WOW Air Will Get You To Iceland Fall 2018 With $99 Flights

Low-cost one-way flights to Reykjavik are available from eight U.S. cities

- WOW air, Iceland's premiere economy airline, announced special $99 one-way fares today from eight U.S. cities to Reykjavik in August, September and October. The discounted flights will be available from Boston (BOS), New York (JFK), Chicago (ORD), Cleveland (CLE), Dallas – Fort Worth (DFW), St. Louis (STL), San Francisco (SFO) and Pittsburgh (PIT) to Iceland (KEF).

Fares are on sale now and will be offered on select flights between August 6, 2018 and October 26, 2018. Tickets can be purchased at www.wowair.us.

"We are excited to invite visitors from the United States to experience all that Iceland has to offer in the fall," said Skúli Mogensen, founder and CEO of WOW air. "We continue to see demand for our affordable transatlantic offerings and we hope that Americans can take advantage of these low prices and enjoy Iceland in the coming months."

September and October are considered the start of the Northern Lights season, and these low price flights give lucky travelers the opportunity to see the natural phenomenon among other cultural activities going on in the city.

On August 7^th - 11^th visitors can support and participate in Reykjavik Pride and then stay to cheer on thousands of runners the next weekend on August 18^th for the Reykjavik Marathon before celebrating at Reykjavik Culture Night on the 19^th.  Film buffs interested in attending one of the biggest and most diverse cultural events in Iceland can come to the Reykjavik International Film Festival from September 27^th - October 7^th.

Launched in November 2011, WOW air now connects 39 destinations across the U.S. and Europe with the Icelandic capital. WOW air transported 2.8 million passengers in 2017, an increase of 69% on the previous year.

* From Boston (BOS), New York (JFK), Chicago (ORD), Cleveland (CLE), Dallas – Fort Worth (DFW), St. Louis (STL), San Francisco (SFO) and Pittsburgh (PIT) to Iceland (KEF). Based on lowest one-way WOW basic fare when booking round trip flights online. Includes all taxes, fees and carrier charges. Available for travel August 6, 2018 – October 26, 2018. The offer applies for 800 seats on selected flights, during the travel period and is subject to availability. Restrictions and baggage fees apply. Lowest advertised fare is exclusive to MyWOW members.

About WOW air

WOW air offers the lowest fares, a modern fleet with the lowest emissions and the biggest smile; this is the WOW air promise to its valuable customers. As of spring 2018, the airline services 39 destinations across Europe and North America including Dublin, London, Paris, Berlin, and Copenhagen.

Established in November 2011 by Icelandic entrepreneur Skúli Mogensen, the purple airline flies with Airbus A320, Airbus A321 and Airbus A330 models. WOW air boasts one of the world's youngest fleet, with an average aircraft age of just 2 years.

WOW air was ranked as the 7th best low-cost airline in Europe at the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Skytrax World Airline Awards and was the youngest airline in the top ten.

For additional information and bookings please visit https://wowair.us/.

KAYAK Reveals The 10 Trending Destinations For Summer 2016

Shared by Ewa Zubek

The US-based travel search and booking engine KAYAK has finally published its Summer Travel Hacker Guide for 2016. The guide reveals not only the most searched-for destinations, but also their average temperatures, best periods to book, median airfares and hotel rates. This year’s destinations are a mixed bag of tropical islands, high-tech metropolises and nature destinations, giving you plenty of inspiration to find the perfect summer holiday. How many have you been to?

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#10: Toronto

With a 27% increase in searches since last year, Canada’s coolest city is clearly not complaining about its rising popularity. And rightly so: from hipster neighborhoods to an excellent foodie offering, Toronto is the place to be this summer.

© mikecphoto-Shutterstock

#9: Lisbon

If the soft tones of fado in Lisbon’s historic Alfama neigborhood aren’t enough to draw you in, then you can always head out to the beautiful beaches which surround the Portuguese capital. The stats don’t lie: there has been a 31% increase on Lisbon-related searches compared to last year.

Lisbon © Rrrainbow/Shutterstock

#8: Dublin

The birthplace of James Joyce has witnessed a 30% increase in searches compared to 2015. Although it’s now also an urban haven, Dublin is still a historical city through and through. With its nooks and crannies, ancient pubs and the stunning architecture of Trinity College, the Irish capital is a must-visit European destination even when it’s raining.

Dublin | © Miguel Mendez/Flickr

#7: Ho Chi Minh City

This Vietnamese metropolis is a dream come true for any history buff – from French colonial influences to remnants of the tragic Vietnam War, the city is a living relic nestled in the heart of South East Asia. Do watch out for the intense traffic, though. KAYAK noted a 31% increase in searches for HCMC.

