Helsinki Airport Constructed the World’s First Runway Sauna

Finland is legendary for its saunas—there are greater than 3 million within the nation, which means there’s roughly one sauna for each three individuals. And lately, Helsinki Airport (HEL) constructed the world’s first runway sauna as an homage to the nation’s steamy sauna tradition.

Finavia, an airport firm that manages a number of aviation hubs all through the nation, together with Helsinki Airport, sited the sauna near the runway, in order that it might be seen as quickly as vacationers touched down. The sauna was solely up for someday and wasn’t meant for use (scrambling throughout the runway to make your sauna appointment feels like the alternative of rest), however as a substitute, it was meant to be a enjoyable technique to spotlight Finland’s love of saunas.

“Most airports have transit zones—some even have saunas,” mentioned Anna Tuomi, Finavia’s head of selling, in an announcement shared with Journey + Leisure. “It’s the touchpoint to tune into the rhythm, values, and mindset of Finland. Your story can go anyplace from right here. To showcase this quick transition, we constructed the world’s first runway sauna at Helsinki Airport.”

Nonetheless, in case you truly do need to hop right into a sauna throughout your time at Helsinki Airport, you are in luck. The airport has three saunas inside the primary terminal constructing, and most are situated inside lounges, corresponding to within the Finnair Platinum Wing Lounge, close to Gate 52. There are additionally many extra inside close by lodges, corresponding to inside the Clarion Lodge Helsinki Airport, which is only a five-minute stroll away.

Nonetheless, even in case you do not go to a sauna throughout your time at Helsinki Airport, you are positive to have a great time regardless. Helsinki Airport constantly ranks as among the finest airports in Europe by the airline and airport evaluate website SkyTrax.

Finland was ranked the “happiest nation on earth” in 2025 for the eighth consecutive 12 months by the Gallup World Happiness Report, which is created yearly in partnership with Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Analysis Centre, and the United Nations. The runway sauna is supposed to function a refined reference to the nation’s completely satisfied repute and is a small preview for all that awaits vacationers outdoors the airport’s doorways. The truth is, Finland’s sauna tradition was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage checklist in 2020.

“Finland is named the world’s happiest nation, and the timeless custom of sauna is on the coronary heart of Finnish tradition,” Tuomi mentioned within the assertion. “We’ve introduced these parts collectively to rejoice Finnish happiness.”