airBaltic to launch five weekly direct flights between Oulu & Riga
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The return flights will operate five days a week (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays) starting from March 29 until the end of October 2026.
The Latvian airline airBaltic will begin direct scheduled flights between Riga and Oulu in March 2026. The return flights will operate five days a week (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays) starting from March 29 until the end of October 2026.
Yrjötapio Kivisaari, CEO of Oulun Matkailu Oy, welcomes the new connection. “We have been discussing the opening of this route in different settings for a long time. Now we finally have good news! airBaltic’s new connection strengthens the international accessibility of Oulu and the whole of Northern Finland at exactly the right time, bringing visitors to enjoy the cultural year’s offerings. Our clear goal is to establish the connection also for the coming years.”
Thomas Ramdahl, Chief Commercial Officer (Acting) at airBaltic: “Launching flights from Oulu strengthens our presence in Finland and provides travellers in the region with greater connectivity to Europe and beyond. With seamless one-stop transfers via Riga, passengers can easily reach a wide range of popular destinations for both business and leisure, while enjoying convenient schedules and more travel options throughout the summer season. airBaltic offers an unprecedented travel experience on board its modern Airbus A220-300 fleet, which is gradually being equipped with free and fast SpaceX Starlink internet,” Ramdahl added.
“The launch of this new route is the result of long-term regional cooperation and the flight programme funded by local municipalities, which makes new connections to Oulu possible. The near-daily link to Riga’s hub is a significant improvement in accessibility for the Oulu economic area. We encourage people to use the connection. Its permanence and potential expansion depend on actual usage,” stresses Juuso Rönnholm, Head of Knowledge Management and Societal Influence at BusinessOulu.
“The direct flight connection to Riga offers travellers departing from Oulu a wide range of onward connections from Riga Airport to other parts of Europe. Operating five times a week, this route also plays a significant role in bringing tourists to Oulu and its surrounding areas – especially now, as Oulu garners international interest as a European Capital of Culture 2026. At Finavia, we continuously work to improve Finland’s accessibility, and we are delighted about airBaltic’s new initiative,” says Petri Vuori, Finavia’s Director of Route Development.
