Cleared for Take-off: Finnair launches new Mediterranean routes

The Finnish flag carrier adds Catania, Florence, Valencia and Kos to 2026 summer schedule.

Finnair is bringing the heat in 2026, adding new services to Italy, Spain and Greece for customers planning a European getaway next summer.

The leading Nordic airline has strengthened its European network, launching scheduled flights from its home hub in Helsinki to Catania, Florence, Valencia and the Greek island of Kos in Southern Europe during Finnair’s summer season, launching from 31 March 2026 onwards.

Finnair’s thrice-weekly services to Catania on the island of Sicily will give customers access to the “city under the volcano”, nestled between Mount Etna and the Ioanian Sea. Visitors to the baroque city can experience San Benedetto, a historic monastery, the Palazzo Biscari palace, and the subterranean Roman Amphitheatre.

Finnair is also introducing flights to the capital of the Tuscany region in central Italy, with twice-weekly flights to Florence. Key attractions in the city famous for its Renaissance art, architecture and cultural heritage include Florence Cathedral, the Ponte Vecchio bridge, Uffizi Gallery and Galleria dell’ Accademia – home to Michaelangelo’s iconic statue of David.

What’s more, two weekly departures to Valencia on Spain’s eastern Mediterranean coast are also scheduled, providing a gateway to a charming city where historic architecture and contemporary buildings sit side by side. Attractions include the Plaza de la Reina, home to a cathedral and the Miguelete tower, the Silk Exchange, a gothic-style civic structure, and the City of Arts and Sciences, a cultural hub in a city that also boasts incredible cuisine and beautiful beaches nearby.

Further afield on the Aegean Sea, Kos, which has been operated as a charter flight in the past, offers sun-kissed sandy shores along a coastline stretching over 100 km. The island, where Finnair will have scheduled flights twice a week, is also ideal for travellers seeking culture and history with must-visit attractions including Castle of the Knights, Roman Odeon and Casa Romana.

Finnair’s new European services will operate from summer 2026, between the following dates:

• Helsinki to Florence – 2 April to 18 October
• Helsinki to Catania – 31 March to 21 October
• Helsinki to Valencia – 11 April to 24 October
• Helsinki to Kos – 2 May to 24 October

Christine Rovelli, Finnair’s Chief Revenue Officer said “Italy, Spain, and Greece are particularly popular with our Finnish and Northern European customers during the summer months.”

“The new destinations complement our Southern European network, offering both beach holidays and culture, and the travel period extends from spring to autumn.”

These new routes complement Finnair’s strong network of Southern European destinations that continue to operate in 2026. Travellers seeking summer sun next year take advantage of Finnair’s strong connectivity with flights to Rome, Milan, Naples, Venice, Verona and Bologna in Italy, or visit Madrid, Malaga, Alicante, Barcelona and Palma in Spain. Other destinations include Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands, and Chania, Heraklion, Rhodes or Santorini in Greece.

Visit finnair.com for more information on Finnair’s routes and schedules,