Finnair Traffic Performance in May 2026
Finnair Plc Investor News 5 June 2026 at 9:00 a.m. EEST
Passenger volumes, load factor and unit revenue continued to improve
In May, Finnair carried 1,092,900 passengers, which was 7.4% more than in May 2025, when the number of passengers was limited by capacity reductions following industrial action. Passenger numbers grew significantly in Asian traffic, clearly in European traffic and slightly also in Domestic traffic. In North Atlantic traffic, the number of passengers slightly declined. Flights to the Middle East were suspended on 28 February due to the heightened safety situation in the region.
Overall capacity, measured in available seat kilometres (ASK), remained stable. In the comparison period, capacity was limited by industrial action. In May 2026, capacity grew clearly in European traffic, driven by new destinations, and slightly also in Asian and Domestic traffic. Capacity in North Atlantic traffic declined significantly due to fewer frequencies to Seattle and Dallas. In Middle Eastern traffic, capacity fell to zero. Including wet lease outs, overall capacity declined by 4.6%, as a wet lease out agreement turned into a dry lease out agreement at the end of March.
Finnair's traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometres (RPK), increased by 6.2%, supported by lower market capacity due to the war in the Middle East. RPKs saw growth in Asian and European traffic, while declining in Middle Eastern and North Atlantic traffic. In Domestic traffic, RPKs remained stable.
Passenger load factor (PLF) improved by 5.1% points to 77.6%. PLF improved in North Atlantic, Asian and European traffic but declined in Domestic traffic.
Revenue per available seat kilometre (RASK) increased by 17.7%, supported by an improved passenger load factor and higher yield.
Total cargo tonnes increased by 4.3%, as European and Asian cargo traffic tonnes saw significant growth. Revenue cargo tonne kilometres increased by 4.8%.
In May, 82.8% of all Finnair flights arrived on schedule compared to 80.6% in the comparison period.
Traffic statistics for June 2026 will be published on Tuesday 7 July 2026.
|
Finnair Traffic Performance May 2026 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Month |
Change % |
YTD |
Change % |
|
Total traffic |
|
|
|
|
|
Passengers 1,000 |
1,092.9 |
7.4 |
4,954.4 |
7.1 |
|
Available seat kilometres mill |
3,557.8 |
- 0.8 |
16,308.5 |
2.3 |
|
Revenue passenger kilometres mill |
2,760.2 |
6.2 |
12,711.4 |
7.9 |
|
Passenger load factor % |
77.6 |
5.1p |
77.9 |
4.1p |
|
Available tonne kilometres mill |
511.2 |
- 2.6 |
2,403.7 |
2.5 |
|
Revenue tonne kilometres mill |
326.2 |
5.9 |
1,498.6 |
7.3 |
|
Revenue per available seat kilometre €c |
8.6 |
17.7 |
8.4 |
11.5 |
|
Available seat kilometres incl. wet lease out mill |
3,557.8 |
-4.6 |
16,925.3 |
0.8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asia |
|
|
|
|
|
Passengers 1,000 |
133.4 |
15.3 |
699.3 |
16.8 |
|
Available seat kilometres mill |
1,287.3 |
4.1 |
6,329.0 |
7.4 |
|
Revenue passenger kilometres mill |
1,015.9 |
15.3 |
5,367.6 |
16.5 |
|
Passenger load factor % |
78.9 |
7.6p |
84.8 |
6.6p |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Europe |
|
|
|
|
|
Passengers 1,000 |
793.0 |
9.7 |
3,169.6 |
9.0 |
|
Available seat kilometres mill |
1,653.4 |
6.9 |
6,851.7 |
5.4 |
|
Revenue passenger kilometres mill |
1,273.4 |
9.5 |
5,108.7 |
9.5 |
|
Passenger load factor % |
77.0 |
1.9p |
74.6 |
2.8p |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
North Atlantic |
|
|
|
|
|
Passengers 1,000 |
55.3 |
- 1.6 |
188.3 |
0.2 |
|
Available seat kilometres mill |
527.2 |
- 17.6 |
1,997.1 |
- 5.3 |
|
Revenue passenger kilometres mill |
415.8 |
- 4.4 |
1,453.0 |
- 0.4 |
|
Passenger load factor % |
78.9 |
10.8p |
72.8 |
3.6p |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Middle East |
|
|
|
|
|
Passengers 1,000 |
0.0 |
- 100.0 |
58.4 |
- 52.0 |
|
Available seat kilometres mill |
0.0 |
- 100.0 |
307.6 |
- 52.6 |
|
Revenue passenger kilometres mill |
0.0 |
- 100.0 |
260.8 |
- 52.0 |
|
Passenger load factor % |
- |
- |
84.8 |
1.1p |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Domestic |
|
|
|
|
|
Passengers 1,000 |
111.3 |
3.1 |
838.7 |
3.7 |
|
Available seat kilometres mill |
90.0 |
1.7 |
823.0 |
3.4 |
|
Revenue passenger kilometres mill |
55.1 |
- 0.0 |
521.3 |
3.1 |
|
Passenger load factor % |
61.2 |
- 1.1p |
63.3 |
- 0.1p |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cargo traffic |
|
|
|
|
|
- Europe tonnes |
3,177.3 |
15.0 |
13,704.2 |
13.2 |
|
- North Atlantic tonnes |
1,880.0 |
- 1.4 |
7,788.4 |
3.7 |
|
- Middle East tonnes |
0 |
- 100.0 |
2,731.3 |
- 54.2 |
|
- Asia tonnes |
7,945.0 |
14.3 |
34,842.3 |
12.6 |
|
- Domestic tonnes |
22.0 |
3.9 |
110.6 |
- 1.2 |
|
- Cargo flights, tonnes* |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cargo traffic tonnes total |
13,024.3 |
4.3 |
59,176.8 |
4.5 |
|
Revenue cargo tonne kilometres mill |
79.3 |
4.8 |
361.7 |
5.3 |
* Including purchased traffic
– Change %: Change compared to the corresponding period in the previous year (p = points)
– Available seat kilometres (ASK): Total number of seats available × great circle distance in kilometres
– Revenue passenger kilometres (RPK): Number of revenue passengers × great circle distance in kilometres
– Passenger load factor (PLF): Share of revenue passenger kilometres of available seat kilometres
– Available tonne kilometres: Number of tonnes of capacity for carriage of passengers, cargo and mail × great circle distance in kilometres
– Revenue tonne kilometres (RTK): Total revenue load consisting of passengers, cargo and mail × great circle distance in kilometres
– Revenue per available seat kilometre (RASK): Revenue / available seat kilometres
The reported distance-based traffic figures do not consider longer routings caused by airspace closures but are based on the great-circle distance in accordance with the industry practice.
The figures presented are unaudited.
Further information:
Finnair Media Desk, +358 9 818 4020, comms(a)finnair.com
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Finnair Group website: https://company.finnair.com/en