A gorgeous, modern airport--just wish my departure flight wasn't so early and I had to arrive at 5 AM! I passed through Helsinki Airport this past summer and got to experience both sides of the terminal rush. When I first landed, the arrivals area was admittedly a bit hectic and crowded, but my departure experience completely won me over. It is easily one of the cleanest, most open, and visually stunning airports I've flown through anywhere. The modern Nordic architectural design--especially that dramatic wooden ceiling in departures--makes the whole space feel huge, bright, and surprisingly serene. Security was an absolute breeze with their updated scanners, taking away all the usual travel stress. The Finnair lounge is amazing, but there is a great lineup of shops, cozy cafes, and local dining spots spread across the gate areas. My only real disappointment was that my flight out was at 5:00 in the morning! I was running on low energy and didn't have nearly enough time to sit back, browse around, or properly enjoy everything the terminal has to offer. Despite the early wake-up call, it left a fantastic impression. I'm definitely hoping my travel plans bring me back through HEL soon--preferably on an afternoon flight so I can actually stick around and enjoy it! read more

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This is a clean, efficient airport. It's easy to take the train directly to the airport from Helsinki's central station. There are lots of shops and restaurants. They were giving out free candy samples at the duty-free shop. There were shops selling Finnish goods like reindeer fur and local foods. In one of the waiting areas, I enjoyed the immersive 360-degree digital display that shows different seasons, times of day, and landscapes from across Finland. It is called Aukio. There was a long line for customs, but it moved quickly. The employees spoke English very well. I found it odd that Finnair doesn't board their aircraft based on the zone numbers on our boarding passes. Everyone boards at once after special-needs passengers. read more

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One of the things I was most happy that we did while in Belgium was to buy charging adapters, and I was never more happy about it then when we would get to the airport and only find European plugs. Make sure before you travel within the nordic countries to buy an adapter, because even though there are a ton of charging stations at this airport, they aren't USBC, so after a long day of travel you'd be out of luck unless you have one. This Helsinki airport was fairly small but had quite a few wonderful shops like Moomin and Christmas stores and TSA was an absolute breeze with no luggage, which was great because we were running a bit behind. All in all, it was a fairly nice airport and we had a great experience with it. read more

Visited Helsinki Airport for the first time in May. I was impressed with how spacious, clean and bright it was. Signs are in English first, Finnish and Swedish (the main languages of Finland) second and third. I also visited the airport via train as I was in the city and needed to pick up our rental car on a different day than I flew into Finland. It was incredibly easy to navigate the train and then get upstairs to the station that connects to the rental car area, shops and security lines for the airport. There are lots of neat shops that sell Finnish products - like reindeer pelts! Food is fairly affordable (especially compared to the airports in the USA.) I liked that they had a little exhibit explaining Finnish homes in the non-Schengen terminal. Customs / border patrol was a breeze and their English was flawless so if you don't speak Finnish or Swedish, you'll be just fine getting through the airport. Visited: May 2026 read more

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This is probably the nicest airport I've been to so far in Europe, or anywhere for that matter! They have tons of shops, restaurants, cafes, and bars and most of it is super affordable too! Lots of restaurants and fast food spots here offer great deals, especially when compared to airports in the U.S.! Also loved that the car rental and train facilities are directly connected to the airport, making it super easy to travel to/from! Security and Border Control are a breeze here too! Not a hassle like some other places, making it stress-free coming here! read more

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Second time here sorta.... This time my flight from Doha to Sfo had to be diverted due to a medical emergency on board It is a great modern clean efficient airport in the typical Scandinavian style If your flight takes you here it is a good place to connect read more

Helsinki-Vantaan Lentoasema - Airports Near Me - Vantaa, 18

Helsinki is a nice size airport. It's also the first one I've been in that has a 24 hr grocery store! This was a great find. We checked into a hotel at the airport the day before we flew home and wandered over to see if we could find something to eat. They have a food court and it includes a surprisingly good size grocery store. We grabbed some dinner and did a little shopping at the store for some snacks for the room. The airport itself is well laid out. It was easy to find customs and our gate. Another nice thing is their rideshare (Uber) area is marked very well and easy to find. read more

