Even though Berlin Airport BER has regularly been in the news for route cancellations and many budget airlines scaling back operations in the city, flying from Berlin to Finland is still possible. As of June 2026, direct Berlin to Helsinki flights typically operate between Berlin Brandenburg Airport and Helsinki Vantaa Airport. The route is served by Finnair, alongside a handful of Eurowings connections during the week.
For my guide, I will focus on the flight experience with Finnair, as their connections from Berlin are more frequent than those offered by Eurowings. Finnair, Finland’s national airline, still operates routes to several Finnish cities, offering direct Berlin to Helsinki flights several times a week.
Finnair flights from Berlin to Helsinki are reasonably affordable when booked early and provide a convenient connection for travellers looking for a short and straightforward route between the two capitals.
In the past three years, I have travelled the Berlin to Helsinki route several times and found it to be a reliable and straightforward option. Here is everything I can share about direct Berlin to Helsinki flights so you can navigate and organise your journey accordingly.
All information are correct as of June 2026.
Table of Contents
Berlin to Helsinki Flights: Travel Insights & Booking Tips
- There are several flight connections per day, at all times
- Lufthansa/Eurowings – We, Fri, Sun (afternoon 2pm or evening 6pm)
- Finnair – all week up to 4x a day
- The direct Berlin to Helsinki flight takes around 90 minutes, with a 1 hour time difference, so make sure to set your clocks forward.
- When booked in advance, usually around two months ahead, I usually pay about 110€ for a Finnair Berlin to Helsinki flight. I typically choose the cheapest “Economy Superlight” fare and add hand luggage separately, which usually costs around 16€. While hand luggage is included in the next fare option, it is often still cheaper to book the basic fare and add luggage as an extra. This approach can save you up to 50€.
- If you travel regularly with Finnair, it’s worth joining their free loyalty programme. Points are earned on every flight and can be used towards future bookings. After three years, I had accumulated enough points to get my hand luggage free of charge. A small win, but every little helps, I guess.
- Airfares are relatively stable, but you need to book in advance. For me, a 6 to 8 week timeframe is usually enough. Prices can be slightly lower in September or November, but to be honest, I have always paid around 110€ one way for my past Berlin to Helsinki flights.
- If you manage to get a window seat in F, you may be able to see Tallinn when the visibility is clear. If you get a window seat in A, you might catch a glimpse of the Teufelsberg Spy Station. When leaving the runway, the route usually heads west first before turning eastwards.
Berlin to Helsinki Flights: Managing Berlin Airport
All Finnair Berlin to Helsinki flights leave from Terminal 1, the main building, and usually from Gate 31.
Berlin Airport is notorious for its slow and chaotic security procedures, often due to limited staff capacity and closed lines, so make sure to allow enough time. Many security lines are often closed, which creates a significant backlog at the security checkpoints furthest at the back, especially Line 15.
If you travel with hand luggage only, I advise arriving two hours in advance for the morning flight and three hours in advance for afternoon and evening departures.
The security check is also very sensitive, so even if you have packed liquids and electronics correctly, I can almost guarantee your bag will still be selected for further inspection. On nine out of ten flights, I have been affected, mostly for carrying washing powder or, more recently, because a metal charm from my Kate Spade purse triggered an alarm.
After security, there is a small duty free area and several overpriced eateries and cafés. There are not many restaurants and the shopping area is poor, so it is not really worth lingering here if you ask me. I have also noticed that the testers for perfumes and hair care products are usually empty and rarely get refilled.
There are water fountains available after security, so you can refill your empty water bottles. Please note that many EU countries charge a bottle deposit fee of around 25 to 40p.
At your gate, Finnair uses a tiered boarding system. If you have booked the cheapest fare, you will most likely be among the last passengers to board the plane. On all of my Berlin to Helsinki flights, I have been allocated a free aisle seat and was able to secure an overhead locker for my suitcase.
Berlin to Helsinki Flights: Finnair Service
The 90 minute flight from Berlin is usually unspectacular without any inconveniences. Onboard you will be given complimentary water or blueberry juice. It is socially acceptable to ask for both and additional snacks and alcoholic beverages can be purchased.
I remember I was super happy the first time I flew Finnair when I was gifted a Marimekko napkin. Marimekko is one of Finland’s most prominent luxury brands and the napkin was the first item I owned from Marimekko.
PLEASE NOTE: Difficulties may happen on your return. The direct Helsinki to Berlin flights can sometimes have disruptions and cancellations. In that case, remain calm, wait for Finnair to offer you an alternative transport and reclaim any expenses and inconveniences via SÖP, Germany’s arbitration office and free legal service. Since Helsinki and Berlin are under 1500 km apart, you’ll be eligible under EU Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 for 250€ compensation in the event of a qualifying cancellation or significant delay. I have made use of that claim a few times.
Berlin to Helsinki Flights: Arrival at Helsinki Vantaa
The Finnair Berlin to Helsinki plane usually parks at Gate 21 or 26. Once you have disembarked the aircraft, you can usually make a sharp turn to your right behind the elevator and take the stairs down to leave the airport. There is no need to walk through the entire duty free area. If you do need the bathrooms, the main ones are behind the Ruohonjuuri and Moomin shop, and there is also a water fountain there.
Leaving the airport is very straightforward for EU nationals. You can usually be out of the airport within 10 to 15 minutes.
How to Get From Helsinki Airport to the City Centre
Getting to Helsinki city centre from Vantaa Airport is very easy, and the cheapest option is to take the train. The train station is conveniently located in the basement of the airport. The atrium leading down to the station is an iconic Helsinki moment. No matter how often I arrive or leave here, it will always be impressive.
The commuter trains on the I and P lines leave for Helsinki every 5 to 10 minutes. The journey from Vantaa Airport to Helsinki Central takes around 40 minutes. You can purchase a ticket on the train by tapping your debit/credit card on the blue card reader. First select your ticket, then tap in. For this journey, you will need an ABC ticket, since Vantaa Airport is located in zone C and you are travelling to central Helsinki, which is zone A. The ticket costs 4.80€ and is valid for 80 minutes.
So now that you are on the train to Helsinki Central, have a look at my other Helsinki guides below. Have a wonderful stay in the city!
Thank you so much for reading my Berlin to Helsinki flights guide. If you enjoyed the post and would like to support my blog & research, you can do so via Buy Me a Coffee.
Till next time,
Carolin
You may also like:
No Comments