Forget the Long Layover and Fly Direct to the Magic of Lapland This Winter
A major update is coming for the 2026 winter travel season. Latvian airline AirBaltic is launching direct flights to Kuusamo in Finnish Lapland, cutting out the usual stopovers that used to slow everything down. The new routes connect five European cities: London, Manchester, Berlin, Hamburg, and Riga. Flights begin on December 13, 2026, and run weekly through March 28, 2027.
London and Manchester departures are scheduled for Sundays, which solves another common travel headache. A clean week-long trip becomes much easier to plan without juggling midweek returns. The aircraft in use, the Airbus A220-300, carries up to 148 passengers per flight. It’s a smaller, more efficient setup that fits the route while keeping the experience straightforward. No complicated transfers, and certainly no scrambling through unfamiliar airports.
Why Kuusamo Is Suddenly Everywhere
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Ninara
Kuusamo has been building momentum for years, and the new routes are catching up to that demand. The region already welcomes around one million visitors annually, with projections suggesting an additional 11,840 travelers each year thanks to these expanded connections.
Kuusamo is in northeast Finland, a country often ranked among the happiest in the world, and it offers a mix that appeals to more than just skiers. At the center of it all is Ruka Ski Resort, one of the country’s largest ski destinations. The wider Ruka-Kuusamo area won the Outdoor Destination of the Year 2025 award, signaling that travelers are seeking the full experience, not just one activity.
More Than A Ski Trip
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Skiing may get attention first, but it’s only one part of what’s pulling people north. The region is known for its access to the Northern Lights, a major attraction during the winter months when long nights improve visibility.
Nature is another factor that keeps visitors busy. Oulanka National Park offers a mix of waterfalls, forests, and canyon trails that are active even in colder conditions. Snowshoeing and ice fishing fill the winter schedule, while the same landscapes shift into hiking, canoeing, and rafting when temperatures rise.
There’s also a cultural side that adds depth to the trip. Travelers can learn about reindeer herding traditions or unwind in a classic Finnish sauna, both of which give the destination a sense of place that goes beyond outdoor activities.
A Change In How People Travel
Travelers are moving away from complicated itineraries and looking for trips that feel easier to manage. Removing a layover may sound like a small change, but it restructures the entire journey. Instead of arriving tired after multiple flights, visitors land closer to their final destination with more energy to actually enjoy it.
AirBaltic’s move also builds on its existing route to Kittilä, another Lapland destination, showing a clear focus on making northern Finland more accessible across Europe.
What This Means For Winter Journies
Image via Getty Images/Zbynek Pospisil
These routes add convenience and make Lapland feel closer in a practical sense. A destination once seen as remote now fits into a straightforward travel plan, especially for travelers coming out of major cities like London or Berlin.
Flights already exist from cities like Düsseldorf, Zurich, and Frankfurt, so this expansion fills in key gaps rather than starting from scratch. The result is a network that supports steady winter tourism instead of short bursts around the holiday season.
Launching in mid-December lines up with peak interest in winter travel, then extends well into late March. That longer window opens the door for trips beyond the usual holiday rush.