Helsinki-Vantaan Airport is a large, clean, modern airport. I wish I had more time to explore. There's a lot of Moomin merchandise and decor, and lots of reindeer fur and products since those are some Finnish specialties. I was only here for a layover. I'd love to come back here for a proper visit to Helsinki and Finland as a tourist. read more

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A clean, modern airport. Arriving was a little weird in that there were customs checks (and a lot of signage) that you might not expect traveling within Schengen. The airport decor is interesting, with very specific recycling options. Oddly, literally nowhere to sit down (only leaning benches- I saw Finns squatting on the ground). There's a very long escalator down to catch the train into Helsinki, though be aware the train's destination is still a ways from downtown where most tourists would be going. If you have status, the Finnair flagship departure lounge is here, with some surprisingly good food, but also very busy during my visit. read more

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Love this airport and for 2-3 yrs, I make this part as my transit place or 1st stop for all my flights into Europe. The reasons were; 1. it's so nice and 2. quick going through the customs and 3. they have the best lounge that I ever been too (from my pov that is). It's a small airport, yet but they felt so relaxed once you stepped into the airport. You felt like you're outside in nature every area, you are in different nature with sounds and pics or videos playing. Yes they do have shops, restaurants, resting areas, lounges and so forth like others but this one, so simplicity & so relaxing and quite quiet. Just love it. read more

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Helsinki Airport we had great experiences to and fro on layovers to Ivalo. The airport is modern and very clean. They have their own strollers which was weird we were told we couldn't bring our doona to have it gate checked. Then saw others with their strollers it was a weird experience. Our child is big enough for their strollers but if you had a smaller baby you would be screwed and have to carry them. Besides the airport was great, quick and efficient customs process. We did spend most of our time in lounges but the general space was much better than about every other airport we've been in. read more

Helsinki-Vantaan Lentoasema - Airports Near Me - Vantaa, 18

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Flew into Helsinki airport the other day and it was a decent experience. The terminal seemed modern enough and I saw plenty of options for dining post security. Checked bags came out ~10 minutes after landing and there was plenty of signage to take the train into the city. There are a couple very steep escalators to go down! read more

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We had a great experience when arriving here from DFW on a Finnair flight. I honestly can't say enough good things about that flight, but the hub at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport was just as great. It's so easy to navigate. There are 2 connecting terminals. We arrived in Terminal 2. It was quite a walk, but fortunately they have moving walkways. We were connecting to a schengen flight to Kraków. Therefore, we had to go through border control to enter Terminal 1. There were signs everywhere guiding us along. The departure gates were very well-displayed throughout the terminal. I think the only negative thing I can say is that there isn't a whole lot of seating once you get to the gate (or at least not in Terminal 1). However, there are many cafés and restaurants where you can get something to eat, drink, and relax. I actually wish that I had a little more time between flights. The Moomin Café and Moomin Shop were places that I originally wanted to visit. We just didn't know how long it would take to get through border control. It ended up being faster than we thought. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't hesitate booking future flights through Helsinki-Vantaa when needed. read more

What a nice, clean airport! You could not ask for more clean or modern. They had a lot of plugs and free wifi. The shops were cute and you were able to buy a lot of Finnish souvenirs and snacks to take home. There were also a number of fashion stores for shopping. read more

Helsinki-Vantaan Lentoasema - Airports Near Me - Vantaa, 18

Truly a 4/5 airport! The only thing was that the gate I was at had more of a perch than actual seating but was nice to be relieved of my backpack for a little. Everything else about this airport that I briefly saw was fantastic!! Border control was super nice and friendly, a touch silly even and the BATHROOM was crazy. Not only did they make it nature like but there's bird sounds as you do your biz. Then the paper towel machine is REUSABLE?? It was a crazy concept, you can very much tell they are pro nature and environment and very clean overall esp with the woodsy vibe! Def want to come back and have a longer layover read more

