Norse Atlantic Airways is an ultra-low-cost long-haul airline operating transatlantic routes from bases in Norway and the UK. Like other budget carriers, the airline’s basic fares cover your seat while everything else – from meals to baggage – comes at an additional cost. If you’ve ever dreamed of a European getaway or a trip to the States without draining your savings, this is an airline you need to know about.
Their bread and butter? Routes linking hubs like Oslo (OSL) and London (LGW) to major US cities like New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), and Orlando (MCO). I got my first taste of Norse on a flight from Gatwick to JFK, and I’ve been keeping an eye on them ever since.
Still, the Nordic airline hasn’t shied away from diversifying its geographical footprint and regularly expands outside of its core North Atlantic market. For example, during the European winter season, when demand is lower in the North Atlantic market, it operates flights between Scandinavia and Thailand and also links New York (JFK) nonstop to Paris (CDG), Berlin (BER), and Athens (ATH). They’ve even launched their first route to the Southern Hemisphere, with seasonal service between London and Cape Town (CPT), South Africa that began recently.
Cabin classes on Norse Atlantic
Norse Atlantic offers two cabin classes with notably different seat dimensions. Premium features 43 inches of pitch in a 2-3-2 configuration, while Economy uses the standard 3-3-3 layout.
Both cabins operate on the low-cost model where your basic fare covers the seat and nearly everything else costs extra through three fare tiers: Light, Classic and Flextra.
Premium is where things get interesting. It’s a solid middle ground between premium economy and business class. You won’t get a lie-flat bed, but you will get a much comfier ride than in economy, often for a surprisingly small price bump.
The main physical differences between Economy and Premium on Norse Atlantic are the dedicated cabins and the types of seats. The Premium cabin has a roomier layout with seats that offer a generous 43 inches of pitch.
They also have a decent recline and a wide, solid armrest that keeps your neighbor from invading your personal space. I found the Premium cabin comfortable enough to be able to sleep well for a significant portion of my transatlantic flight.
Rather than two sharply differentiated classes, Norse Atlantic offers six fare types across a spectrum where the top-tier Economy fare and entry-level Premium fare often overlap in price. The three fare tiers work like this:
Light: Bare-bones with just your seat (Economy Light gets no meals; Premium Light includes two meals and 33-pound carry-on)
Classic: Adds one meal, checked baggage and some ticket flexibility
Flextra: Includes everything in Classic plus priority boarding and enhanced flexibility for changes and cancellations
I’ve often found Premium Light cheaper than Economy Flextra, and it’s a choice between in-flight comfort and booking flexibility.
Here’s a pro tip: always compare the top-tier Economy fare with the entry-level Premium fare. I’ve seen cases where Premium Light was actually cheaper than Economy Flextra. It all comes down to what you value more, in-flight comfort or the flexibility to change your plans. Norse also lets you bid for an upgrade on some flights, which can be a great way to snag a deal.
Norse Atlantic fleet
Norse Atlantic operates an all-Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet, which includes both 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft, meaning you’ll get a consistent experience regardless of your route. These are former Norwegian aircraft that Norse Atlantic secured as the carrier wound down its long-haul operations.
The planes have a two-class layout. The Premium cabin is set up in a 2-3-2 configuration, which means not every seat has direct aisle access, so choose carefully if that’s important to you. The Economy cabin has the standard 3-3-3 layout, so you’ll find a middle seat in each block.
Food and drink on Norse Atlantic
Meal service on Norse Atlantic follows your fare type: Economy Light includes no meals, other Economy fares get one meal, and Premium passengers receive two meals. Everything else – from snacks to extra drinks – can be ordered anytime during the flight for an additional cost.
When I flew Premium, the first meal was served shortly after takeoff. It was pretty substantial, with a salad, a choice of two hot dishes (I went with the chicken and mashed potatoes), bread and a dessert. The second, lighter meal came out a couple of hours before we landed.
The crew came around with drinks three times during the flight, offering everything from coffee and soft drinks to wine and spirits.
If you get thirsty or hungry between services, you can always order extra snacks and drinks for an additional cost.
In-flight entertainment & lounges
Every seat on a Norse Atlantic flight has its own seatback screen (in Premium, it’s a larger personal entertainment screen integrated with the seat).
The entertainment library is pretty decent, with enough movies and shows to keep you occupied on a long flight. Just be sure to load up your own devices before you leave home.
Norse Atlantic doesn’t offer Wi-Fi on any flight, so if you need internet for work, plan accordingly. The entertainment content selection is broad enough to keep you amused throughout. Premium passengers get complimentary headphones, but if you’re in Economy, bring your own rather than overpaying for a cheap set.
Norse doesn’t operate its own airport lounges, and lounge access isn’t included with Premium tickets. However, you can purchase access to a third-party lounge as an add-on when you book. At Gatwick, for example, the prices for lounge access can sometimes be a better deal than buying food at a terminal restaurant.
Norse Atlantic airline partners
While Norse Atlantic isn’t part of a major airline alliance, it does partner with other carriers to expand its network. Through its virtual interline platform, you can book a single itinerary that combines a Norse long-haul flight with a connecting flight on a partner airline, which are mostly other low-cost carriers.
Norse’s partners include easyJet, Norwegian, Pegasus Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Thai VietJet, and Aegean Airlines. Booking this way is not only convenient but also gives you connection protection if you miss your connection, with the platform arranging rebooking on the next available flight – a real advantage over booking two separate tickets on your own.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
