Your 100 best travel tips | Finnair Iceland
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Your 100 best travel tips

For our special anniversary year, we collected 100 best travel tips, travel hacks and ideas for the future from our customers and employees. Here is the full list.

Which is your favourite Finnair destination and why?

1. Santorini on the edge of the caldera, is my favourite because of its wonderful architecture." - Susanna
2. "Madeira – there's a lot to see and do and Funchal is a perfect-sized city." - Aleksi
3. "Paris. It's a short and nice flight, and you arrive in the most beautiful city in the world." - Amanda
4. "The best destination is home! Abroad, it's warm and sunny during the winter, but it's always lovely to return home!" - Krista
5. "Osaka, from where I would continue to Kyoto. During the mid-90s, I was backpacking there, got to see the New Year's ceremonies and completely fell for the place." - Sari
6. "Israel, where I flew with blue and white wings in 1978. A small country, but something to see and experience for the rest of your life." - Helena
7. "Nice: a turquoise sea, beautiful buildings, warm weather, the world's best ice cream and great food and wine." - Sini
8. "Los Angeles, because it opens up opportunities for the dreamiest roadtrips – or you can hike by the Hollywood sign." - Maria

9. "Bangkok, the Asian pearl. Such a lively and beautiful city, and the climate and people are super." - Piia
10. "Kittilä. Finnish Lapland always has something to offer. Beautiful nature, downhill skiing, hiking, fishing…" -Kalle

What is your best tip for a long-haul flight?

11. "Bring woollen socks, a warm jacket, earplugs and a good pillow. Sufficient legroom is always a plus." - Tarja
12. "Put everything you need for your flight inside a small bag and place it in the seat pocket to have everything at hand." - Leila
13. "Drink lots of water slowly in small portions throughout the flight." - Mia
14. "Just take a sit-back-and-relax attitude and let the wings bring you to your destination." - Lotta

15. "Dress in all black, so you can watch movies without reflections." - Veera
16. "A sturdy, clip-on neck pillow, eye mask for sleeping and noise-cancelling headphones." - Petri
17. "The holiday starts when you leave home. On your flight, there is plenty of time for reading, sleeping, enjoying snacks." - Janne
18. "A pair of slippers makes you feel at home on a long-haul flight." - Dave
19. "Bring someone with you! A flight is best when you can enjoy it with a loved one." - Yusuf
20. "Get a window seat for more privacy and better sleep!" - Kaj

Finnair employee tips: Your favourite hidden gem abroad

21. "Nara, close to Osaka." - Ninni
22. "Lindt Home of Chocolate in Zürich!" - Pärisa
23. "Balos Lagoon in Crete, Greece." - Marianne
24. "Lantau Island near Hong Kong. A short boat ride to this monastery, featuring an impressive 34m tall Buddha statue." - Kari

25. "The Atacama Desert in Chile with its starry skies." - Carla
26. "The diverse and innovative food scene in Melbourne, Australia." - Vivi
27. "The Swabian Jura in Southern Germany. Take a train to Stuttgart from Frankfurt, the nearest Finnair destination." - Katrin
28. "Cala d’Or, Mallorca." - Viivi
29. "Seskärö in the Haparanda archipelago." - Mika
30. "Sausalito, a small town near San Francisco. Rent a bicycle, ride across the Golden Gate Bridge, and have a burger for lunch." - Petteri

What is your best tip for travelling with children?

31. "Activity books, raisin boxes and permission to watch their "own TV" for the whole flight." - Petra
32. "We used to get a new travel game and activity book. Time on board would fly." - Sanna
33. "Don't let them sleep just before the flight." - Satu
34. "Bring snacks your kid likes, a change of clothes and lots of entertainment!" - Anneli
35. "My child's highlight of the flight is to get to choose a treat from the trolley." - Milla
36. "Have pieces of painter's tape or post-it notes for a toddler. They entertain themselves." - Pia
37. "A lollipop for takeoffs and landings. Sucking it will ease the pressure in the ears." - Katja
38. "Make them interested in things in the airport and planes." - Kristupas

39. "Feed newborns after takeoff! It equalises their ear pressure and helps with sleep." - Jason
40. "Do not stress, it affects the child. Everything will go smoothly anyway." - Jan

What are the 3 things you won’t travel without?

41. "A brilliant travel companion, interesting destination and good sneakers." - Sirkka
42. "A water bottle, sunscreen and the mood for adventure." - Henna
43. "Sunscreen, flip-flops and my Kånken backpack." - Liisa
44. "A passport, travel insurance and a camera – they have been the same since 1975." - Antti
45. "Woollen socks, a backpack and good shoes." - Jutta
46. "A passport, credit card and curious mindset." - Leena
47. "My son, my camera, my bike." - James
48. "A toothbrush, camera and reading glasses." - Leila
49. "Noise-cancelling headphones, an eye mask and a book!" - Veera
50. "Happiness, a camera and an adventurous mood." - Paula

Tips from Finnairians: What is your best travel hack?

