Finnish airports handle nearly 20 million passengers in 2024

Air traffic recovery remains slow – strong growth in Lapland

In 2024, Finnish airports handled a total of 19.6 million passengers, representing a seven percent increase compared to the previous year. However, according to airport operator Finavia, Finland remains one of the slowest-recovering air traffic markets in Europe.

Finland still below pre-pandemic levels

Despite the growth, Finland's air traffic remains significantly below pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, 26 million passengers passed through the country’s airports, meaning the current figures are still 25 percent lower. A major factor slowing down recovery is the limited air traffic between Europe and Asia, as many airlines continue to avoid Russian airspace due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Lapland records strongest growth

While overall recovery remains sluggish, Lapland’s airports have seen remarkable growth. With 1.8 million passengers, the airports in Rovaniemi, Kittilä, Ivalo, Kuusamo, and Kemi-Tornio reached a record high – an increase of 19 percent compared to the previous year.

The Rovaniemi Airport stood out in particular, serving 948,000 passengers, a 29 percent increase from 2023. Finavia attributes this surge to the high demand during the winter tourism season, reinforcing Lapland’s position as a top travel destination.

Other regional airports in Finland also benefited from the positive trend, seeing passenger numbers rise by 10 percent to 3.3 million overall.

Leisure travel drives growth

Helsinki-Vantaa Airport, Finland’s largest, saw a 6.5 percent increase, reaching 16.3 million passengers. Finavia credits this growth to the expansion of routes by major airlines and an overall rise in passenger numbers per flight. A key driver of this increase is the global rise in leisure travel, while business travel continues to decline.

While Finland’s air traffic still faces challenges due to geopolitical factors, there are clear signs of recovery—especially driven by the booming tourism industry in Lapland. The increasing demand for leisure travel and the expansion of international routes could further stabilize and support Finland’s air traffic in the long run.

More on Finavia.

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