Finnair Adds Four New Southern European Routes for Summer 2026

(HELSINKI) Finnair on August 29, 2025, confirmed a major push into Southern European leisure markets for summer 2026, adding four new seasonal routes from Helsinki to Florence, Catania, Valencia, and Kos. The program is set to run from spring through autumn, with flight days tuned to peak holiday travel.

The addition of Florence, Catania, and Valencia brings fresh cultural and beach choices, while Kos shifts from a charter operation to a scheduled service, widening booking options.
“Italy, Spain, and Greece are particularly popular with our Finnish and Northern European customers during the summer months,” said Christine Rovelli, Finnair’s Chief Revenue Officer. “The new destinations complement our Southern European network, offering both beach holidays and culture, and the travel period extends from spring to autumn.”

New routes and schedule

Finnair set firm dates and frequencies for each route, aligning with peak leisure demand and providing steady options throughout the warm-weather months:

• Helsinki–Florence: 2x weekly (Thursdays and Sundays), April 2–October 18, 2026.
• Helsinki–Catania: 3x weekly (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Sundays), March 31–October 21, 2026.
• Helsinki–Valencia: 2x weekly (Tuesdays and Saturdays), April 11–October 24, 2026.
• Helsinki–Kos: 2x weekly (Fridays and Saturdays), May 5–October 24, 2026 — now a scheduled route after years as a charter.

All four routes are seasonal and designed to cover the longer leisure window from early spring into late October. The schedule aims to attract early- and late-season travelers who prefer to avoid the hottest weeks while still offering classic city breaks and seaside gateways.

Network context

These additions build on an existing Southern European network from Helsinki:

• Italy: Rome, Milan, Naples, Venice, Verona, Bologna.
• Spain: Madrid, Malaga, Alicante, Barcelona, Palma, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote.
• Greece: Chania, Heraklion, Rhodes, Santorini.

The new routes fill clear gaps for Tuscany (Florence) and Sicily (Catania), add Spain’s Mediterranean coast at Valencia, and upgrade the Dodecanese offering with Kos as a scheduled service.

Booking and passenger guidance

Finnair says seats on the new Helsinki routes are available through its direct channels and travel agencies from the announcement date. Travelers can plan and book in a few steps:

1. Check route availability within the published operational windows.
2. Pick travel days that match the set flight days for each city.
3. Finalize payment and receive confirmation.

Bookings and customer support are available through Finnair, with contact options listed on the airline’s site.

• The conversion of Kos to scheduled service allows more flexible ticketing rules than typical charters and gives a clearer view of seat availability over the entire season.
• Scheduled service also supports last-minute bookings and easier management of seat selections and changes through airline channels.

Important: For many holidaymakers, Kos moving to scheduled service is a notable change—it enables earlier planning and more flexible ticket handling than charter products.

Market reaction and strategic rationale

Industry watchers view the strategy as a measured pivot by Finnair as leisure demand across the Mediterranean rebounds. Key points:

• Broadening Southern European flying helps the carrier spread risk, reduce reliance on long-haul markets, and keep aircraft active during peak leisure months.
• The mix of frequencies—Florence & Valencia (2x weekly) and Catania (3x weekly)—balances market coverage with disciplined capacity management.
• Increased competition is expected, which could benefit travelers through better fares and more departure choices.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the move aligns with a wider pattern: Nordic travelers show strong interest in cultural city breaks and Mediterranean beaches, and airlines are retooling schedules to meet that demand. VisaVerge.com notes that the April–October window lines up with school holidays, flexible work patterns, and a growing shoulder-season market.

Tourism and traveller impacts

Tourism boards and travel planners will watch these routes closely. The expected effects include:

• More nonstop service from Helsinki encourages short, frequent trips for couples and friends, as well as longer family stays.
• The scheduled Kos route attracts travelers who prefer to plan early, pick seats, and manage changes through airline channels rather than package providers.
• Cities like Florence and Valencia can be anchored as weekend-getaway destinations, while Catania supports slightly higher-capacity Sicily demand.

For trip planning, the set days matter:

• Florence: plan around Thursdays and Sundays.
• Valencia: plan around Tuesdays and Saturdays.
• Catania: plan around Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Sundays.
• Kos: plan around Fridays and Saturdays.

Align hotel and car rental bookings with these days to reduce stress and costs, especially in peak months.

Operational background and outlook

The expansion follows a difficult 2025 summer marked by strike action at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport that caused hundreds of cancellations. Finnair’s 2026 plan signals a push to recover momentum, fill popular leisure markets, and provide a predictable schedule in advance.

Analysts frame this as part of a longer reset:

• Leisure travel across Spain, Italy, and Greece remains strong, with cities like Florence and Valencia offering year-round appeal.
• The 3x weekly cadence to Catania provides extra capacity for Sicily.
• The Friday–Saturday pairing for Kos suits weeklong and long-weekend stays.
• Spreading flying from March into late October reflects efficient fleet use and captures extended shoulder-season demand.

Finnair will monitor each route’s performance closely. If demand rises, there is potential for added frequencies or new destinations in later seasons.

Practical tips and essential reminders

• Bookings opened August 29, 2025. Early planning secures better fares and seat choices.
• Select travel dates that match flight days to avoid schedule mismatches.
• Check seat maps early for preferred rows and consider return-day options carefully—Kos departures on Fridays and Saturdays can sell quickly.

Travel paperwork remains the traveler’s responsibility. Those needing visas for Schengen-area travel should review guidance well before booking. The European Commission maintains a central resource for visa information: European Commission – Short-stay (Schengen) visa.

Reminder: Finnair does not set visa rules—customers should confirm entry requirements for Italy, Spain, and Greece based on nationality, length, and purpose of travel.

Final note

Finnair’s core message: more choice from Helsinki, steady seasonal schedules, and a mix of culture and seaside destinations that reflect modern holiday planning. The airline believes the March–October spread offers flexibility to avoid peak heat, exploit shoulder-season rates, and ensure frequent departures—helping families and solo travelers alike.

For customer support and complex itineraries (multi-city or connecting flights), contact Finnair or an authorized travel agent. Finnair will monitor bookings and adjust capacity or destinations only if future demand warrants it, aiming for predictable operations across the full 2026 summer.