Melbourne will become Finnair’s first Australian destination, with the Nordic carrier announcing it will launch daily services between Helsinki and Melbourne via Bangkok from October 2026.
The new route will give Victorian travellers a fresh option for reaching Europe, while also strengthening Melbourne’s position as a key international aviation hub. Flights will be operated using Finnair’s Airbus A350 aircraft, offering Business Class with the airline’s distinctive AirLounge seat, along with Premium Economy and Economy cabins.
Passengers will be able to fly from Melbourne to Bangkok or connect onwards through Finnair’s Helsinki hub to around 90 destinations across Europe, including strong coverage of the Nordics and Baltics.
From 26 October 2026, flight AY146 will depart Melbourne daily at 3.40pm, arriving in Bangkok at 8.50pm before continuing to Helsinki, where it will land at 6.05am the following day. The return service, AY145, will leave Helsinki shortly after midnight, stop in Bangkok at 4.30pm and arrive back in Melbourne at 7.15am the next morning, subject to government approvals.
Finnair Area Vice President Pasi Kuusisto said the airline was excited to expand into a new continent and offer Australian travellers seamless access to Europe.
“We are excited to launch service to a new continent, offering seamless connections from Melbourne to Northern Europe and beyond,” he said. “Our extensive network, and especially strong offering across the Nordics and Baltics, provides excellent options for both Australian leisure and business travellers.
“Melbourne is not only a popular holiday destination for Europeans, but also home to a large European diaspora, foreign students and expatriates, making this route an attractive choice for these customer segments as well.”
The airline also highlighted its unique positioning in Finland, including year round daily services to Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle. As the official airline of Santa Claus, Finnair offers travellers easy access to Santa’s Village at any time of the year.
Melbourne Airport CEO Lorie Argus said Finnair would become one of only a small number of European airlines operating to Australia using its own aircraft, delivering significant benefits to Victoria.
“Travel is what connects us and brings people together, so we’re pleased to have Finnair launching daily services connecting Melbourne to Bangkok, Helsinki and beyond,” she said.
“Helsinki is one of Europe’s most innovative cities and Finland is regularly voted one of the happiest countries in the world. A daily connection between two of the world’s most liveable cities means there is plenty at either end for people to explore and discover.”
Argus said the new services would help reunite families, grow international visitation and support Victoria’s tourism, dining and hospitality sectors, while also boosting employment.
“Finnair joins Emirates, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines in choosing Melbourne as its first Australian destination, offering consumers even more choice,” she said. “An average daily international flight is worth $190 million to the Victorian economy, so this is a huge vote of confidence for our state.”
Victorian Deputy Premier Ben Carroll described the announcement as a major win for the state, saying the flights would strengthen ties with Europe while creating jobs across tourism, hospitality and trade.
Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements said the additional airline capacity would make it easier for travellers to visit the state and support ongoing growth in the visitor economy.
“Partnering with Melbourne Airport and Finnair will help build on Victoria’s record $43.7 billion visitor economy, which supports 288,000 jobs across the state,” he said, adding that exporters would also benefit from improved access to international markets.
The announcement comes ahead of what Melbourne Airport expects will be a record summer for international travel, with more than 2.5 million passengers forecast to pass through its international terminal across December and January.
