A great airline, makes long journeys & layovers worth it. Here is why Norwegian Air is our go to airline when we fly between the US and Europe.
With over fifty flights under our belt, in two years, you could say we’ve done our fair share of flying. We have replaced driving with flying and somewhere along the way, figured out how to make the most of a long and daunting flight. The key is simple - find an airline you can trust, that is consistent and gives you the best value for your money.
When we started this adventure (two years ago) it was Norwegian Air that prompted us to leave. Ok there were a lot of other factors that went into our decision, but truth be told, we found a one way (and direct) flight from LA to Rome for $300 a person and decided this was the flight, that would start it all. Flying from LA and Rome, direct and under $1000 seemed to good to be true…yet it wasn’t. This flight happened to be the inaugural flight of a new route for Norwegian Air and the start of many more direct flights connecting the US and Europe.
Since that flight two years ago, we have flown several different airlines, yet find ourselves coming back to Norwegian…we tried the other stuff and it wasn’t as good.
“Here are 6 reasons why Norwegian Air is our go-to airline for flights between Europe and the US!”
Premium Class
If you’re traveling halfway around the world, you might as well be as comfortable as possible. Take it from us, a happy flight sets the tone for your vacation. Although the cost is about double the price of economy, it’s worth it and nothing a little bit of budgeting can’t accommodate.
You’ll get power outlets, seats that practically lay you flat and space…oh so much space! With 46 inches of legroom, we could stretch out and never once did I have to fight over the armrest. During our long flights, we usually catch up on work, watch a few movies and just relax. The entertainment system in Premium is pretty expansive, with plenty of options to keep you amused, so you don’t have to worry about overloading your iPad.
Airline food can sometimes be a bit unappetizing, yet on Norwegian the food actually pretty good! If you’re flying in Premium, you will be served a three course dinner, breakfast and all the wine and beer you want. One of the stewards even came by with dessert wine, to help us finish our meal.
A Good Economy Class
For flights under 6 hours, it’s difficult for me to rationalize spending the money to be in an upgraded class. Thankfully economy class Norwegian is just fine. With 31 inches of legroom, personal space is at a minimum, yet perfectly fine for catching up on some work, reading that book or playing on your iPad. If you booked a low fare, make sure to pre order your meal, or you can always buy a snack on board. You’ll get the same service quality as the premium cabin and the space will be clean and your aircraft will be newer…they just bought 222 new aircrafts in 2012 and an additional 9 dreamliners (used for long hauls) recently.
Club Lounge
Not all airports have a Norwegian Air lounge, but if you’re in one of their main outlets, you’ll find lounge access. Complimentary wine, beer and beverages await you, as well as light snacks and plenty of power outlets. You might as well relax and get away from all the crowds, before you travel halfway across the world!
Great Customer Service
The first thing you’ll notice as you board a Norwegian flight, is how snazzy the crew looks. They wear dapper suits and the women are dressed elegantly and chic. Yet behind their fancy facade, the team is incredibly friendly (yet knows when to let you sleep) and gives great customer service, now matter if you’re in Economy or Premium. They know how to handle delays, they might let you slide by if your luggage is a kilo over and most importantly the stewards are all genuinely nice!
21 Direct Long Haul Routes
Norwegian Air offers direct routes from New York (JFK), Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles (LAX), San Francisco, Oakland, Orlando and Bangkok, with destinations in Stockholm, Copenhagen, London and Oslo. Sadly, I don’t see the LAX to Rome route any longer, but hey they’ve added quite a bit more since that one flight.
Aside from direct routes, Norwegian also operates 424 routes to 130 destinations in Scandinavia, Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the US. They get around!
Pay for What You Want
Norwegian doesn’t fret the small stuff. They won’t advertise a low rate and then bombard you with countless additional fees. You pay for what you want and what you need. With a variety of ticket options you can choose a low fare ticket, which is basically just paying for your seat, or a premium ticket, which includes luggage, priority boarding and other great perks. But don’t worry, you can always purchase add-ons to your ticket, up until departure.
Intuitive Website with Great Features
One of my favorite features on Norwegian's website is their search function. If you know where you’re going, they make the process easy and simple BUT if you’re not sure where to go or are looking for inspiration, they take care of that too. Simply enter your favorite airport and get an instant grid of direct flights, with the bests prices and when to travel. $260 dollars for a direct flight from LAX to Copenhagen? Yes please!