German airline Lufthansa is set to continue its direct flights between Munich and Oulu for the upcoming summer season. Additionally, winter flights will extend into the next winter, establishing this historic route as a year-round connection. This makes it the only year-round international flight connection in Northern Finland. The round-trip flights will operate on Tuesdays and Saturdays starting from March 31 during the summer season. Winter flights will continue on Wednesdays and Sundays until the end of March and resume on October 30.
Yrjötapio Kivisaari, President & CEO of Oulu Travel Marketing Ltd, emphasises the significance of the continued service for the entire Oulu region's tourism:
- A year-round, direct three-hour connection from Munich to Oulu brings a new positive momentum and growth to international tourism in the Oulu region. Germans have been the second-largest group of international visitors to Oulu in recent years, just after visitors from Norway. However, with the year-round flight connection, Germany is expected to surpass Norway as the leading departure country. The continuation of the route also enables diverse collaboration with German tour operators, Kivisaari says.
The Oulu–Munich flight route was launched on December 16, 2023, and has been operational for a month with a positive reception.
- We are thrilled to announce a continuation of our brand-new Oulu to Munich route during Summer 2024 making Lufthansa the only global airline to fly scheduled non-stop flights from Northern Finland to the heart of Europe. A month after the much anticipated and celebrated launch of Lufthansa’s Oulu to Munich flights, the continuation of our service beyond the current winter months provides numerous opportunities for the regional tourism industry, corporate travelers as well as leisure travellers, says Patrick Borg Hedley, General Manager Finland and Baltic states for Lufthansa Group airlines.
Munich Airport, Franz Josef Strauss Airport, is Germany's second-largest and Europe's seventh-largest airport, offering excellent connections for both business and leisure travelers worldwide. During the summer season, the Oulu–Munich flight schedule will shift by one day compared to the winter schedule to provide passengers with comprehensive onward connections through Munich Airport. Summer flights will connect Oulu conveniently to over fifty connecting flights, including destinations like Paris, Madrid, Vienna, and Brussels.
Year-round connection provides new opportunities for Oulu region businesses
Year-round flight connectivity opens new opportunities for Oulu businesses in the German market and Central Europe.
- Lufthansa's commitment to Oulu is significant. Year-round connectivity opens up new possibilities for Oulu businesses to utilise a direct route to Central Europe. From the perspective of air freight as well, year-round regular connectivity is beneficial. I anticipate this flight connection bringing new growth to the Oulu region, not only in tourism but also across various industries, says Juha Ala-Mursula, CEO of BusinessOulu.
Munich is a prominent international business centre and one of Germany's most economically important cities. Munich is home to a number of major international companies, including the European headquarters of BMW, Siemens, Allianz and Microsoft. In addition, Nokia has significant operations in Munich and Ulm, which is just over an hour away from Munich by train.
Bavaria is a diverse region with alpine panoramas, castles, and dramatic cities, all easily accessible to tourists flying from Oulu. Christmas markets, the Oktoberfest beer festival, and the FC Bayern München football team all contribute to Munich's popularity as a travel destination. It only takes a few hours by train to reach the Alps from the city.
Flights for the upcoming summer and winter are now available
The year-round air link is expected to increase competition and enhance passenger numbers at Oulu airport, which have declined since the epidemic years. The goal is for Oulu Airport to regain its position as the second busiest airport in Finland.
- The Oulu–Munich route has been an excellent addition to our airport routes. The connection has enjoyed popularity among passengers and significantly strengthened the accessibility of Northern Finland to Central Europe. The popularity is now evident in the continuation of flights year-round, which we are truly pleased about, says Petri Vuori who is responsible for route development at Finavia.
Flights for both the upcoming summer and winter seasons are already available for booking on lufthansa.com.
Summer flight schedules from March 31, 2024 (as per January 17, 2024):
Saturday
LH2490 Munich 12:10 Oulu 16:15
LH2491 Oulu 17:05 Munich 19:10
Tuesday
LH2490 Munich 12:10 Oulu 16:15
LH2491 Oulu 17:05 Munich 19:10
For additional information, please contact:
Yrjötapio Kivisaari (CEO, Oulu Travel Marketing Ltd // p. +358 40 546 6283, yt@visitoulu.fi)
Juha Ala-Mursula (CEO, BusinessOulu // p. +358 40 559 2030, juha.ala-mursula@businessoulu.com)
Juuso Rönnholm (Public Affairs Manager, BusinessOulu // p. +358 50 574 1504, juuso.ronnholm@businessoulu.com)
Petri Vuori (Senior Vice President, Sales and Routes Development / Finavia // p. +358 407221256, petri.vuori@finavia.fi) and/or
Patrick Borg-Hedley (General Manager Sales, Finland & Baltic States, Lufthansa Group // p. +358 40 9207598, patrick.borg-hedley@dlh.de)