5 ways to make travelling with family so much better

1. Pre-order your meals

By pre-ordering meals for the entire family, you make sure everyone gets exactly what they want. Especially with kids, it is a definite bonus not having to worry about the hassle of choosing what to eat in the moment – when someone might already be bordering on hangry. Also, if you have a vegetarian or someone with other dietary needs in your family, you know they will be satisfied, too. 

Pre-ordering is also more eco-friendly as fewer options need to be packed on board. This is also a great chance to show your kids how you can all contribute to less food waste by choosing meals in advance.

2. Plan your journey via Helsinki Airport

Our renewed home hub Helsinki Airport offers comfortable premises for the whole family. You can find baby changing facilities around the airport and the two play areas are located at Gate 16 and Gate 20. If your flight departs from the non-Schengen side of the airport, make sure to stop by the Christmas Cabin at Gate 40 free of charge.

There are lots of different restaurants and cafes to choose from, and of course, a visit to Helsinki Airport is not complete without stopping by the Moomin Stores or Moomin Coffee next to Gate 40 on the non-Schengen side. 

3. Head to our lounge

Starting your holiday in our Finnair Lounge, or one of our partner lounges means escaping the hustle and bustle of the airport and making sure you can relax with your family. You can chat over a cup of coffee, enjoy a delicious meal, or just unwind before boarding. We offer free internet access, places to do work and a play area for smaller kids.

Lounge access is available with certain Finnair Plus member levels, or you can purchase access for you and your family. See all terms and conditions for access here. At Helsinki Airport, you can find our lounge near Gate 22 in the Schengen area and near Gate 52 in the non-Schengen area.

4. Make that upgrade

Sometimes the best way to make sure you are all comfortable is by upgrading your travel class. Especially on longer flights, prioritising great sleep, for example, can be the key ingredient in starting a relaxing holiday.

With Finnair's new Premium Economy class and the renewal of the long-haul Business Class, you have even more to choose from. Both offer lots of comfort, from bigger seats to better entertainment, and make for a peaceful travel experience.

5. Take advantage of WiFi and inflight entertainment

Let's face it, keeping the entire family off the internet for several hours can be a struggle. That is why you might want to consider getting internet access, either ahead of your flight or once you board. You can purchase internet access when making the booking, via Manage booking during online check-in, or via the Nordic Sky portal on board. The internet must be accessed on the device that you make the purchase on.

As a new benefit for all Finnair Plus members, we also offer a complimentary internet connection for messaging on our short-haul flights (flights within Europe) that are operated with Airbus A319, A320 and A321 aircraft. 

You can enjoy movies, TV shows, games and more on our long-haul seatback screens. You can also use your laptop, tablet or mobile phone to connect to our Nordic Sky portal, where you can find audiobooks, digital magazines and destination guides. You can see our in-flight entertainment selection ahead of your journey and see what’s available on your flight.

See also our other tips on how to keep kids happy on a flight.