Murray's same-day Lapland charter will depart Newquay airport on 21 December 2026 – the first time a day-return Lapland experience has operated from the Cornish airport.

The charter, part of The Lapland Experience by Murray Travel, will take passengers directly to Rovaniemi in Finland – the "official home" of Santa Claus – for a full day of festive activities before returning to Cornwall the same evening.

The itinerary includes husky sledding, a reindeer sleigh ride, snow sledging and a private meeting with Santa, alongside a hot buffet lunch and time in Santa Claus Village. 

Scott Murray, chief executive of Murray Travel, told TTG the programme would be built off the back of its popular Inverness charter, and reflected growing demand across the UK for regional departures, as well as the agency's success operating similar programmes from smaller airports.

'This opens up a bucket-list experience to far more people'

"We were contacted by a number of regional airports after Inverness," he said. "They could see there was an opportunity to do something similar, particularly when larger operators tend to focus on bigger hubs."

He added improving access to bucket-list trips without requiring long journeys to major airports was a key driver. "For many people, travelling to a larger airport can add hours to the journey, plus overnight stays and additional costs," he said. "If we can offer direct flights from local airports, it opens up these experiences to far more people."

The operator has already seen strong demand for the Newquay departure, selling about 80 seats before the programme was officially launched. "The response has been incredible," Murray continued. "There is clearly a real appetite for this kind of product in regional markets."

'We've built something ourselves rather than copying others'

Murray Travel, one of TTG's Top 20 Luxury Travel Agencies for 2025, positions its Lapland trips as a premium, fully-managed experience, with the operator controlling all elements on the ground.

"We’ve taken the approach of building something ourselves rather than copying others," Murray said. "We manage the full experience with our own team in resort and focus on delivering something authentic at the Arctic Circle."

(Credit: Murray Travel)

Nigel Scott, commercial director at Newquay airport, said the route highlighted the airport’s growing leisure offering. "The opportunity to fly directly to the home of Santa Claus and return the same day is something really special for families in the region," he said.

"It demonstrates how the airport is continuing to expand its offering and improve access to unique travel experiences."