Finnair is adding service to the United States, and with these additions, there’s also quite a bit of award availability!
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Finnair boosts US flights by up to 46% in 2025
Finnair has just announced that it’s expanding service to the United States for the summer of 2025, by adding seasonal frequencies in existing markets. With this, Finnair will operate its biggest ever schedule between Finland and the United States, with up to 46% more US flights than last summer.
Finnair claims that these changes are being made as the airline sees soaring demand for transatlantic travel to the Nordics among Americans. Here’s what’s changing, compared to the summer of 2024:
- Finnair’s Helsinki (HEL) to Chicago (ORD) flight will increase from 5x weekly to 7x weekly
- Finnair’s Helsinki (HEL) to Dallas (DFW) flight will increase from 6x weekly to 11x weekly
- Finnair’s Helsinki (HEL) to Los Angeles (LAX) flight will increase from 3x weekly to 5x weekly
- Finnair’s Helsinki (HEL) to Seattle (SEA) flight will increase from 3x weekly to 5x weekly
Interestingly, New York (JFK) will be Finnair’s only destination that doesn’t see frequency increases, as the airport will maintain 7x weekly service.
Finnair only launched flights to Dallas in 2022, so it’s impressive how for next summer, that will be Finnair’s highest capacity gateway in the United States, exceeding the much more well established markets. That’s hardly surprising, given that Finnair is part of the oneworld transatlantic joint venture, and Dallas is of course a major hub for American, so there’s tons of connectivity there.
Here’s how Javier Roig Sanchez, Finnair General Manager North America, describes these additions:
“While this summer comes to an end, here at Finnair we are ready to take-off with a bumper schedule for summer 2025. That’s why we are excited to have announced our largest ever schedule from the US to Helsinki, with extra flights from Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Seattle, in response to the rising demand for Nordic travel.
“From our first long-haul flight to New York back in 1969, we’ve come a long way in the US, and know these extra transatlantic flights will prove popular with those travelling for business, leisure, or visiting family and friends.”
These added frequencies have good award availability
Nowadays the Finnair Plus program uses Avios as its rewards currency. The program has an award seat guarantee, whereby there are at least two business class award seats per flight when the schedule opens.
There’s some good news, along those lines — these extra frequencies have just been added to the schedule, so they each have at least two business class award seats. This award space is only available through Finnair Plus, and not through partner programs, or even through other programs accruing Avios. The good news is that you can transfer Avios between the various programs at no cost.
An award will cost you 62,500 Avios one-way in business class for the nonstop flight, though there’s additive pricing for most other segments. Best of all, the taxes and fees aren’t too high, especially in comparison to some other carriers.
Finnair has a solid, unique business class product, with seats that don’t recline (don’t worry, it’s not as bad as it sounds).
Snagging transatlantic business class award seats in the peak of summer can be challenging, so this is a great opportunity. Hopefully some OMAAT readers can book these award seats, as I’m sure they won’t last.
Bottom line
Finnair is significantly boosting service in all of its US markets for the summer of 2025, with the exception of New York. Most impressive of all, Finnair will fly 11x weekly to Dallas. It’s cool to see the airline expand, since it’s one of the more compelling airlines to fly as part of the oneworld transatlantic joint venture.
Best of all, there’s award availability on these added frequencies, so I’d recommend booking ASAP if interested.
What do you make of Finnair’s US expansion? And anyone plan on snagging these award seats?
The bigger question is what the pricing is if your origin or destination isn't Helsinki but rather some other European city relatively nearby, such as Stockholm. How much does that add to the 62,500 points? Let's say you're flying from Stockholm (ARN) to JFK, MIA, LAX or DFW.
I flew HEL-LAX in June in a business class seat, like the one pictured. I read some reviews that were not very positive before my trip, but I enjoyed the seat/flight. Can't say the same for the meals.
Planning a potential trip to Finland next winter - does Finnair let you add on a connecting flight through their website?
Would have been nice if they'd taken a little of that capacity and restarted nonstops to SFO *sigh*. A boy can dream.
Same. But landing in LAX isn't too bad; it's a short hop.
How do those seats work if you’re elderly/disabled and can’t easily pull yourself up on your own?
I believe you would then angle yourself, scooch down, and sleep propped up by the side of the seat rather than laying full prone. The "couch" portion of the seat is pretty wide and, for example, I can sit cross-legged in it (I am like 185cm or 5'11").
I'll say that the seat is...unusual and I imagine people like it better if they can find their preferred seating orientation. Finnair provides a "how to use...
I believe you would then angle yourself, scooch down, and sleep propped up by the side of the seat rather than laying full prone. The "couch" portion of the seat is pretty wide and, for example, I can sit cross-legged in it (I am like 185cm or 5'11").
I'll say that the seat is...unusual and I imagine people like it better if they can find their preferred seating orientation. Finnair provides a "how to use your seat" video that is easily accessible from IFE before takeoff. Problems are (1) it's harder to find that video after taxi and (2) I get the impression that many flyers aren't interested in a training course on their seat.
If you don't know how to use the seat, then laying flat is pretty uncomfortable, since while it doesn't have mechanical recline, there IS a lever that has to be turned to extend a "shelf" where your lower legs will be while you sleep. If you don't use that lever, there is a "hole" in your bed.
of course the finair award seats showing almost every day on AA are not bookable by AA. and AA blames finair for "not selling the seats to aa" but not the blame for continuting to show availability!
For tose interested: HEL-SEA will be operated Mon, Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun.
Nokia's US HQ is in Dallas so the popularity of that flight may not simply be due to the strength of the AA hub...
I forgot to state that of course I was talking about AA miles......
Many times Finnair still has phantom fares. For the last two months I have been checking availabilities from the US to Europe. Every time I click on an available business class award seat, this comes up: "Choose a different flight or fare. We're sorry but at least one of the flights or fares you chose is no longer available." When you go back to search, the same phantom space is still shown. When I call AA, they do not see those flights as available.