Hilton and Scandic have signed a multi-year Nordic development agreement. The first project is a 284-room Hilton by Copenhagen Airport, franchised to Scandic and due in 2029.
Cover image: Hilton Helsinki Strand in Helsinki, Finland, pictured in August 2026 (file photo) — photo by VynedJ, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Hilton and Scandic Hotels Group have signed a multi-year strategic development agreement covering Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, the two companies announced from Stockholm on 19 October. The first hotel under the pact is a 284-room Hilton Hotels & Resorts property at Scanport, adjacent to Copenhagen Airport, which Scandic will operate under a franchise agreement with Hilton and which is expected to open in 2029.
Both companies said the agreement focuses on individual development opportunities and "is not a broad conversion of Scandic's portfolio". Scandic, which describes itself as the largest hotel company in the Nordic countries, has about 320 hotels and 68,000 rooms in operation and under development. Neither side disclosed an investment value, fee terms or a target number of hotels.
How is the Hilton and Scandic agreement structured?
According to Hilton's release, the agreement combines "Hilton's globally recognised brands and commercial reach with Scandic's extensive regional platform, operational expertise and established presence throughout the Nordics". At Copenhagen, Scandic holds the franchise and will run the hotel under the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand.
Several key commercial terms were not disclosed in either release.
| Term | What the companies disclosed |
|---|---|
| Markets | Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland |
| Duration | Multi-year; length not disclosed |
| Scope | Individual development opportunities; not a broad conversion of Scandic's portfolio |
| First hotel | Hilton Hotels & Resorts, 284 rooms, Scanport, adjacent to Copenhagen Airport |
| Operator and contract | Scandic, under a franchise agreement with Hilton |
| Property owner | Not disclosed |
| Expected opening | 2029 |
| Construction start | Once the "remaining pending conditions" are met; conditions not disclosed |
| Investment and fees | Not disclosed |
| Further new hotels named | None as of 19 October 2026 |
"This strategic agreement represents a significant milestone for Hilton in the Nordics, creating a clear pathway to expand our leading brands across four important markets," said Chris Nassetta, Hilton's president and chief executive. Hilton gave no figure for how many Nordic hotels the deal could add to the global hotel construction pipeline.
What is planned at Copenhagen Airport?
The Scanport hotel will be full-service, with a restaurant and bar, meeting and event facilities, wellness amenities, a fitness area and an executive lounge overlooking the Öresund Strait, Hilton said.
The airport has had a Hilton before. In January 2017 Copenhagen Airports, owner of the airport hotel, said it had worked with Hilton since that hotel opened in 2001 and that Nordic Choice Hotels would run it as the Clarion Hotel Copenhagen Airport from 1 April 2017, The Moodie Davitt Report said. The 19 October releases do not mention that hotel.
What is Scandic's existing Hilton business?
Scandic is already a Hilton franchisee. The companies say their relationship spans more than two decades, and Scandic operates three Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties in Helsinki under franchise arrangements with Hilton, according to Hotel News Resource: Hilton Helsinki Airport, Hilton Helsinki Strand and Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa.
Hilton said a multi-phase refurbishment of Hilton Helsinki Airport is planned. No cost or timetable was given.
Jens Mathiesen, Scandic's president and chief executive, pointed to that record. "Having successfully franchised and operated Hilton hotels in Helsinki for many years, we have demonstrated the strength of combining a global brand with Scandic's leading operational platform," he said. The Copenhagen hotel applies the same franchise-and-operate model in Denmark.
What changes for Hilton Honors and Scandic Friends members?
Nothing yet. The companies said new benefits for members of both programmes will be announced later, with "the shared ambition to further open the Nordics to Hilton Honors members and the world to Scandic Friends". Hilton says Honors has more than 260 million members; Scandic calls Scandic Friends the largest loyalty programme in the Nordic hotel industry. Neither has said whether members will earn or redeem across the two schemes; our hotel loyalty programmes comparison shows how Honors stacks up against rivals.
The companies framed the deal against Nordic demand. Citing figures from four national agencies, the releases said Sweden recorded more than 70 million guest nights in 2025, Denmark around 68 million, Norway more than 40 million and Finland over 23 million.
Frequently asked questions
What did Hilton and Scandic agree on 19 October 2026?
The two companies signed a multi-year strategic development agreement covering Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. Under it they will pursue individual Hilton-branded development opportunities, combining Hilton's brands with Scandic's regional operating platform. Both said it is not a broad conversion of Scandic's portfolio, and no investment value was disclosed.
Who will operate the new Hilton at Copenhagen Airport?
Scandic will operate the 284-room Hilton Hotels & Resorts property at Scanport, adjacent to Copenhagen Airport, under a franchise agreement with Hilton. It is expected to open in 2029, with construction starting once remaining pending conditions are met. The releases did not name the property's owner.
Will Scandic hotels be rebranded as Hilton hotels?
Not as part of a portfolio-wide switch. Both companies stated that the agreement is not a broad conversion of Scandic's portfolio of about 320 hotels in operation and under development. As of 19 October 2026, Copenhagen is the only new hotel the companies have named under the agreement.
What will Hilton Honors and Scandic Friends members get?
No details have been published yet. The companies said new benefits for members of both loyalty programmes will be announced at a later date, with the shared ambition to open the Nordics further to Hilton Honors members and the world to Scandic Friends. Earning and redemption terms have not been disclosed.
Sources
- Hilton, Hilton and Scandic Sign New Nordics Strategic Agreement
- Scandic Hotels Group (via GlobeNewswire), Scandic and Hilton sign new Nordics strategic agreement
- Hotel News Resource, Hilton and Scandic Sign Nordic Development Agreement
- The Moodie Davitt Report, Copenhagen Airports selects Nordic Choice for hotel upgrade (31 January 2017)
