Campaign illustration. Finavia.
(IN SHORT) Helsinki Airport introduced a groundbreaking runway sauna in June 2025, offering travelers an immediate immersion into Finnish sauna culture. With over 3.2 million saunas nationwide—equivalent to one per three people—Finland’s sauna tradition is central to its wellbeing philosophy. The airport, awarded Best in Europe seven times in eight years, now serves as a portal to Finnish happiness, design, and values. Three saunas reside within the terminal, and countless others dot the Helsinki region. This initiative underscores Finland’s reputation as the world’s happiest nation and invites visitors to begin their Finnish experience in true local style. Convenient flight times—about three hours from London and two from Berlin—make this cultural transition effortlessly accessible.
(PRESS RELEASE) VANTAA, Finland, 2025-Jun-12 — /Travel PR News/ — Helsinki Airport has taken transit hospitality to a new level by heating up a runway sauna, offering travelers more than just a layover—they’re invited into the heart of Finnish wellbeing. In a country boasting over three million saunas, this inaugural “runway sauna” delivers an authentic taste of Finnish happiness before passengers even leave the tarmac.
“Many airports have transit lounges, and some even feature saunas,” explains Anna Tuomi, Finavia’s Head of Marketing. “But only Helsinki Airport provides a seamless gateway to Finnish joy. It’s the first touchpoint for experiencing Finland’s rhythm, values, and mindset. From here, your journey can truly begin.”
Known for its therapeutic benefits—soothing muscles, easing mental fatigue, and melting away stress—sauna culture is the perfect prelude to any Finnish adventure. Recognized seven times in eight years as Europe’s best airport, Helsinki Airport transcends mere transit. It’s a melting pot of cultures, a showcase for Finnish design, and an ambassador of the nation’s values of trust and equality.
Photo: Sauna visitor looking at the Helsinki Airport terminal from a unique perspective.
With more than one sauna for every three Finns—and three of them located inside the airport terminal—visitors can dive into this timeless tradition without delay. The one-day-only runway sauna in June 2025 highlighted Finland’s status as the world’s happiest country and cemented sauna as its universal emblem of relaxation.
Just three hours from London and two from Berlin, Helsinki is closer than ever. Whether you step off the plane and into an airport sauna or venture into the city’s myriad bathing houses, Finnish serenity awaits.
Media contact:
comms@finavia.fi and by phone:+358 20 708 2002
SOURCE: FINAVIA