This airport is a delight. It is so easy to get from one point to another. We stopped here on our way to New York from Krakow. I think I enjoyed walking off the plane, and going down the stairs to the bus more than anything since I have not done that for a while. We went to the check-in to confirm all info and the team here is friendly-helpful. We walked into many stores as we made our way to our gate. So many friendly people all happy to speak with us for a while. The gates were really easy to get to as the airport is not so large and the security was very through and moved quickly. Again, the agents were a nice group of people. The waiting areas were not too big and seating is clearly at a premium, but it was a short stay there and eventually made our way to the plane, sat down and relaxed in anticipation of a long flight ahead. KUDOs to the team at Helsinki-Vantaan Lentoasema. read more

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Another good Scandinavian airport run efficiently for the most part and easy to navigate. Good amount of shops and good duty free and restaurants. Not far from town and you can get the train straight into the central area of Helsinki easily and not expensive either. You can be there in 20 mins . Only delay I had here was at the bag drop. Seemed to take longer than the actual check in desk at Delta. Very bizarre. It's bag drop!! Other than that another easy trip into and out of Helsinki airport. Everything labeled in English too so easy to get where you need to be. Very clean too! I think all of Scandinavia is like this though! Do not hesitate to come through this airport. read more

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Fast, efficient, clean, lots of bathrooms and water stations. Good places to eat and shop.

Modern airport that's simple and easy to navigate. Bags were already on the belt when I arrived at the Claims area. 2023 Best Airport in Europe advertising the 50 best places to eat at the airport-I saw there are an abundant amount of options. A large Food Court in Gates 22-26 area. Play areas for the kids are a nice touch. Also, a Normal (convenience store) on the lower level as you enter. Also, standard size Duty Free Shop. Security check queue moved quickly. Train option is available and plenty of Taxis with no wait. About 35 Euros flat rate to Kampii area (varies based on time of day). Helpful people throughout. read more

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This is a nice airport that's not too big to navigate and has a good variety of restaurants and shops as well. We flew from AMS to HEL on a KLM flight and we were forced to check in our bags due to lack of space. By the time we disembarked in HEL the bags were already waiting for us at baggage claim! The security line was not too bad. I think we had to remove everything including small jackets but could keep sneakers on. The inside shopping and dining area is quite nice. There is a Moomin Shop and a Marimekko which are both classic Finnish shops that you can't miss while you are in Finland! At other stores, you can also pick up the souvenirs like Finland / Helsinki keychains etc. There are also a few airport lounges here too. Overall I was pleased with this airport and would look forward to using this airport again! read more

Overall a great airport. Lots to do outside of the gates like a grocery store for shoppers, in the gathering area. Money exchange, luggage storage, luggage store, rental cars, tax free booth to get $ back, etc. Gates are easy to get to, security pretty standard like other airports, still need your carry on with liquids in a separate pouch. Where Helsinki airport lacks is mostly seating. Don't expect to get to the gate and relax in a chair. There are very few chairs and those available are for the elderly, disabled, and nursing mothers. read more

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The nicest and quietest airport I've been to. We missed a connecting flight and spent a night in Finland. The Finnair team put us up in a hotel for the night, had a driver take us to/from, and gave us an airport credit. The Finnair lounge is phenomenal and has everything you'd ever need prior to an international flight. If you're wandering around the airport, check out the Marimekko or Moomin stores. read more

Love Helsinki airport. It looks very new and spacious. I saw many interesting and unique things there like Finnish winter House, Moomin Cafe, Laplandia store. Also I had 6 h layover coming from the United States so I decided to go to Helsinki town. I stored my hand luggage in my Finnair business lounge which was very crowded by the way. If you don't have access to the lounge you can go to city center and on Final stop at train station on -1 floor there is luggage lockers available for a fee. The airport connected to public transportation and you can get to town. Ride on train is anywhere between 30-50 minutes depends if it's a fast train or it makes multiple stops. You can buy tickets at the ticket machine which takes credit cards and also has menu in English. PS I highly recommend to try Finnish signature blueberry juice and Kalev chocolates!!! It's also a great gift. read more

