Getting to Europe in comfort and a getting a good deal is often feast or famine for those of us who like extra space and some luxuries, but don’t want to pay business traveler type fares. During the summer the large airlines offer great discounts for suite like flat bed business seats, sometimes under $3,000 roundtrip, but if you can’t fit into their dates and restrictions the same seat can be over $8,000. Even premium economy fares vary, starting under $2,000 often ranging as high as $4,000. Want to cash in some frequent flyer miles? Depending on the program you accrue with or which airline has availability, fees can range up to $800 to redeem a coach class ticket, plus the miles.
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As an example, if you want to fly this Saturday to London coming back next Wednesday, Kayak shows the lowest New York to London nonstop roundtrip fares in Premium Economy at $4,215 for Virgin Atlantic and $4,365 for British Airways. For the same dates, Norwegian Air Shuttle will take you on the same trip for $1,926 in its version called Premium Cabin.
Norwegian now offers lounge access in Los Angeles and New York JFK for Premium Cabin passengers.
I hear what you are thinking. “Didn’t you say nonstop?" As much as you love fjords, you don’t want to make a connection. Yes, it is a nonstop, between JFK and Gatwick, and to answer your next question, Norwegian Air Shuttle, or more popularly Norwegian, is not another one of these single route airlines that come and go. In 2014 it carried 24 million passengers, and its roots date to the early Nineties. The current fleet of 98 all Boeing aircraft is made up of 85 737-800s, five 737-300s and eight 787-800 Dreamliners. In January 2012 the airline put in an order for 222 new jets. However, it wasn’t until May 2013 the airline started long-haul operations and made its first flights to North America.
So what is Norwegian’s premium cabin? Comparing 787s, the type of plane it uses for all its long-haul operations, Norwegian has a 2x3x2 configuration, the same as BA and Virgin, but offers 46 inches between seat rows, compared to about 38 inches for the others, per Seatguru.com. The U.S. airlines on the route – American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines don’t offer a separate cabin, just regular economy class seats with extra legroom.
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Norwegian is also upgrading its offerings on the ground by providing fast-track security and lounge access at Los Angeles International (the oneworld lounge) and JFK (Korean Air’s lounge in Terminal 1) as well as at Gatwick, Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm. Its Premium Cabin in-flight services include reserved seats at no charge, pre-departure drinks, free beverages of any type, a three-course meal, a breakfast on overnight flights, USB dock and power ports, VOD entertainment and even the ability to order snacks via its touch screen monitors. The airline also offers space available airport upgrades if you go cheap then change your mind.
While Norwegian doesn’t have an affinity credit card, it does have a frequent flyer program open to U.S. residents.
Beginning in November, Norwegian will begin flights from Las Vegas to Stockholm and Copenhagen; San Juan to London, Stockholm, Copenhagen and London; plus St. Croix to Copenhagen. These add to New York, Los Angeles, Ft. Lauderdale, San Francisco and Orlando. Within Europe, the airline offers free WiFi and for the past two years Skytrax named it “Best European Low-Cost Carrier.”
Below is Norwegian’s full long-haul network:
Routes from Bangkok (BKK): Oslo (OSL), Stockholm (ARN) and Copenhagen (CPH)
Routes from New York (JFK): Oslo (OSL), Stockholm (ARN), Copenhagen (CPH), Bergen (BGO) and London (LGW)
Routes from Fort Lauderdale (FLL): Oslo (OSL), Stockholm (ARN), Copenhagen (CPH) and London (LGW)
Routes from Los Angeles (LAX): Oslo (OSL), Stockholm (ARN), Copenhagen (CPH) and London (LGW)
Routes from San Francisco (OAK): Oslo (OSL) and Stockholm (ARN)
Routes from Orlando (MCO): Oslo (OSL), Copenhagen (CPH) and London (LGW)
Routes from Las Vegas (LAS): Copenhagen (CPH) and Stockholm (ARN)
Routes from Puerto Rico, San Juan (SJU): Copenhagen (CPH), Stockholm (ARN), Oslo (OSL) and London (LGW)
Routes from St. Croix (STX): Copenhagen (CPH)
