Direct flight from Frankfurt to Savonlinna opens a new international route to Lake Saimaa in summer 2027
Savonlinna Travel and Discover Airlines, part of the Lufthansa Group, have agreed on cooperation to launch direct Frankfurt–Savonlinna–Frankfurt flights in summer 2027. The new route will improve the accessibility of Savonlinna and Lake Saimaa from Central Europe and connect the region to Frankfurt’s international flight network.
Discover Airlines will operate flights between Frankfurt and Savonlinna during the summer season 2027. The flights will operate from 19 June to 29 August 2027, with a total of 11 return flights. The route will be operated once a week during the night between Saturday and Sunday as a White Night Flight.
According to the preliminary schedule, the flight will depart from Frankfurt on Saturday evening at 21:30 and arrive in Savonlinna in the early hours of Sunday at 01:20. The return flight from Savonlinna to Frankfurt will depart early on Sunday morning at 03:20 and arrive in Frankfurt at 05:10.
The night flight schedule makes use of Frankfurt’s strong connecting flight network and brings travellers directly to Lake Saimaa for their first full holiday day. The early return flight also allows visitors to make the most of their final evening at the destination, for example with dinner, a sauna experience, a cruise or other evening programme.
This is a scheduled flight, not a charter flight. Tickets will be available through Discover Airlines’ and Lufthansa Group’s sales channels, both for individual travellers and as part of tour operators’ package holidays.
Frankfurt hub opens Lake Saimaa and Savonlinna to international markets
The new connection will strengthen the region’s international accessibility, particularly from Central Europe. Through Frankfurt, connections to Savonlinna can be built from markets such as Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands.
"Travel to the Nordic countries remains very popular - as evidenced by rising booking numbers. With Savonlinna, we're expanding our offerings to include a special destination that lets travellers experience a unique facet of Finland, shaped by picturesque lake scenery and cultural richness. With seasonally tailored routes, we're responding specifically to the wishes of our guests and our tour operator partners, offering them travel experiences suited to every season," says Marco Götz, Chief Commercial Officer of Discover Airlines.
“Discover Airlines’ new flight connection from Frankfurt to Savonlinna, launching next summer, will strengthen the accessibility of eastern Finland and create new opportunities for the growth of tourism in the Savonlinna and Lake Saimaa region in international markets. Discover Airlines’ position as part of the Lufthansa Group and Frankfurt’s role as one of Europe’s most important air traffic hubs open connections to the region from Germany and more broadly from Central Europe,” says Teemu Ahola, Director of International Operations at Visit Finland.
According to Ahola, the new flight connection is a significant step in promoting international tourism and requires long-term cooperation and commitment from all parties.
“We are very pleased about the opening of the route and will continue to work actively together with our partners to support its success and create the conditions for its long-term continuation,” Ahola continues.
“The opening of a new scheduled flight connection to Savonlinna Airport is excellent news. A direct connection to Frankfurt strengthens the international accessibility of Savonlinna and the surrounding areas and brings interesting opportunities for both international travellers and the region’s business life,” says Petri Vuori, Senior Vice President, Route Development at Finavia.
“Thank you to Savonlinna Travel and its partners for the determined work in making this connection possible. Now that the heart of Saimaa has a direct connection to one of Europe’s key air traffic hubs, it is the shared task of the cities, municipalities and tourism operators of the Saimaa region to ensure that the visitor journey is smooth and the experience so successful that guests want to return,” says Ding Ma, Acting Mayor of Savonlinna.
“This route is much more than a new flight connection for the Savonlinna region. It is an opportunity to build international demand, strengthen sales for local tourism businesses and make Saimaa an even more accessible and easy-to-buy destination for international travellers and tour operators. Our task now is to ensure that the region offers attractive products, smooth service chains and experiences that encourage visitors to stay longer and return,” says Jaana Komi, CEO of Savonlinna Travel Ltd.
A new opening for year-round international tourism in eastern Finland
Discover Airlines’ new connections will bring direct scheduled flights from Frankfurt to Savonlinna in summer 2027 and to Kainuu via Kajaani Airport in the winter season 2027–2028. This creates a new opportunity to develop eastern Finland into an even stronger and more international year-round tourism destination.
“This is a significant opportunity to build year-round tourism in eastern Finland, where different tourism regions complement each other. In summer, Savonlinna and Lake Saimaa offer lake nature, culture and water-based experiences, while in winter, Kainuu and Vuokatti bring snowy nature, activities and winter experiences to the overall offering. Together, we are more than the sum of our parts,” say Aija Laukkanen, CEO of Vuokatti Tourism Centre Ltd, and Jaana Komi, CEO of Savonlinna Travel Ltd.
Germany is one of the most important international target markets for both Kainuu and the Savonlinna region. Direct connections from Frankfurt offer an excellent opportunity to increase visitor flows and develop cooperation between the regions to a new level.
“We can now develop new round-trip products and Fly & Drive packages, where travellers can experience Lake Saimaa’s lake nature, Savonlinna’s culture, Vuokatti’s activities, Kainuu’s cultural and nature experiences, bear watching and the diverse tourism offering of eastern Finland during one trip. Together, we can build attractive routes that extend stays, increase tourism revenue and strengthen the international competitiveness of eastern Finland as a whole,” Laukkanen and Komi say.
Tour operator cooperation is underway
Savonlinna Travel has already started discussions with tour operators for their 2027 programmes. For tour operators, the new connection offers an opportunity to package Savonlinna and Lake Saimaa as part of summer travel products accessible from Central Europe.
Strong cooperation is also being carried out with other regional tourism organisations and destination management companies in relation to the route. The launch of the route will be supported by joint marketing activities by Finavia, Visit Finland and the tourism sector. The joint measures will be specified further as the launch progresses.
Preliminary flight details
Route: Frankfurt–Savonlinna–Frankfurt
Operating period: 19 June–29 August 2027
Flight day: Night between Saturday and Sunday
Number of flights: 11 return flights
Aircraft capacity: 174 seats
Preliminary schedule:
Frankfurt–Savonlinna on Saturdays at 21:30–01:20
Savonlinna–Frankfurt on Sundays at 03:20–05:10
Tickets will be available through Discover Airlines’ and Lufthansa Group’s sales channels.
Further information
Jaana Komi
CEO
Savonlinna Travel / Visit Savonlinna
jaana@visitsavonlinna.fi
+358 40 730 9765
Tanja Lajunen
Head of International Sales
Savonlinna Travel / Visit Savonlinna
tanja@visitsavonlinna.fi
