Due to the war in Iran, Qatar Airways suspended many routes and, for a while, even grounded an entire subfleet. Many other Gulf operators adapted their operations, too. As such, the launch (technically, relaunch) of service from Doha Hamad International Airport to Helsinki Airport (HEL) and Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) on July 15 was particularly notable.

The resumption came as the new Saudi Arabian carrier Riyadh Air inaugurated two more routes. On July 14, the new entrant took off from Riyadh to Malaga, followed by the first flight to Madrid three days later. It is hard to imagine that Riyadh Air has already received its seventh factory-fresh Boeing 787-9.

Qatar Airways Is Back In Finland

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Service from Gulf hubs to HEL has always been intriguing. After all, neither Emirates nor Etihad Airways have previously flown there, although Emirates’ narrowbody partner flydubai did so between 2018 and 2022. Things are now changing. Qatar Airways returned on July 15, while Emirates will debut on October 1.

The oneworld member has a history in HEL. Cirium Diio data shows that flights existed between October 2016 and December 2022. Due to the partnership between Qatar Airways and fellow oneworld member Finnair, Finland’s flag carrier flew from HEL to DOH on behalf of the Gulf giant.

This agreement began in December 2022 and continues today, albeit only during the winter. It is not too dissimilar to Qatar Airways’ agreements with multiple other carriers, including Virgin Australia, which fly to DOH on its behalf. Between 2022 and early 2025, Finnair also operated from Copenhagen and Stockholm to DOH.

Qatar Airways and Finnair will collectively have two daily flights between DOH and HEL in the upcoming winter, double Emirates’ frequency from DXB to Finland. The combined schedule is outlined below. Qatar Airways has a split schedule, which helps to capture more connecting passengers by operating during different departure and arrival banks and thus growing competitiveness and market share. Both airlines operate during the peak period for European operations, which helps to increase capacity at vital times.

Then There’s The Japanese Capital

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Qatar Airways has flown to Tokyo (TYO) since 2012. While flights were initially to Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT), the carrier began flying to HND, which is much closer to downtown Tokyo, two years later. DOH-HND service ended in March 2024. As with Finnair and HEL, this was because Qatar Airways’ partner Japan Airlines (JAL) flew HND-DOH on behalf of the Gulf carrier. JAL first did so in April 2024, with this setup continuing today.

Due to Qatar Airways’ resumption, JAL will now only run during the winter, rather than on a year-round basis. When NRT is included, four daily departures are now available, as outlined below. Cirium data confirms that DOH has more flights and seats to the Japanese capital in 2026 than in any other year. Not coincidentally, Emirates’ operation from Dubai International Airport (DXB) to TYO will grow to a record three daily departures later this year.

Seven New & Returning Destinations In 2026

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Qatar Airways’ schedule submission to Cirium shows that the carrier plans passenger flights to 181 airports globally in the remainder of 2026. In addition to HEL and HND, it will also take off for Bogotá (new; delayed), Caracas (new; delayed), Hail (new), Philadelphia (resumption, replacing American Airlines), and Port Sudan (new).

The airline’s schedule from January 2025 to June 2026 has been compared to what is planned from July 2026 to April 2027. This process identified that many destinations remain suspended, but flights to them will resume in the coming months. However, eight destinations are no longer served: Aleppo, Hamburg, Kano, Lyon, Mogadishu, Sarajevo, Sofia, and Venice. It remains to be seen if any of these will rejoin Qatar Airways’ map in the future.