Finnair Restarts Toronto Flights After 11-Year Pause
Finnair will resume flights to Canada for the first time in more than a decade with the launch of nonstop service between Helsinki and Toronto in 2026. Starting May 4, 2026, the airline will operate three weekly flights between Helsinki Airport and Toronto Pearson International Airport using Airbus A330-300 aircraft. Flights will depart westbound on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays, establishing the only nonstop air connection between Finland and Canada. The last time Finnair operated service to Canada was in 2015, marking this relaunch as a key milestone in the airline’s long-haul recovery strategy.
The new route reflects Finnair’s ongoing transatlantic expansion following the disruption of its traditional Asia-focused network due to the closure of Russian airspace. Unable to operate its previous routes across Russian territory, the airline has redirected much of its long-haul capacity to North America. During the summer 2025 season, Finnair is flying to five North American destinations, representing a 27% increase in capacity compared to summer 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Finnair CEO Turkka Kuusisto has emphasized that even if Russian airspace were to reopen in the future, the airline intends to maintain a more diversified long-haul network with a stronger transatlantic presence.
Steady underlying demand between Finland and Canada has also supported the decision to relaunch service to Toronto. According to Sabre Market Intelligence data, point-to-point traffic between Canada and Finland reached 42,300 two-way passengers in 2024, a slight decline of 3.1% from the previous year. The Helsinki–Toronto city pair accounted for roughly one-third of this traffic, making it the largest individual market between the two countries. Finnair’s new nonstop service will provide a direct option for both business and leisure travelers while also improving connectivity between Canada and Northern Europe.
The planned Toronto launch comes as Finnair continues to recover from several recent operational and financial challenges. Earlier this year, industrial action by pilots led to nearly 2,000 flight cancellations, affecting more than 200,000 passengers. The labor disruptions cost the airline approximately €31 million ($35 million) in lost revenue during the first quarter alone. However, the situation stabilized after a new collective labor agreement was ratified on June 8, bringing an end to 10 months of difficult negotiations.
With the new Toronto service, Finnair is positioning itself for renewed growth across its long-haul network while also responding to shifting global travel patterns. The expansion into Canada not only reconnects two previously underserved markets but also strengthens Finnair’s ability to balance its international operations amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainties. As demand for transatlantic travel remains strong, the Helsinki–Toronto route is expected to play a crucial role in Finnair’s future growth strategy.
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