Finnair is set to launch a new ‘Arctic Express’ service connecting Helsinki, Rovaniemi and Tromsø, as it improves its Nordic flight connections. Aimed at enhancing services within the Arctic, this new flight route will be the only direct connection between Rovaniemi, the hometown of Santa Claus, and Tromsø, the gateway to the Northern Lights.

Flights will operate twice per week from 2 December, with the new winter-seasonal route putting Finnair in ‘Pole’ position for flights to Finnish and Norwegian Lapland.  Services will depart Helsinki each Thursday and Saturday, before continuing onto Rovaniemi and Tromsø, before returning via the same routing in the afternoon*.

International customers will also benefit from the new service, being able to fly into Helsinki and add stopovers in the Arctic’s two most famous cities, Rovaniemi and Tromsø, before returning home via Helsinki. Antti Tolvanen, Finnair SVP Network & Revenue Management, said: “The Arctic nature and high-quality travel experiences appeal to travellers from various parts of the world, such as Asia and Central Europe.”

“With this new connection, visitors to the Arctic region can conveniently combine both Lapland and Northern Norway in one trip.” Flights on the new route will be operated by the airline’s 68-seater ATR aircraft, giving customers a guaranteed window or aisle seat.

Currently, Finnair offers flights to 14 destinations within Finland and five in Norway, giving customers the ability to visit some of the region’s most picturesque landscapes. This winter, the airline will also offer up to 10 daily direct flights from Helsinki to Rovaniemi, in addition to a daily service to Tromsø, giving customers the choice to mix-and-match flights to suit their needs.

All services have been specifically timed to allow for easy connections from top UK airports, London Heathrow, Manchester, Edinburgh and the Irish capital Dublin. Finnair offers smooth and easy transfers between flights from as little as 35 minutes, thanks to all flights operating from the same terminal.