Bargains on airfare are few and far between this year, but a start-up European airline is bucking the trend—and on one of the world's most popular transatlantic routes.
Norse Atlantic Airways, a Norway-based low-cost carrier that debuted last year, began selling tickets on Friday for its new transatlantic service between New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and London's Gatwick Airport (LGW).
Round-trip fares start at just £255 ($321) for the daily flights, which will begin on Friday, August 12.
According to Norse's website, one-way fares from New York to London start at $116.
Take a gander at the airfare-timing app Hopper for the same route during the second half of August and the lowest round-trip fares you'll find will be in the $550–$650 range—about double Norse's round-trip charge.
One warning, though: The new airline adopts many of the same pricing policies as Norwegian Air did on its long-haul routes (some of Norwegian's former execs now back Norse).
That means that, as with other low-cost, no-frills carriers, Norse pairs its most affordable tickets with copious extra fees for carry-on bags, meals, seat selection, and anything else they can think of. So keep that in mind when comparing airfares.
In a press release, Norse explains that the new daily service between New York and London will depart from London Gatwick at 1pm and arrive in New York at 3:55pm. The return flight leaves New York at 5:55pm and lands in London Gatwick at 6:20am the following morning.
Norse previously announced new flights launching this summer between Oslo and Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale, Florida (FLL), and Orlando, Florida (MCO). And the airline says more transatlantic routes are on the way.
For more information or to book flights, go to FlyNorse.com.
