Airport operator Finavia reported on 6 May that passenger numbers across its network reached 5.3 million in the first quarter of 2026, a year-on-year increase of 7.8 %. International traffic led growth, climbing 8 % to 4 million travellers, while domestic volumes rose 7.2 %. Group revenue jumped 11.3 % to €127.7 million and operating profit improved to €13.6 million from €2.6 million a year earlier. Helsinki Airport handled 3.9 million passengers – up 6.6 % – boosted by the launch of China Southern’s Beijing route, currently the only nonstop connection between the Nordics and mainland China. Lapland gateways Rovaniemi, Kittilä and Ivalo also saw double-digit growth after a record winter season, underlining Finland’s appeal for long-haul leisure markets. Finavia CEO Kimmo Mäki said the figures confirm that the operator’s post-pandemic strategy – diversifying revenue through commercial real-estate projects and improving operational efficiency – is “off to a flying start.” The company is integrating subsidiary Avia Real Estate and has increased its stake in nine land-holding firms near Helsinki Airport to 80 % as part of an airport-city development push. For mobility planners the data translates into better connection options through Helsinki, particularly to Asia-Pacific and Northern Finland. On-time performance remained high at 98.5 % for Helsinki Airport, supporting its role as a hub for tight trans-Schengen transfers. Finavia will publish monthly traffic statistics, enabling travel managers to track capacity trends ahead of duty-trip budgeting for FY 2027.
Source: Finavia
