Next winter Finnair will begin operating non-stop scheduled services between Helsinki and Miami, Florida.

The new seasonal flight, operated with Airbus A340 aircraft in a two-class Business and Economy cabin configuration, will commence from December 16th, 2014 until March 21st, 2015.

AY007 will leave Helsinki on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 09:55 for arrival in Miami at 14:05 local time.

AY008 departs Miami at 16:00 for arrival in Helsinki at 08:50 local time the next day.

Starting from January 3rd, 2015, the service moves to three times weekly with an additional frequency on Saturdays.

The flight lasts approximately 11 hours outbound while the return journey takes less than ten hours.

The timetable connects well with passengers transferring from other cities in Finland, Estonia and Sweden.

“Services to Miami with codeshare partners have always been popular, and the time is now right to offer a direct non-stop route in the winter season in addition to these services,” said Finnair chief executive Pekka Vauramo.

“Finns love Miami and southern Florida, and there is a sizeable Finnish expatriate community in the region.

“At the same time, this new direct route also gives us the opportunity to develop Finland and Lapland as exotic winter tourism destinations for Americans.”

The route between Helsinki and Miami International Airport will be included in the joint business on transatlantic traffic with oneworld alliance partners American Airlines, British Airways and Iberia.

This gives customers the possibility to mix and match flights on the different carriers for the best pricing and scheduling.

For example, an itinerary could include a non-stop flight to Miami in one direction, but a connecting flight through New York, Madrid or London in the other, if the timing is more convenient.

Finnair’s cooperation with the other three carriers also means that Miami is yet another gateway to dozens more North American destinations.

Miami, with a population of more than 400,000 in a metro area of more than 5 million, is at the centre of the largest urban area in the south-eastern United States.

The region is famous for its beaches and leisure activities, as well as its top-tier entertainment, sporting and cultural attractions.

Miami is also a major commercial and financial centre in the United States and widely seen as an economic and cultural gateway between North and South America.