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It's been a LONG travel day and I still had one more flight by the time I arrived in Helsinki. This airport was a very clean, nice, and most importantly, warm, despite me being here during the Finnish winter! Shopping wise, there are plenty of stores to poke your head into, whether it be one of the luxury stores, to the duty-free shop or to the souvenir shops, there's plenty here to occupy yourself with. I didn't eat at any restaurant as I instead went to the plaza premium lounge which was very welcoming and comfortable. The lounge offered a few coke products, a bar and of course, some food to fill myself with during my brief layover. There were a few restaurants here though that had plenty of room and nice looking menus. The cleanliness of the airport was what really felt nice after a long flight here. There was plenty of seating areas as well and overall, it was a great layover. The signage was also great and I never felt lost. It was very clear which gate and where I was supposed to be. The only thing I'm sad about was I couldn't find a die-cast Finnair toy planes in any of the shops to add to my slow growing collection! read more

Helsinki-Vantaan Lentoasema - A departure sign in front of the gate - Airports Near Me - Vantaa, 18

Still give it a five stars. Very clean and functional. Inside the terminal, several options to eat, and plenty of restrooms. This airport has grown tremendously within the last few years, and it's one of my favorite airports. This time I arrived to Helsinki from New York. It's not an European Union City, so I did have to go through a passport control. In the past I have travelled via Frankfurt Airport and didn't even go through the passport control. Still not a bad experience. Lady officer was friendly! Outside arrivals and departures area you can find grocery store Alepa that sells food and souvenirs. They have several car rental places, eateries, FOREX Money Exchange and more stores. The access to Metro is very easy because it's located underground in the Airport. It takes you straight to Helsinki. There is an attendant to help you purchase your Metro ticket. So, it's easy. I have only two complaints that really are not the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport's fault. First I'm not happy about Lufthansa service. Had a new passport, and had problem checking in, and no attendant to help until the check-in counter. Second complaint is the Taxi drivers. Don't tell them if your destination is very close, like Tikkurila. The Taxi drivers want to charge you higher fare, therefore they prefer long distance customers. read more

A really well managed airport. There are plenty of staff available to assist. There are many security lines so even though there were was a long line of people, the wait was about 5 mins! Nothing needed to be taken off or removed from the bags. Even liquids! The airport is clean and compact. There is only one terminal with a central area of shops and restaurants. A really great, user friendly airport! read more

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Very nice airport, clean, with the kinds of benches that invite a nap. Lots of good coffee and pastries. Fast and efficient check in and passport control. Good drinking water. Pleasing aesthetic read more

Helsinki-Vantaan Lentoasema - Airports Near Me - Vantaa, 18

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It's a beauty, gang. It features all the Scandinavian amenities you could imagine- yoga and reflection room with "moss like grass", outdoor patio, vegan and vegetarian food options galore, composting programs, bird chirping soundtrack in the bathrooms (pretty sure all bathrooms should have this), kids play areas, sleek and clean design and furniture, plants and high end fashion shops. Aesthetically, it's gorgeous and chock full of great food options. The only thing I was a little surprised by was the disorganization of the check in gates and security- there seemed to be a lot of bottlenecks and people gathered in ways that isn't conducive to security. Last but not least, you can't beat the affordable thirty-five minute train ride to the heart of downtown. read more

I had a connection for a couple of hours on my travels heading north towards Kittila, Finland. Winter vacay in Europe! Ive been to Finland in the past. Great way to see some Baltic countries. This is a very large airport and it offers many worldwide destinations. The airport is very clean and well maintained at a very high standard. The passport control is seamless and very easy. All the restaurants are contain less free and COVID-19 enforcement is in full effect. The airport also offers free wifi and baggage carts...which was really nice ;-) Yes I recommend everyone to travel somewhere new yrly! Europe is safe and they have high standards... read more

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Yes, this is a fantastic airport, lovely stores, coffee shops and birds singing in the bathroom. Way to find your way around and easily reachable y public transportation. But, there's one problem: It might be challenging to find DRINKABLE WATER if you don't want to buy yet another plastic bottle and you're not aware that you can get the water from one of the taps at the bathroom. There's no sign for it, but one tap is always different looking or has a small button on the side where you can change the temperature. They really should put a sign for the water because many travelers are looking for it. Thanks for the hot tea water station at the faraway travel side. read more

