Affordable Premium Seats on Dreamliners: Norse Atlantic Slashes Prices for Elite Travel
Going for a Budget-Friendly Flight with Norse Atlantic Airways
Give a warm welcome to Norse Atlantic Airways - the latest addition to the world of international airlines, stirring excitement among budget-conscious travelers. This Norwegian airline has been making waves in the world of long-haul flights to Europe and the U.S. – all at unbeatable prices!
Norse Atlantic is stepping into the ring with other contenders who've attempted the low-cost, long-haul model, such as Laker, Tower Air, and Norwegian Airlines. While beloved Norwegian is now focusing only on European routes using Boeing 737s, Norse seems poised to seal the deal.
The power of affordability seems to be driving Norse's passenger numbers higher. This past April, my wife and I hopped onto a Norse flight from LAX to Rome, and the premium cabin was as packed as ever! We'll be returning from Paris to LAX on Norse in May, ready to experience their reasonably priced comfort once more.
Each premium ticket we bought – which amounted to just under $1500 – included personal items, carry-on luggage of up to 33 lbs., two standard pieces of check-in luggage of 50 lbs., two meals with wine and beer, wide leather seats with 43-inch pitch for maximum stretch-out comfort, and enough legroom to make any traveler grin from ear to ear.
Is Norse onto something by offering premium seating at lower costs? Take a look at the stats: United Airlines just announced a massive 9.2% increase in premium cabin revenue, with premium economy seeing a 7.6% growth[6].
Comparing Norse's costs to other airlines, a recent Expedia search revealed a round-trip Norse LAX-Rome nonstop with Premium Flexstra seats departing LAX on May 3 and returning from Rome on May 13. The total cost? $1575 per passenger[7][8].
Meanwhile, ITA – the only airline offering non-stop flights from Los Angeles to Rome – charges a mind-boggling $6,972.81 for a round-trip premium economy Full Flex ticket for a single traveler[7][8]. That's more than four times the cost of Norse!
Before May, I ran comparisons for a June round-trip. Premium seats on Norse were already sold out, while the prices of other airlines with less desirable one-stop flights were significantly higher and offered longer travel times of 16 hours plus.
Unlike the popular non-stop Paris to LAX route, premium seating on Norse for our May 9 return date was a steal at $715, compared to premium economy seating on Air Tahiti Nui for $1,586, Delta for $3,510, Virgin Atlantic for $3,510, and Air France for $3,537[8].
Our travel experience with Norse was a dream, thanks to the Premium Flexstra seats we chose – the most expensive option. Norse offers three seat tiers: Premium Light, Premium Classic, and Premium Flexstra. We not only got preferred seating (a window and an aisle) and priority check-in but also enjoyed changeable and refundable seats[1][3].
Norse currently flies from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, and Miam to Oslo, London, Paris, Berlin, and Rome. Summer plans include a non-stop from Los Angeles to Athens, while destinations like Cape Town and Bangkok are reachable from Europe[9][3].
In March, Norse Atlantic Airways reported a staggering load factor of 95% on their fleet of 15 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, indicating that just a handful of seats were left empty[9]. This represented a 13% increase compared to the same month the previous year. Norse operated 374 flights, carrying 108,710 passengers, and 73% of flights departed within 15 minutes of their scheduled time[9].
The low load factor seems promising, but as Simple Flying recently pointed out, these numbers only tell part of the story, while lower revenue per passenger is likely the main reason for the increase[10]. However, a lack of response from Norse's public relations group and a blank "About Us" section on-board their flights indicates that this airline might still have a few kinks to iron out[6][8].
Regardless, if Norse can deliver the cost-effective value that both upscale and budget travelers seek, they might just succeed in making the low-cost, long-haul model a reality!
Comparable Costs for Long-Haul Flights:
- Norse Atlantic Airways ( starting from around $199 for economy class and cost-effective premium options compared to traditional carriers[1][3]).
- Virgin Atlantic ( round-trip economy fares start at $760[2][4], but specific premium prices are not listed).
- American Airlines (First Class averages around $7,072 for round-trip flights to Europe, with good deals starting at approximately $818 for one-way tickets[5]).
- Norse Atlantic Airways, the latest entrant in the global airline industry, has been making strides in the long-haul flight sector to Europe and the U.S., offering prices that are hard to beat.
- The airline's exhibit of affordability seems to be a key reason for the surge in passenger numbers, with a packed premium cabin on a Norse flight from LAX to Rome in April.
- Comparing Norse's costs to other airlines, a recent search revealed that Norse's Premium Flexstra seats for a non-stop round-trip LAX-Rome flight were significantly less expensive than ITA's premium economy Full Flex tickets, offering a savings of over four times the cost.
- For budget-conscious travelers, Norse's premium economy ticket, costing just under $1500, offers personal items, carry-on luggage, check-in luggage, meals, and comfortable seating with generous legroom, making travel a more comfortable and value-for-money experience.
- As the competition grows in the budget-friendly travel market, the aviation industry is closely watching Norse Atlantic Airways to see if they can successfully sustain the low-cost, long-haul model and bring significant changes to the industry.
- With plans to expand to destinations like Athens, Cape Town, and Bangkok, and a promising load factor of 95%, Norse Atlantic Airways could very well be growing ripe for a significant impact in the world of transportation, lifestyle, and travel.
