DALLAS – Finnair (AY) celebrated 55 years of connecting the US to Helsinki (HEL) on May 15, 2024. AY operated its inaugural flight to New York (JFK) on May 15, 1969, flying via Copenhagen (CPH) and Amsterdam (AMS) on the way to the Big Apple.

The inaugural flight, operated by AY’s DC-8, marked the first intercontinental expansion for the Finnish flag carrier, anticipating future intercontinental success on routes connecting Europe to Asia. Fifty-five years later, AY deploys its Airbus A330s and A350s daily on flights to and from JFK.

“Having first touched down on US soil back in 1969, it is great to be celebrating 55 years of Finnair flights between New York and Helsinki. New York has always been an important market for Finnair, being our first intercontinental route, so to celebrate over half a century of flights is a huge milestone on our journey. From our first flight on a Douglas DC-8 aircraft to our flagship A330 and A350s complete with new cabin today, we have come a long way, and look forward to welcoming more customers onboard in the next 55 years and beyond,” said Pasi Kuusisto, Finnair General Manager North America.

Finnair’s US network

Finnair operates scheduled flights to six destinations in North America, including Chicago (ORD), Dallas (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX), Seattle (SEA), Miami (MIA) and New York (JFK).

From October 2024, the Helsinki-based carrier will intensify its frequencies to DFW, flying its Airbus A350-900 daily to the Texan city. DFW serves as one of the most important hub for the Oneworld alliance and is home to American Airlines (AA). Oneworld members including Qatar Airways (QR), Japan Airlines (JL), Qantas (QF), and British Airways (BA) all operate multiple daily flights to DFW.

A few weeks ago, Airways had the pleasure of reviewing Finnair’s new premium economy, on a night flight from Dallas Fort Worth to Helsinki. You can check the full video here.