The Helsinki airport is a small and relatively efficient place to navigate for international travel, but the services inside are a bit lacking. It would be nice to see some souvenit shops added -- I don't need a Hugo Boss shirt but certainly would have bought a Helsinki one. Likewise, it's a bit odd to see things such as a rolling-fabric hand-towel system in the restrooms. Thought the world generally stopped using those, for sanitation's sake, decades ago. Not a bad airport but still could use some improvements. read more

Nice & quiet airport. Expensive food. Had a $30US breakfast that included a sandwich, bakery item and coffee. Europe isn't really known for good food and the breakfast experience leaves much to be desired. Only the coffee was warm, no napkins in sight. The security line went smoothly but the other passengers weren't practicing common sense, like step back, give others space and wait for your luggage to pull up before hoarding the conveyor belt to wait for your bags. Most of the good shops are near the main entry & less selection as you go further. read more

Helsinki-Vantaan Lentoasema - Breakfast at the cafe. - Airports Near Me - Vantaa, 18

Connected through this modern airport in Helsinki on our way to/from Russia. Scandinavian aesthetics and architecture on display everywhere. Think IKEA -- on steroids. Finland is an offbeat country populated with friendly and accommodating people -- bordering Russia and about as different from its neighbor as can be. Great food (reindeer and salmon every which way) and some of the best coffee I've ever had. Check out Paulig brand - if you can find it. Service at airport restaurants is attentive and painfully polite. Even security and airport personnel are almost apologetic when they need to detain or question you. Helsinki is an up and coming international hub -- servicing Europe, Asia and plenty of U.S. destinations. A pleasure to visit here. My new go to connecting with Russia and points Far East. read more

Helsinki-Vantaan Lentoasema - Coffee sculpture - Airports Near Me - Vantaa, 18

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After 5 weeks of touring and hectic flights and airports, this airport been absolutely amazing. Because I'm disabled and have to always have a "pat down," I'm used to it being a little bit too invasive. These folks did the same exact things but with caution and kindness. The entire security process is completely streamlined and quick. The airport itself is clean & well thought out. The pickup and drop off are the easiest I've ever encountered after being in 20+ airports. Whoever is in charge here should be the director of airports all over the world. read more

Helsinki-Vantaan Lentoasema - Airports Near Me - Vantaa, 18

Outbound AA One World partner airline and airport pairing (2 of 2: Helsinki-Vantaa HEL Airport) - - - - - Prior to this, I had only been to one Nordic airport, that being Copenhagen, flying from SEA to CPH on Scandinavian. I had a very good impression of that airport. However, that review is sort of dated and maybe I should delete it. Compared to Helsinki, CPH was much more rectilinear and I remember the cool sleeping area that you could rent in hourly increments. These small units were for jet lag, long connections, and certainly not the "No Tell Motel." I can tell you that Helsinki's international airport (HEL) made an even better impression on me. Not only that, you may view it in 2 ways: (1) arriving on a flight, passport control, picking up luggage, and exiting the airport, and (2) preparing for a departing flight, checking in, security control, and going to the gate. As we know, these functions can be a little segregated such that you may not experience the totality of the airport and that's by necessity. Helsinki-Vantaa is spacious, comfortable, nicely finished, and has all the efficient things you want in an airport - excellent bathrooms, functioning device charging stations, etc. On the way into the area, passport control was polite and professional without being stodgy. If you are at a further out gate, the luggage may get to the carousel before you do. HEL also has these trendy looking bubbles that serve as sleeping pods suited for people with weird connections, but I didn't see them. Upon preparing to continue the journey after a stopover, it's a different but equally pleasant experience. If using the main terminal, which is where Finnair is located, its design is fairly evocative, with sweeping upward curving ceilings. It's a large and very interesting space. Check-in and customer assistance are very efficient. The security line may look a little long, but they move it along well. The duty free area is not as obnoxious as if in, say Rome, so that's good since that part of an airport is sort of useless to me. I like the brand of English they speak here, which they speak very well. They speak an English that is more in synch with a North American ear, as opposed to an English you might encounter in the U.K. and which I've heard being termed as "posh." In a way, this makes sense, since Finland probably sent more Finns to the states of Michigan, Washington, and Minnesota than they did to the British Isles. Also, the connection from the airport into the city uses a train that takes about 30 minutes and you can buy day passes. Once at the main station, the Metro and trams will be right at its front door. The airport train station is really deep relative to the terminals, as evidenced by the very long escalators. There will be personnel on hand to help you purchase tickets. (One of the things that make this a great connection point is that Finland is the only Nordic country using the Euro.) When on transit, you will see signage in at least two languages, if not three. Both Finnish and Swedish are official languages, and English is also often displayed. Just so you know, the Finnish word for airport is "lentoasema." And here I was getting really comfortable with the word "flughafen!" That said, with all these blond(e) people in Northern Europe looking sort of similar to me, I had to exercise control in not saying "danke schoen" or "sehr gut" to them! Let's face it - none of Europe's "Big 3" airports (LHR, CDG, and FRA) are all that likable. They wouldn't even get 4 stars from me, but 3. Europe's best airports seem to be found in its countries with smaller capitals and this one - Helsinki Vantaa - is no exception. It's possibly the nicest European hub airport I've ever used. read more

