On 17 January Emirates confirmed it will open the first ever year-round, daily nonstop service between Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Helsinki-Vantaa (HEL) on 1 October 2026. The Gulf carrier previously served the Finnish capital only seasonally via Stockholm or with summer-winter charters. The new Boeing 777-300ER flight—departing DXB at 08:45 and arriving HEL at 13:40 local time—cuts journey time by two hours compared with current one-stop itineraries.
For Finnish exporters, the route offers same-day connections to Emirates’ freight network covering South Asia, Australia and Africa, while business travellers gain one-stop access to more than 100 destinations beyond Dubai. Finnish employers with operations in the UAE and Saudi Arabia will benefit from simplified rotation schedules and reduced risk of mis-connects through congested European hubs.
Visit Finland, the national tourism board, expects the link to stimulate high-spend visitor segments from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, especially during the aurora season. Conversely, Finnish expatriates in the GCC will have a direct path home for the first time since Finnair ended its Abu Dhabi flights in 2015. Finavia will invest €4 million in prayer rooms, Arabic-language signage and fast-track visa desks to accommodate the new traffic.
![Emirates announces year-round nonstop Dubai–Helsinki service from October 2026]()
Travel planners concerned about securing the right travel documents ahead of the new flight can turn to VisaHQ for streamlined assistance. The company’s online portal provides real-time guidance on Schengen visa requirements, digital application tools and courier services for passport collection, making the process faster for both GCC nationals and Finnish residents. Find full details at https://www.visahq.com/finland/.
Corporate-mobility teams should note that Schengen short-stay visas for GCC nationals remain mandatory until the EU’s ETIAS travel-authorisation system launches (now slated for mid-2026). Emirates said it is working with Finnish border authorities to add automated e-gates for eligible passengers. Tickets will go on sale in March 2026, and introductory round-trip fares are expected to start at €549 in economy and €2,499 in business class.
Finnair responded cautiously, saying it would “evaluate code-share possibilities” but remains focused on its North America and Asia strategy. Industry analysts predict the new capacity could pressure prices on Helsinki–Bangkok and Helsinki–Singapore routes as passengers gain an additional one-stop Gulf option.
For Finnish exporters, the route offers same-day connections to Emirates’ freight network covering South Asia, Australia and Africa, while business travellers gain one-stop access to more than 100 destinations beyond Dubai. Finnish employers with operations in the UAE and Saudi Arabia will benefit from simplified rotation schedules and reduced risk of mis-connects through congested European hubs.
Visit Finland, the national tourism board, expects the link to stimulate high-spend visitor segments from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, especially during the aurora season. Conversely, Finnish expatriates in the GCC will have a direct path home for the first time since Finnair ended its Abu Dhabi flights in 2015. Finavia will invest €4 million in prayer rooms, Arabic-language signage and fast-track visa desks to accommodate the new traffic.
Travel planners concerned about securing the right travel documents ahead of the new flight can turn to VisaHQ for streamlined assistance. The company’s online portal provides real-time guidance on Schengen visa requirements, digital application tools and courier services for passport collection, making the process faster for both GCC nationals and Finnish residents. Find full details at https://www.visahq.com/finland/.
Corporate-mobility teams should note that Schengen short-stay visas for GCC nationals remain mandatory until the EU’s ETIAS travel-authorisation system launches (now slated for mid-2026). Emirates said it is working with Finnish border authorities to add automated e-gates for eligible passengers. Tickets will go on sale in March 2026, and introductory round-trip fares are expected to start at €549 in economy and €2,499 in business class.
Finnair responded cautiously, saying it would “evaluate code-share possibilities” but remains focused on its North America and Asia strategy. Industry analysts predict the new capacity could pressure prices on Helsinki–Bangkok and Helsinki–Singapore routes as passengers gain an additional one-stop Gulf option.
