Finnair has announced that they will be coming to Melbourne Airport in Australia, in an exciting move made by the airline.
This new flight, which will call via Bangkok, is a completely new destination for the Scandinavian carrier, and is going to provide some interesting connectivity options for passengers.
It is understood tickets went on sale today (December 18), so it is available to book now.
The New Melbourne Airport Flights With Finnair…
Scheduling for the new flights from Helsinki to Melbourne Airport via Bangkok is as follows:
- Outbound
- AY145 HEL-BKK, DEP 00:10, ARR 16:30
- AY145 BKK-MEL, DEP 18:15, ARR 07:15 (+1)
- Inbound
- AY146 MEL-BKK, DEP 15:40, ARR 20:50
- AY146 BKK-HEL, DEP 22:30, ARR 06:05 (+1)
Finnair is understood to be utilising their Airbus A350-900 aircraft for this brand new exciting route on a daily basis.
Commenting on the new flights was Christine Rovelli, the Chief Revenue Officer at Finnair:
“We are very excited to introduce service to a new continent.”
“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.”
Adding to this also was Anssi Partanen, the airline’s Market Director of Europe:
“Melbourne is an important destination for many people in the UK and Ireland travelling to visit friends and family across the globe, and we are thrilled to announce this unique bridge between the northern and southern hemispheres.”
“We are also excited to be one of the only airlines offering services to the city from Europe!”
“With seamless connections via Helsinki from London Heathrow, Manchester, Edinburgh and Dublin, our customers will benefit from a smooth, comfortable journey to Australia, with the flexibility to travel to other destinations in Finnair’s network along the way.”
It is understood these flights will begin on October 25, 2026, subject to government approval.
Pricing is also looking attractive as well, with a Round trip price per adult coming in at £1,109 (Based on Departure Date of 26th October 2026, then returning on Monday 9th November 2026).
Europe-based Carriers Showing More Interest in Australia…
A trend that is being noticed is airlines in Europe are starting to show more interest in flights to Australia, with Melbourne being one of the many focus points in the country.
It was revealed back in October 2025 that Turkish Airlines would launch a non-stop service between Istanbul and Sydney.
Turkish Airlines have even beaten Qantas with their Project Sunrise program to the punch with these direct flights, something that the Australian carrier is planning to do with Airbus A350-1000ULR aircraft, operating direct flights between London to Sydney and more.
It is key to note that the airline is already doing flights to Australia, via a stopover in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
British Airways has enhanced it’s connectivity also into Australia via Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, granted a lot of that is through connection options with other oneworld and codeshare partners.
It does appear to be the case that flights to Australia are going to get competitive around Europe, and many European carriers are looking to seize the moment, given there is already huge demand for travel to the country, but is largely dominated by the likes of Emirates, Qatar Airways, Qantas and others outside of Europe.
With an estimated 1.2m passengers from Europe travelling into Australia every year, it comes as no surprise that European carriers are starting to catch on finally, and start introducing flights into the country.
It means that airports such as Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney, Brisbane and others will stand to benefit from other carriers operating into the country.
Looking Ahead…
This is a momentous moment for Finnair, as they expand their global footprint with these brand new flights to Melbourne Airport from Helsinki via Bangkok.
With the flights operating on a daily basis, it is clear that there is significant demand for this route from travellers.
It is unclear as of yet what the differentiation in numbers will look like from the departure point in Helsinki and what it would look like when the plane reaches Bangkok.
Coincidentally, they would be competing with other airlines in Asia who operate the Bangkok-Melbourne side of the equation.
Either way, it seems like the market research suggests doing this route, for the most maximisation in terms of revenue opportunity.
All eyes will turn to October 2026 when the flights launch, and whether it will be a popular and successful route. Given Australia’s summer is in Europe’s winter, it’s a great opportunity for those who want to get away from the cold and enjoy some heat.
But for now, all we can do is sit and wait to see what happens moving forward.
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