It was definitely a room with a view and a particularly fitting location in which to celebrate yesterday’s (May 4, 2026) arrival of Finnair’s new Toronto-Helsinki flight.
It has been 11 years since the carrier operated flights from Canada and the newly inaugurated, three times weekly, summer seasonal service between Toronto and Helsinki is certainly creating a lot of buzz.
Enjoying a Finnish luncheon on the 66th floor of Scotia Plaza in the city’s downtown core, travel trade types were welcomed by Finland’s Ambassador to Canada, Hanna-Leena Korteniemi and Finnair’s General Manger, North America, Javier Roig Sanchez, who provided them insights on the significance of the new route.
Ambassador Korteniemi observed that Finnair’s new flights further strengthen the connections between Finland and Canada, observing that: Finland offers something different and Finnair is making it possible for Canadians to experience it.”
Javier Roig Sanchez, Finnair’s General Manager, North America, told his audience that: “We’re extremely excited to be returning to Canada with the first and only direct, transatlantic flight between Canada and Finland. As Finnair continues to grow its presence in the North American market, Canada was a welcome addition to the network.”
And Roig Sanchez added: “Whether they are exploring Helsinki or connecting elsewhere in the Nordics or Europe, we look forward to welcoming more Canadians than ever this summer.”
Finnair’s 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.
For travel advisors and their clients, Helsinki is an accessible urban destination – definitely worth a visit — but Finnair’s home hub is also a major regional gateway to major destinations in Europe, the Baltics, Nordics and South Asia market, such as New Delhi India.
And 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.
Canadian advisors should take note that Finnair 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 and reinforces Finnair’s deepening commitment in this market and leading Roig Sanchez to observe: “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.”
For more, go to www.finnair.com .