51. "Bring your own water bottle when you travel. After the security checkpoint, you can refill it." - Jennifer
52. "Bring along a power bank. Not all devices can be charged on board." - Nina
53. "Be nice to your fellow travellers and cabin crew, and they'll be nice to you, too." - Mikael

54.  "If you cannot close the blackout curtains of your hotel room properly, use a trouser hanger with two clips to close it." - Kati
55. "Download your destination's map on your phone so you can navigate without internet connection." - Vivi
56. "I love going on food walking tours in new destinations." - Heidi
57. "Take your holiday off-season – it's less crowded at the destination and on the flight." - Ada
58. "Always bring a change of clothes in your carry-on, just in case!" - Anna
59. "Invest in a great pair of noise-cancelling headphones." - Joonas
60. "Change to solid shampoo and conditioner bars when travelling. They are easier in a carry-on." - Emma

What is the most delicious meal you've enjoyed abroad?

61. "Grilled seafood skewers in a market hall in Cordoba, Spain, with a glass of white wine." - Tuula
62. “Octopus-flavoured takoyaki in Osaka by the canal. A memorable snack!” - Hans

63. "Fish & chips at Fat Mermaid in Nice." - Sini
64. "Hot pan in Thailand. Incredible scents and flavours combined in a gorgeous-looking meal." - Miia
65. "A hot dog bought on the streets of New York." - Erkki
66. "Longhorn beef burger served on a metal plate in Meers Store and Restaurant, Oklahoma." - Eila
67. "Satay from a street bar in Singapore, near Lau Pa Sat market." - Niels
68. "A steaming bowl of ramen in Fukuoka." - Päivi
69. "Sweet and sour pork from 99 Buona Visa Kitchen in Singapore." - Lovisa
70. "Finnish salmon soup at Seahorse in Helsinki." -Tsang

What is your best tip for travelling light? 

71. "Only pack clothes that go together, similar colours and styles." - Anneli
72. "Don't pack brand new shoes when you're going to bring your comfortable old ones just in case anyway." - Dimitri
73. "Bring clothes only for some 3–4 days and wash them during travel." - Onc
74. "Plan outfits in advance and around one or two pieces that can be altered with accessories." - Venla
75. "Buy a smaller suitcase, and plan versatile clothing that is easy to mix and match." - Eerika

76. "Don't leave your packing for the night before. You usually take things you won't need and forget the things you do need." - Dimitri
77. "Share things like sunscreen, shampoo, lotion, straightener with your companion." - Kristiina
78. "Pack all of your cosmetics into small travel-sized packages and just the amount you'll need." - Johanna
79. "Prepare realistically, not for everything. If you need something warm during a beach holiday, you'll find it at the store. " - Dimitri 
80. "Choose light fabrics, like silk or viscose, for your shirts and dresses." - Päivi

How do you imagine the future of aviation to look like?  

81. "Flying should be a fun experience. Maybe even an in-flight sauna." - Adeel
82. "An aircraft that uses electricity instead of kerosene." - Gavin
83. "More sustainable and more of an eye for comfort." - Nicole
84. "Air traffic control communications linked to in-flight entertainment for aviation geeks." - Calvin
85. "The Airbus A380 in the Finnair livery." - Harsh
86. "Automated seats, guiding lights, and new designs in the cabin." - Kun
87. "Cosy and above all sustainable." - Katja
88. "CO2 neutral and a glass bottom in aircraft." - Tom
89. "Hydrogen is the future." - Jan-Erik
90. "Hopefully, we'll have smooth railway connections directly to airports in Finland too." - Sanna

Your most memorable once-in-a-lifetime travel experience?

91. "Our honeymoon in the Bahamas. Flights in Business Class. Seeing the turquoise ocean and white sand." - Laura
92. "Swimming with turtles, rays and colourful fish in Seychelles." - Sonja

93. "The East Coast of Australia with a campervan. I even skydived!" - Iisa
94. "I was brought to tears on Dalsnibba in Norway looking over Geiranger Fjord." - Kati
95. "Trekking to Everest Base Camp with my dad when he turned 60." - Yussaf
96. "Our trip to Iceland. We headed to the Blue Lagoon straight from the airport to relax and swim." - Outi
97. "A rainbow over a volcano in Easter Island – pure magic!" - Sue
98. "In Crete, the waiter invited us to his home where his grandmother cooked us fresh lobster." - Eeva
99. "My recent trip to Finland to meet my in-laws and seeing snow for the first time in my life." - Russel
100. "A challenging work assignment ended in December 1996. I'll never forget the Christmas meal in Business Class. With Finnair, I felt like I was already back at home." - Peter

Thank you for participating and celebrating with us this year – we hope to see you on our flights during the next 100 years as well!


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