Thousands more international travellers are expected to visit Victoria, with European airline Finnair announcing new daily flights to and from Melbourne, giving tourism and trade a major boost.
The new service will operate daily from Helsinki to Melbourne via Bangkok, starting in October 2026, using Finnair’s modern Airbus A350 aircraft.
The flights will add 203,000 extra seats each year between Victoria and Europe, making travel easier for overseas visitors and offering more choice for Victorian families heading abroad.
European travel to Victoria is already growing strongly. In the year to June 2025, 534,000 European visitors travelled to the state, spending $1.4 billion — up 28 per cent on the previous year and 29 per cent higher than pre-pandemic levels.
The new route will be backed by targeted marketing across Europe through the Industry Partnership Program, designed to promote Victoria and drive visitor demand. Under the program, industry partners match public investment dollar-for-dollar to boost destination marketing.
Since the program began, more than 60 partnerships have been formed with major brands including Accor, Alpine Resorts Victoria and Trip.com.
Finnair’s Helsinki hub will give passengers access to around 90 destinations across Europe, with added options for travellers connecting through Bangkok into Asia.
The announcement comes as Melbourne Airport prepares for a record summer, with more than 2.5 million international passengers expected to pass through the terminal in December and January.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said, “Melbourne continues to be a destination in demand, with more flights making it easier for visitors to come and stay longer.
“Our visitor economy supports 288,000 jobs, and it’s growing strongly.”
“This partnership helps showcase the very best of Victoria to the world, with travellers now able to fly here on one of the world’s leading airlines.”
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