Tracing Santa Claus to his holiday hideout at the North Pole is a tall task. So much so that, hundreds of years on, not a single human has successfully spotted the famous toy-making lair. Finding Kris Kringle’s home in Swedish Lapland, however, just got a lot easier thanks to a new direct flight from Lufthansa. The German airline announced this week it will launch twice-weekly flights from Frankfurt to Rovaniemi, Finland, beginning November 30.
Photo: Miguel Lagoa/Shutterstock
Starting In November, You Can Fly Directly Into Santa's Hometown
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“Wintertime is Christmas time and anyone who has always wanted to visit Santa Claus in his “official” hometown now has the chance to do so non-stop with Lufthansa from Frankfurt,” the airline said in a statement.
Lufthansa is a Star Alliance member, meaning that US travelers who frequently fly with United can use MileagePlus points towards the purchase of flights on Lufthansa, including for the forthcoming Rovaniemi route. Flying between Frankfurt and Rovaniemi takes three hours, and rates via Skyscanner put roundtrip cost around $439 roundtrip. As such, fewer than 50,000 points should get you on the 8:50 am departure from Frankfurt and to Santa’s house in time for happy hour, and back again a few days later.
Flights will take place twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Saturdays. While a bit shy of the pole itself, Rovaniemi, the capital of Swedish Lapland, is located in the Arctic Circle and is a quintessential Scandinavian wintertime destination. Its also Santa’s hometown, and with a population of about 65,000, the city is a regional hub with ample dining and outdoor recreation experiences. Santa Claus does operate a village in town, and visitors have the opportunity to pack into a sleigh for husky rides through the snow–covered forests. More than 100 miles of cross-country ski trails surround the city, and in winter you could, theoretically, use skis as your primary means of transit once on the ground. That’s sure to get you on the “nice list.” 