotiate with the driver in advance.

Just tell them where you’re going and ask them how much it will cost. They should speak enough English to get the message across. If you don’t like the price you are quoted, just move on to another one.

Buses are available too, and these connect via bus line 600, which runs from the airport to the train station, as well as numerous major hotels.

If you need to book buses and trains in Finland or elsewhere, book with Omio.

Flight Travel Tips for Finland

• Pay attention to the signs at the airport and always follow the rules. They should be in English and other languages.
• Take some Euros with you, as it’s the local currency.
• There are no toll roads in Finland.
• Pack warm clothes—they don’t call it a winter wonderland for nothing!
• The emergency number in Finland is 112.
• Make sure you have travel insurance and check the policy to ensure you will be covered.
• It’s a big country with many remote areas. It’s not easy to drive across, so look into domestic flights or trains if you’re traveling long distances in the country.

Finally, for cheap flights in Finland, stick with Omio.

FAQs