Finnair Begins Flights To Australia

Finnair has begun flying to Melbourne, Australia, after months of anticipation, launching service from Europe via Bangkok.

Under its own airline code and with the Airbus A350-900, the airline has begun operating via Bangkok, with the first flight AY145 touching down on 26 October 2026.

The launch gives Finnair the chance to serve a new continent, and Melbourne becomes the airline’s first gateway, which will not only facilitate travel between Europe and Australia with the new route but also improve connectivity to Thailand and Bangkok.

Daily Airbus A350 flights by Finnair

The daily service links Helsinki Airport (HEL) with Melbourne via Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK), and the A350 offers business class, premium economy, and standard economy.

For the Finland-based company, the A350 is the flagship of widebody connectivity in the 1st century, and its operating economics have quickly made it a favourite, with strong year-round performance and the ability to establish routes like these profitably.

Under the schedule, AY145 leaves Helsinki shortly after midnight and reaches Bangkok that afternoon on the same day; times are local. After departing Bangkok, the jet touches down in Melbourne at 0715 the following morning.

The northbound return flight AY146 departs Melbourne at 1540 after a lengthy layover, reaches Bangkok at 2050, and arrives in Helsinki at 0605 the following morning, all times local.

Finnair optimises its early arrival timing in Helsinki, so those coming from Australia can spend a full day in the city for leisure or business and, crucially, for onward European connections.

Finnair has developed a network of 90 destinations across Europe, and it times morning arrivals to support these journeys without pressuring customers to make tight connections.

Premium cabins made available to Australia

Finnair’s introduction of service to Melbourne, Australia, also brings its latest business class product, AirLounge. This upper-class layout uses a fixed-shell design instead of the more conventional reclining system found in most cabins.

The launch of the A350 service and the debut of this product in Australia gives customers in these upper classes another cabin product and a new way to reach Europe, with Melbourne passengers seeing a daily flight via Bangkok.

Finnair’s premium product thought is just one angle of the benefits the latest route brings. Economically, average daily international flights are worth A$ 190 million annually, per Melbourne Airport chief executive Lorie Argus, and Finnair’s presence will dramatically increase tourism, trade ties, and value for inbound and outbound passengers.