Finnair’s latest traffic bulletin, released 8 January 2026, paints a cautiously optimistic picture for corporate travel planners: the airline carried 982,800 passengers in December—6 % more than a year earlier—despite lingering softness in Middle-East demand. Capacity, measured in available seat kilometres, rose 8.5 %, helped by restored frequencies to Dallas, several Asian cities and Lapland destinations once pilot industrial action ended in spring 2025. (news.cision.com)
North Atlantic traffic led the rebound, up double digits, reflecting renewed US corporate demand and the carrier’s on-going strategy to bypass Russian airspace via polar routings. Asian traffic also ticked up as Japanese and South-Korean inbound leisure segments returned, a positive sign for Finland’s hub-and-spoke model. (news.cision.com)
![Finnair Traffic Statistics Show Post-Strike Recovery in December 2025]()
Corporate mobility teams juggling these shifting travel corridors may find that understanding visa and entry regulations is just as important as monitoring seat capacity. VisaHQ offers an online platform that simplifies visa applications for Finland and dozens of onward destinations, delivering up-to-date requirements, digital forms and concierge support—ideal for companies sending staff through Helsinki’s expanding network. Explore how it works at https://www.visahq.com/finland/
For multinationals, the figures suggest improved seat availability and potentially softer fares on long-haul lanes—a welcome development after a year of capacity constraints driven by labour unrest. Travel buyers negotiating 2026 contracts should, however, account for residual fleet imbalances: Finnair is still selectively wet-leasing A320 family aircraft to cover seasonal peaks, which may complicate service-level agreements. (news.cision.com)
Finnair will publish Q1 financials in April; analysts expect yields to remain under pressure as European carriers add post-winter capacity. Still, the December improvement indicates that the national carrier is regaining operational stability, an essential factor for Finland’s attractiveness as a corporate gateway to Asia and North America.
North Atlantic traffic led the rebound, up double digits, reflecting renewed US corporate demand and the carrier’s on-going strategy to bypass Russian airspace via polar routings. Asian traffic also ticked up as Japanese and South-Korean inbound leisure segments returned, a positive sign for Finland’s hub-and-spoke model. (news.cision.com)
Corporate mobility teams juggling these shifting travel corridors may find that understanding visa and entry regulations is just as important as monitoring seat capacity. VisaHQ offers an online platform that simplifies visa applications for Finland and dozens of onward destinations, delivering up-to-date requirements, digital forms and concierge support—ideal for companies sending staff through Helsinki’s expanding network. Explore how it works at https://www.visahq.com/finland/
For multinationals, the figures suggest improved seat availability and potentially softer fares on long-haul lanes—a welcome development after a year of capacity constraints driven by labour unrest. Travel buyers negotiating 2026 contracts should, however, account for residual fleet imbalances: Finnair is still selectively wet-leasing A320 family aircraft to cover seasonal peaks, which may complicate service-level agreements. (news.cision.com)
Finnair will publish Q1 financials in April; analysts expect yields to remain under pressure as European carriers add post-winter capacity. Still, the December improvement indicates that the national carrier is regaining operational stability, an essential factor for Finland’s attractiveness as a corporate gateway to Asia and North America.
