The first Emirates flight to Helsinki departed Dubai on October 1, 2026. The flight, operated daily using an Airbus A350, aims to connect Finland to Emirates' international network, offering cargo capacity in the aircraft's hold. This new service launches at a time when Finnair has canceled its flights to Dubai for the winter of 2026-2027, creating a gap in direct air travel between the two countries. The inaugural flight, EK167, departed Dubai at 7:30 AM local time on Thursday, October 1. Emirates reported that the flight was "almost full" for both passengers and cargo, though it did not release specific numbers. A group of official Emirati and Finnish representatives, along with press members, were on board the flight. Emirates describes the Dubai-Helsinki route as the only direct link between the United Arab Emirates and Finland that operates year-round. While this is the first time Emirates is offering the route, Finnair had previously operated flights between the two cities. However, Finnair canceled its flights from October 25, 2026, to March 27, 2027, citing "the unstable situation in the Middle East." Emirates plans to operate a daily flight using an Airbus A350-900. The aircraft assigned to the route has 298 seats divided among Business, Premium Economy, and Economy classes. Helsinki passengers will have access to the Premium Economy cabin from the start of the service. Beyond direct travel between the two cities, Emirates is leveraging its Dubai hub to connect Helsinki to nearly 140 destinations in its network, including regions in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Australasia. The A350 can carry up to 16 tons of cargo per flight, according to Emirates SkyCargo. Goods likely to be transported include pharmaceutical products, electronics, machinery, wood, and perishable items. For Finavia, the service is expected to enhance Finland's international connections, especially to Asia and the Pacific.