”Rovaniemi Airport is one of the oldest airports in Finland, and over the course of 85 years, the airport has transformed from a military aviation hub into a facilitator of tourism in Lapland. As the owner of the airport, Finavia has developed the airport systematically and over the long term for decades,” says Johan Juujärvi, Manager at Rovaniemi Airport.
Rovaniemi Airport photographed in 2014
Finnish expertise and developing with the times
Rovaniemi Airport and its buildings were inaugurated in 1940, when regular scheduled flights from Helsinki to Rovaniemi also started. In 1942, the airport became a wartime airbase used by the Germans. Thousands of soldiers and hundreds of aircraft were stationed there at times. The airport that was destroyed during the war required extensive reconstruction. Regular scheduled flights resumed in 1948, and by 1953, all airport buildings had been rebuilt.
The current terminal building of Rovaniemi Airport was completed in 1992, and it was designed by the Finnish architects Mikko Heikkinen and MarkkuKomonen, who have received international recognition. The rapid growth of charter traffic during Christmas and winter in the 1990s led to the decision to expand the airport in 2000. The intention was to respect the original appearance of the terminal in the design of the expansion, which is why Heikkinen and Komonen were once again responsible for the design work. When the expansion was opened, passenger boarding bridges were also introduced. Thanks to the passenger boarding bridges, passengers were able to board aircraft directly from inside the terminal for the first time.
The development programme increased the airport’s capacity and service level
During 2018–2020, Finavia implemented a significant EUR 60 million investment programme at Rovaniemi, Kittilä and Ivalo airports. Rovaniemi Airport represented just under half of the total investment at approximately EUR 25 million. This large-scale investment created the conditions for the further growth of Lapland’s tourism industry and improved Finland’s accessibility and competitiveness. In 2019, the Finnish Lapland Tourist Board gave Finavia the award for the best travel achievement of the year in Lapland for improving the accessibility of Lapland.
The construction work during the development programme was carried out while Rovaniemi Airport was in continuous operation. The architects of the expansion were Kimmo Mansisto and Ari Ronkainen from UKI Arkkitehdit Oy. During the development programme, the total surface area of Rovaniemi Airport increased by 5,000 square metres, which made the terminal more spacious and comfortable. The ceiling of the expansion was raised to increase the amount of natural light and optimise the use of space. The space was made more comfortable with different seating options, such as sofas – as well as rocking chairs where passengers can sit while waiting for their flight to depart. Many different kinds of wooden surfaces that bring warmth to the space were used in the terminal’s furniture. The floor-to-ceiling windows of the gate area overlook the runway, where passengers can see both passenger aircraft and the Hornet fighters of the Lapland Air Command, which are particularly interesting to international passengers.
The development programme increased the airport’s hourly capacity from two to four aircraft, and the passenger facilities were completely renewed. Passengers can admire the airport’s ingenious use of space while waiting for their baggage, as the baggage carousels are decorated according to the seasons. Passengers can also get into the Christmas spirit as soon as they land in snowy Lapland, as Christmas elves and Santa Claus welcome passengers in the baggage claims hall. The café area was quadrupled in size, and new services, such as a souvenir shop, were opened in the terminal.
The airport feels local
Finavia’s airports emphasise locality, and the unique features of each area are clearly on display. Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland, welcomes tourists to the atmosphere of Lapland as soon as they arrive at the airport. The Northern Lights themed wall of the terminal building creates a unique first impression and introduces visitors to the magic of Lapland. Santa Claus and the Christmas elves delight passengers of all ages – Rovaniemi Airport is the official home airport of Santa Claus, after all. Locality is also reflected in the service offering: at the airport, passengers can enjoy Lappish flatbread and other local delicacies and discover other local products in the airport’s shops.
The new expansion of the departures hall will be completed at the beginning of the busy winter season
In 2025, Finavia will expand the passenger facilities of Rovaniemi Airport to develop the customer experience of passengers. The aim is to ensure that travelling via Rovaniemi Airport will continue to be smooth. As a result of the project, which is now in its final stages, the passenger facilities in the airport’s departures hall will be expanded by nearly one thousand square metres. UKI Arkkitehdit Oy was responsible for designing the expansion.
"This year’s expansion project will primarily improve the waiting areas for departing passengers. In addition, it offers the airport personnel more spacious working spaces, which we believe will promote the employees' well-being at work. We believe that the positive development of tourism in Lapland and Rovaniemi will continue, and we want to ensure that the currently high level of customer satisfaction will continue to be good in the future," says Juujärvi.
Finavia’s sustainability programme is tangible at Rovaniemi Airport
In accordance with Finavia’s sustainability programme, all areas of sustainability – the environment, the economy and people – are taken into account in the development of Rovaniemi Airport.
As an airport company, Finavia receives business income from air traffic fees and non-air traffic fees, such as rental and parking operations. As a company, it is important for Finavia to develop its airports in a financially responsible manner so that the development of airports and the development of air traffic are in balance. As the owner of the airport, it is important for Finavia to be involved in ensuring the well-being of those working at the airport. For this reason, the airport community’s working spaces and methods, processes and exchange of information have been developed in close cooperation with different companies. One concrete sign of the success of this development work is that the careers of Finavia employees at Rovaniemi Airport are usually long and many seasonal employees return to work there year after year.
The design of the expansion of the departures hall that was carried out this year was guided by a comprehensive energy simulation, which made it possible to optimise the building’s energy efficiency and reduce its life cycle carbon footprint. This proactive and sustainable approach made it possible to find sustainable solutions in the early stages of planning. In Rovaniemi, the changing seasons create their own demands: for energy efficiency, it is important that the expansion stays pleasantly cool in the summer and warm in the arctic conditions of winter.
As a result of long-term work carried out over several decades, all of Lapland’s airports reached net zero carbon emissions in 2024 and they also hold Visit Finland's sustainable travel certificate. The success story of Rovaniemi and the entire Lapland region has also received international recognition: in 2024, Airports Council International (ACI) ranked Rovaniemi Airport among the top three airports in Europe in its size category of less than five million passengers.
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