Norse Atlantic Airways will add Las Vegas to its US map in September, amid a network shift to boost profitability.
The Oslo-based long-haul, low-cost carrier will connect Las Vegas and London Gatwick airport thrice weekly with a Boeing 787 from 12 September. Norse will compete with British Airways on the Gatwick-Las Vegas route, and with both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic between London Heathrow and Las Vegas, Cirium data show.
The addition of Las Vegas comes as Norse struggles.
The airline lost $56.9 million at an operating level in the fourth quarter, and $135 million in 2023. It appointed investment firm Seabury in January to explore “strategic options,” including attracting new investors or forging new commercial partnerships.
The focus on profitability has brought changes to Norse’s US map. Gone are Boston, Fort Lauderdale, San Francisco, and Washington Dulles, which it served last summer. Norse’s four remaining US destinations are Los Angeles, Miami (it shifted there from Fort Lauderdale in September 2023), New York John F Kennedy and Orlando.
Norse will fly 14% more capacity (in available seat miles) to the US in the third quarter than it did a year ago, the data shows. That includes more frequency to its four gateways, as well as new flights between Athens and New York JFK, and Paris Charles de Gaulle and Los Angeles.
The addition of Las Vegas, a strong year-round leisure market, will provide Norse with a market to deploy its aircraft during the lower-demand winter period.
Norse plans to operate 12 787s next summer, two more than last year. The airline has 15 aircraft in its fleet with five subleased to other operators; two of those five are due back this spring.