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Welcome to Finland, I arrived here on a Schengen zone flight from Amsterdam so there was no immigration or customs to deal with here. As well, I had no checked baggage so I didn't have to wait on carousels. Off the plane and out to the arrivals hallway. Super easy as this is not that large of an airport. Finding the way to transportation was easy. The signage for the train is clear and there are plenty of arrows. It is a decent walk but the floors are smooth and there are elevators and escalators where needed. At the train platform, signage towards central station and ticketing kiosks. The train to central station took 30 minutes. Returning to the airport for my departure at crazy o'clock, the international flights were in Terminal 2. The trams don't run this early so we Ubered. Finnair at one end for my friend and KLM at the other end for me. The drive from downtown was about 30 minutes and cost €50. (Check Uber before taxi, you might save.) Security was a very easy breeze with taking out laptops and iPads and segregated liquids. All back into the back after the xray and into the airside. Thankfully, there is a "scentless" bypass immediately to the right so I could avoid the perfumery. Lots of food options. Lots of shopping options. And a reasonably comfortable airline lounge that I was allowed to access as a Delta Diamond with a Sky Club membership. Free wifi throughout the airport. Jetbridges to deplane and to reboard. I'm definitely a fan. [Review 10045 overall, 1630 of 2018.] read more

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The terminal is fairly new and run efficiently as well. Our flight was delayed but no worries. The priority lounge is comfy. read more

Flew Norwegian air and had the friendliest, easiest experience with check in and security. The staff is so incredibly nice and helpful. The security line was efficient and helpful if needed. The airport also has a train station so if you are flying here you can easily train into the city center for 5 Euro. I would recommend as a taxi is going to be about 40-50. Train was very easy and takes about 30 minutes. Overall, great experience for my travel from Helsinki!! read more

A very nice and modern airport. I was lucky enough to be staying at the Hilton which was walking distance to the terminals. Flying in and out of this airport was a breeze. Security as well as checking into my flight. Plenty of restaurants and shopping, better than most airports, as they all have restaurants and shopping. Plenty of seating as well by the gate area. Nice airport. read more

The airport can be a bit confusing to navigate. Very crowded and less personnel tha we are accustomed to as Americans. Bag Check in was completely self service ( I have never seen that anywhere) - you even weigh your own bag. The airport only has 2 terminals, but feels much bigger. A lot of shopping and restaurant choices. Going through Security was very easy. You don't even have to remove shoes. It would have been a lot easier if there were more employees to answer questions. Like everyone else we met in Scandinavia, everyone speaks perfect English read more

Helsinki-Vantaan Lentoasema - Arrivals amd Departures - Airports Near Me - Vantaa, 18

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