Most airports around the world would usually close, cancel flights, or experience delays if faced with extreme weather conditions, especially when it comes to snow. However, for passengers flying from or to this airport, that would be the least of their worries. Many Arctic Circle airports battle their way to stay open during the chilling conditions, including Ivalo Airport, located far north of Finland.

According to Euro News, even through the snow and temperatures that fall past zero, planes will still land on the icy runway, which stretches 8,199 ft. Pilots are evidently more than prepared for it, making sure to avoid heavy braking in the conditions. In fact, the entire airport seems to be, which makes sense as the airport is the gateway to Finland's largest municipality by area—Inari. The destination offers a vast number of winter experiences for travellers who enjoy the cold season.

Last year, the airport served an impressive 249,319 passengers. These numbers are part of Finnish Lapland's tourism growth. Along with other airports, including Rovaniemi, Kittilä, Kuusamo, and Kemi-Tornio, a huge 1.8 million passengers arrived in 2024.

With temperatures dropping as low as -18C and around 200 days of snow per year, many would question how the airport still manages to handle the flights safely.

Pyry Pennanen, head of airfield maintenance at Finavia, the company responsible for maintaining and developing Finland's airport network, told Euro News: "We basically promise summer-like conditions in our runways year-round."  

Over in Finland's capital, Helsinki, Pyry Pennanen, explained that 15 machines are used to make the runway safe. Cutting through ploughs of snow, using a metal-bristled broom to sweep up stubborn ice.

"The most challenging conditions are when we have freezing rain,” he explains. "When it’s minus ten and the freezing rain is still falling, it’s very difficult to deal with."

However, despite the challenges, the airports handle it well, which is fortunate for the millions of tourists who are jetting over to the Finnish Lapland destinations, like Inari.

From the picturesque landscapes, to the enchanting snowfall, Inari is essentially a winter wonderland, where visitors can take part in activities including husky sledding, snowmobiling, skiing, snowboarding, and reindeer herding.

For those who like tranquility when away, Inari is a great choice because unlike other popular Lapland destinations like Rovaniemi, Irani has not suffered from overtourism and could be considered as one of the most unspoiled places in Western Europe. Additionally, there are are plenty of saunas around which are perfect for rejuvenating.