The Hilton Hotel Helsinki Airport is a great combination of a good hotel and a spotting location, because you can take pictures directly out of the hotel. From the stairhouses inside the hotel you can take spot planes. This is an alternative to the scenic terrace, if the terrace should be closed, not opened yet or similar. The stairs CAN’T be entered from the ground floor, but from the floors above you’ll be able to do so even without keycard. The stairs can be left without hotel keycard as well. There are two stairhouses, one left and one right of the elevators. For pictures click on the icon on the map!

Normally runway 22L will be used for arrivals.

Normally runway 22R will be used for departures.

The runway is also used regularly for 15 arrivals during calm times, to avoid plane noise above the city. Such actions are done often, although all other traffic uses the 04/22.

From the terminal, drive “Ilmailutie” until you get to t-junction, then turn left to “Cargo 2” on “Ilmakehä” then turn left on the next junction to “Junkersintie”. After about 1km, take the first exit from the roundabout to “Läntinen Valkoisenlähteenti”e and then turn right to “Tuusulantie” highway. After a couple of kilometres turn right from the first intersection and take the second exit to “Koivukylänväylä”, turn right to bridge which goes over the “Tuusulantie” highway. Then drive straight on “Simosentie” and “Antennitie” and then turn right to “Vesikuja”. Follow the road for about 600m, then you can see a parking spot on the right. It is illegal to drive further but some still do it.

Park your car here. Follow “Vesikuja” till its end, which ends up at a gate – pass the barrier on the right and contiue proceeding along the fence until you will see the airport fence infront of you. Turn right and walk along the fence again. After a couple of hundred meters the road takes a dip and on the right there is a hill which is higher than the fence.

Runway 15/33: From sunrise till late morning.

You can also take pictures along the fence (like the C17), but then you need a ladder!

Update 2018: Unfortunately the fence was moved and now you can’t climb the cliffs, which cna be seen on the Gmaps shot. You can still take shots by the roadside, but of course the shotingwindow is limited now.

Walk on “Rahtitie” past terminals and the cargo buildings (on your left) and shortly after the roundabout turn left to “Rahtikuja”. Walk to the end of this alley, until you get to the fence.

No ladder is needed. There are fire escape ladders and you can take photos through the fence. There is nothing so bring everything with you – nearest facilities in terminal 1.

If the extrem weather is inconstant, you should phone the hotline before you plan to visit the terrace: (+357) 020 708 3200

Update July 2018: Due to construction works, which will continue till 2020, it’s non sure, if the way to reach this spot will stay the same all time. Way to get here is quite difficult to find nowadays…

Runway 04R/22L: From morning (07:00) till late midday (15:00).

If there are worser weather conditions (like fog, ice or snow), the outside part of the terrace might be closed, but then you can still shot from inside.

Ladders forbidden! Everything you need is inside the nearby terminal facilities.

As you can see on the first overview picture, you can take picture without glass as well – therefore go to the right corner next to the door. View is more limited there, but quality is better as well! The space there is ~8cm wide.

Runway 04R/22L: From morning (07:00) till late midday (15:00).

Icelandair B757 = 50mm / Finnair A321 = 195mm / Finnair ERJ190 = 95mm

Car: This spot/spots can be reached easily from the highway 135, which is named “Lentoasmantie” as well. Therefore just exit the highway at the exit “Virkamies Tjänstemans”, which is marked as industrial zone on the signs. The exit will end up into “Tikkurilantie” street, where you’ll have to turn right (doesn’t matters if you’re coming from the terminal or the city). Then follow the street for about ~1,2km and exit the roundabout at the first exit to “Pakkalan huoltotie”. Follow the road for a few hundred meters and park somewhere by the roadside (can be done easily infront of #10.2). Then choose your exact spot, depending on the traffic you wanna spot.
Some spotters had problems with the security, when parking by the roadside infront of spot #10.1, so it might be better to park near spot #10.2 and walk to #10.2.

Bus: Take the line 575, 576 or 632 to “Kytökaillo” bus station (marked on the map). After you’ve left the bus (at the named stop), walk to the mentioned roundabout and exit to “Pakkalan huoltotie”.  If you wanna shot arrivals, follow the road for ~400m and climb the rocky hill on your left, but if you wanna shot line-ups/taxiing aircraft, follow the road for another ~400m from the parking and climb the rocks on your left in a curve.

Arrivals: Climb the rocky hill, which is located on the opposite side of the parking spot infront of the hall/hangar (marked on the map as “Parking #10”). This (part-)spot is marked as #10.2 on the map. Shots of taxiing aircraft will be destroyed by all the poles on the apron, therefore the angle for arrivals is much better here.
Example shots: Rossiya IL96

Line-Ups/Taxiing aircraft: Climb the rocks in the curve on your left handside and search your favourite spot on them – this (part-)spot is marked as #10.1 on the map. The angle for arrivals is much worser here, but you won’t have any poles in your way while shooting taxiing aircraft.
Example shot: TUI 787/Qatar A330
For shots like the nose close-up of the Finnair A350, you’ll have to keep walking a bit up on “Pakkalan huoltotie”.

Runway 04R/22L: From morning (07:00) till late midday (15:00).

To reach the spot #11 you need to walk past spot #10 on “Pakkalan Huoltotie” (if you’re coming from the terminal) and turn left the next road “Kalliosolantie” which is not accessible by car. Then turn right and walk through a flat field and then through the forrest and climb on a rock.

Late rotations on runway 22R are the best in January and February from 13 to 16.

Bus: Take the I-train from the terminal to “Aviapolis” station and then bus 576 to “DHL Etelä”. The rock is just next to the bus station.

UPDATE SEP 2019: There are signs now which say it is forbidden to enter the street leading to the fence. Airport authorities are aware of this and will let you know, if they see you breaking this rule. It is even forbidden to enter the street by foot, but some people are not really caring. Just to inform you about the situation, but you can try your luck!

This spot is no exact position, rather the area along the fence. Your exact position in the end depends on the angle/moment you wanna spot. The spot can be reached by car and bus quite easily.

Car: If you’re coming from the terminal, drive to spot #12 first, which is located by the roadside of “Katariinantie”. After you’ve passed spot #12, follow the road for ~2,5km. Then turn right into “Myllykyläntie” street. Pass the Karting center on your right and after a few hundred meters turn right again into “Myllypadontie”. Follow this road for about ~750m, then you should have arrived at kinda “double-junction”. Turn twice right, so the road will lead you into southern direction and straight onto the fence. Drive till the fence, park your car nearby and choose your favourite position along the fence or on the dirt-/sandbank on your left.

Bus: Take bus line 632 and exit it at the bus stop “Myllykyläntie”. Then walk down “Myllykyläntie” street for about 400m, before you turn right into “Myllypadontie”. Follow this road for about ~750m, then you should have arrived at kinda “double-junction”. Turn twice right, so the road will lead you into southern direction and straight onto the fence. Walk down the road, till you’ve arrived at the fence and choose your favourite position along the fence or on the dirt-/sandbank on your left.

For arrival-shots it might be better to walk up the street (which you have entered at the “double-junction”) a few hundred meters along the dirt-/sandbank, till you are closer to the arrivalpath and have a better view.

Runway 04L/22R: From afternoon till sunset, but this depends on the exact angle you wanna spot.