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Finnair to Relaunch Canada Flights With New Helsinki-Toronto Route
Finnair will relaunch flights to Canada for the first time in over a decade with a new route from Helsinki to Toronto Pearson Airport starting on 4th May 2026. This will be the only nonstop flight route between Finland and Canada.
The route will operate three times per week during the summer season on Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays.
Flights will depart Helsinki at 16:50 and arrive in Toronto at 18:35 local time. The return leg departs at 23:40, landing in Helsinki at 14:45 the following afternoon. The service will be operated by Finnair’s A330 aircraft, offering Business Class, Premium Economy, and Economy cabins.
Previously, a connection was needed to fly to Toronto with Finnair. This was usually from New York JFK, Chicago O’Hare International or Heathrow.
With Finnair, you can reach Helsinki from London Heathrow (6x daily), Manchester (2x daily), and Edinburgh (up to 7x weekly).
Toronto is Canada’s largest city, and you can enjoy visiting the CN Tower (the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere), fantastic museums, and a thriving culinary scene. The city is also the gateway to Niagara Falls and the Great Lakes region and a northern hub for connecting onward flights.
This route will most likely be good for Avios redemptions outside of the BA network. Business Class cash tickets are priced around the £4,542 mark and are currently available for booking until Saturday 6th June 2026.
This is Finnair’s second new route announced for 2026, following the announcement of flights to Alta, Norway (from 29th March 2026) just a few weeks ago.
You can check flight times and availability on the Finnair website >>>
InterContinental Manchester Deansgate to Open in 2027
IHG will bring its flagship luxury brand to Manchester in 2027 with the rebranding of the current Hilton Manchester Deansgate. The 264-room property, owned by Blue Manchester Hotel Limited, is set to become InterContinental Manchester Deansgate.
The hotel will be located within 22 floors of the 47-floor Beetham Tower, which is still one of the tallest buildings outside of London.
During the refurbishment, the property will operate independently as The Manchester Deansgate Hotel. It will become bookable via the IHG platform, but won’t carry IHG branding until the relaunch is finalised.
InterContinental promises a high-rise luxury experience complete with uninterrupted cityscape views. It will have upgraded wellness facilities, including an indoor pool, sauna, steam room, and fitness centre. The redesign will also introduce a new ground-floor ‘podium’ bar and restaurant, alongside 18 modernised meeting spaces totalling 1,821 square metres.
Located right in Manchester city centre on one of the most historic streets, the hotel is near several high-end restaurants, retail outlets and excellent nightlife. For business trips, you’ll be near Spinningfields Conference Centre and the financial and professional services district.
The hotel will operate alongside other luxury IHG properties in the city, such as the Kimpton Clocktower. This will be the fifth InterContinental in its UK portfolio, which includes:
- O2 London
- InterContinental Park Lane, London
- Edinburgh The George
- InterContinental Dublin.
IHG currently has 363 open hotels in the UK and Ireland, with another 33 in the pipeline.
For Manchester, the arrival of InterContinental signals growing clout as a luxury destination. With global brands like Nobu and W also moving in, the city’s hotel scene is clearly pivoting towards the premium end of the market.
This is one to watch closely if you travel regularly to Manchester.
Offer: Earn Up to 10,000 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points Per Stay
You can now earn up to 10,000 bonus points per stay at 510 participating hotels in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
You must book your stay by 12th September, and it must be between 27th June and 26th September 2025. A minimum two-night stay is required.
Only qualifying room types booked via the Marriott website qualify—look for the offer to appear during booking. If you’re calling to book, use the code S2449.
The number of bonus points you earn will depend on your hotel. You will earn:
1,000 bonus points – standard rooms at Element, Residence Inn, Marriott Executive Apartments, Protea Hotels, and Four Points Flex by Sheraton.
2,000 bonus points – standard rooms at AC Hotels by Marriott, Aloft Hotels, Courtyard Hotels, Four Points by Sheraton, and Moxy Hotels.
5,000 bonus points – standard rooms at Autograph Collection Hotels, Delta Hotels, Le Méridien, Marriott Hotels, Renaissance Hotels, Sheraton, Tribute Portfolio and Westin.
10,000 bonus points – premium rooms at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, The Luxury Collection, EDITION, W Hotels and JW Marriott
The offer includes 82 Luxury Collection hotels, which earn 10,000 bonus points. London hotels include:
- W London
- The London EDITION
- JW Marriott Grosvenor House London
- The Park Tower Knightsbridge, a Luxury Collection Hotel
Elsewhere in the UK, the other option is the W Edinburgh.
After selecting a hotel, rooms eligible for the promotion will have the promotion listed as a room rate under ‘Member Exclusive Rewarding Getaways’. When the offer shows, compare the different rates offered and ensure the offer gives you the best rate.
For example, this stay at the W London is showing the offer, although I had to scroll past the two cheapest room rates to find a rate showing the offer:
Although the value of Marriott points has decreased in recent years, if you’re planning a two-night stay before 26th September, now is an ideal time to book to take advantage of extra points. Points add up! If you were already going to book one of the hotels in the offer, it may work out better value to book a room type that qualifies for the offer.
Off-peak Marriott hotel redemptions start at 5,000-10,000 points per night and can go upwards of 152,000 points. You can also convert Marriott Bonvoy Points to Avios at a rate of 3:1.
View the offer page and full list of participating properties here >>>
