Norse Atlantic Airways last appeared on this website when we reported how it landed a Dreamliner on a glacial “blue ice runway” in Antarctica.
Now the new low-cost airline is back, but this time we reveal how two travel experts from The boy with the points have subjected their cabins to icy analysis on one of the most prestigious routes in the world: from London to New York.
Nordic offers some of the cheapest fares between the UK and US and offers two cabins: economy and premium economy.
The globetrotters at Points Guy film their experiences on both to answer the age-old question: is it worth an upgrade?
Read on for the verdicts.
ECONOMY – 3-3-3 CONFIGURATION
Senior Marketing Director Liam Spencer puts the Nordic Economy Cabin to the test
Liam paid £360 ($457) for his ticket from London Gatwick to JFK
Senior marketing manager puts economy cabin to the test Liam Spencerwho paid £360 ($457) for his ticket from London Gatwick to JFK.
In the video, he comments that the cabin “feels absolutely spotless” and that the seats “look great.”
He confirmed in an email to MailOnline Travel that the cabin impressed.
He said: ‘The economy cabin on the Norse Atlantic Airways flight was extremely clean, fresh and spacious.
“I was especially impressed with the comfort of my seat, which offered a surprisingly premium feel for a low-cost airline.”
Liam is also quite impressed with the entertainment screen – “a perfectly good size and quite fast” – and the recline, which he concludes in the video is “reasonable”.
The food also gets a nod of approval.
The cheap meal gets a nod of approval and Liam opts for a “delicious prawn risotto in tomato sauce.”
“The economy cabin on the Norse Atlantic Airways flight was extremely clean, fresh and spacious,” said Liam, who is making use of a “poor man’s business class” configuration here.
The ‘quite fast’ entertainment screen
Liam said: ‘The food served on board was very tasty and exceeded my expectations. For lunch I opted for a delicious shrimp risotto in tomato sauce.
Any disadvantages? Some.
Liam said: ‘A major drawback was the lack of Wi-Fi on the flight. For a long-haul trip in 2024, particularly with a modern airline like Norse Atlantic Airways, this was an impractical omission.
‘And Norse follows the low-cost model of charging for additional services. I had to pay $6 (£4.73) for a thin blanket and $6.50 (£5.12) for a basic pair of headphones.’
The disadvantages don’t end there.
“It took almost 12 minutes for the Nordic crew to respond to my call bell,” Liam said. “This was frustratingly slow given how attentive and friendly the service had been up to that point.”
PREMIUM ECONOMY – 2-3-2 CONFIGURATION
Maz is taken aback by the glitz of the premium cabin when she boards and comments, “I’m not going to lie, I thought I was in the business when I was introduced to this section.”
Maz told MailOnline Travel: “What stood out to me the most was the size and comfort of the seat.”
Putting premium economy to the test? Guest reviewer and travel content creator Maz Green (www.instagram.com/where.to.find.me), who paid £540 ($685) for his adventure to JFK Airport.
When he boards, he is surprised by the glitz of the premium cabin and comments, “I’m not going to lie, I thought I was in business when they ushered me into this section of the plane (premium economy).”
The overall advantages for Maz?
She told MailOnline Travel: ‘What stood out to me the most was the size and comfort of the seat. Given that the industry standard for premium economy seat pitch is 38 inches, the Norse’s 43 inches of seat pitch was impressive. In addition to the abundance of legroom, the 12 inches of seat recline was the cherry on top of a wonderful premium experience.’
“Given that the industry standard for premium economy seat pitch is 38 inches, Norse’s 43 inches of seat pitch was impressive,” Maz said.
Maz demonstrates the premium economy buttons on the seat in Nordic
Maz was “very happy with Norse’s gluten-free food”
The air smiles: Maz declares that Norse is now his preferred transatlantic airline
Maz, who needs a gluten-free diet, also approved of the food offering.
She said: “Ordering a special meal on board can sometimes be limiting, but I was very happy with Norse’s gluten-free food. Coupled with the warm and attentive service, I left the flight feeling confident that I had found my new airline. for future trips to New York from London.’
Any disadvantages?
Maz mentioned just one, adding: “The only downside to my Nordic Atlantic flying experience was the lack of a loyalty program. There is currently no way to redeem traditional frequent flyer points or miles, but hopefully that will change in the future.
For more information about The Points Guy, visit thepointsguy.com/uk-travel. To watch the original TPG Norse Atlantic Airways premium vs economy video, click here.
Norse sells some of the cheapest fares between the UK and US and offers two cabins: economy and premium economy.