Ho Chi Minh City Hall | © Diego Delso/WikiCommons

#6: Montreal

An 18% increase in flight searches has granted Montreal a spot on this trending list. It may not be the warmest place on the planet (expect an average of 16°C in the summer months), but it definitely is a fashionable North American city with a generous French soul.

Montreal | © Tony Brooks/Flickr

#5: Bali

No trending list could be complete without a paradise island. There’s been a 33% increase in Bali-related searches since last year, and the destination has been growing in popularity since the release of a certain movie we’ve all secretly seen. If you’re not into yoga, Bali is also a great place to check out architecture.

#4: Calgary

With a 38% increase in US-originating travel searches compared to last summer, Alberta’s largest city is finally seeing a tourism renaissance. And we can see why – Calgary is a pretty cool destination with historical, cultural and natural attractions aplenty.

Calgary © Pixabay

#3: Tokyo

The buzzing Japanese metropolis has attracted 44% more searches compared to summer 2015. If there’s only one thing you do in Tokyo, make it a trip to the legendary Jiro Sushi. If you can get a spot, that is.

Tokyo © Pigprox/Shutterstock

#2: Reykjavik

KAYAK saw a 75% increase in flight searches for the previously under-the-radar capital of Iceland. It may be cold, it may be rugged, but it is a spectacular island with the kinds of landscapes you would otherwise only see in grand Hollywood productions.

Reykjavik | © Moyan Brenn / Flickr

#1: Rio de Janeiro

With the Olympics fast approaching, KAYAK noted a 127% increase in bookings compared to the same period last year. We’re not surprised, as Rio has continued to attract tourists with large-scale events and improving safety records. This year is set out to be one of the biggest for the local tourism industry.

© Celso Diniz-Shutterstock

6 Things No One Tells You About The Blue Lagoon In Iceland

In the country of fire and frost, geothermal hot springs are one of the best ways to warm up, and the Blue Lagoon is the king of them all. Though it is an undeniable attraction, there are a lot of things that could come as a surprise to first-time visitors. If floating in the warm waters of the Blue Lagoon is high on your bucket list, read on for the six most important things you should know about Iceland's Blue Lagoon—that no one tells you.

This is Not a Local Hangout

The Blue Lagoon is one of country's most popular attractions, and roughly 80 percent of tourists to Icelandmake their way here at some point. I knew this going in, but I was still surprised at what a total production it is. This is tourism's ground zero, my friends. You'll be outfitted with a special electronic bracelet upon arrival that allows you to purchase food and drinks, and you'll pay it off when you leave. If you lose this bracelet, you'll be charged a penalty fee. If you need a towel or robe or slippers, you'll have to pay to rent them.

It's Not in Reykjavik

It's in Keflavik, which is about an hour away from the main center of Reykjavik, near the airport. If your plane arrives during the day, you can book a bus from the airport (through Gray Line) that will take you to the lagoon, and then on to the main city. You can also do this in reverse, stopping at the Blue Lagoon on your way to the airport.

You Shower Naked Before You Enter

Most public pools make you shower before you enter the water, and the Blue Lagoon is no exception. The notable difference? Here, you shower sans bathing suit. It's a little strange at first, but there are several closed stalls you can choose to shower in, so you don't have to bare it all to the world. On my visit, there was a Blue Lagoon employee in the shower area to enforce this rule.

It Is a Full Blown Spa

Somehow in my head I thought the Blue Lagoon was going to be a small, intimate affair, but the structure itself is absolutely massive. The property houses a hotel, restaurants, and banquet facilities, and also offers spa treatments that are done in-water, as you float on a rubber mat. A full hour-long massage in the water costs 95 euros and a silica salt scrub, which uses Blue Lagoon minerals, is 80 euros for 30 minutes.

You Can Have Your Hotel Concierge Book Your Visit

Since a visit to the Blue Lagoon is one of the most iconic Iceland experiences, it's important to plan your visit in advance to make sure you're able to get in -- the Lagoon does fill to capacity from time to time, and you may be turned away. Reserve your spot when you book a bus to the Blue Lagoon, which staff at any hotel, like CenterHotel Thingholt, can book for you.

It's Not Cheap

First, there's the cost of entrance, which is 40 euros if you book online, and 45 euros if you just walk in. If you want to rent a towel, that's another five euros; a bathrobe, another 10, and cocktails are seven euros each. Without eating anything, you've spent at least 55 euros, which at the moment is roughly 60 USD. The Blue Lagoon sells itself as a luxury experience, and to enjoy it, you're going to be paying a luxury price.

Looking for a less expensive alternative? Try the Myvatn Nature Baths in Northern Iceland, which are also blue ($27 admission), the Secret Lagoon ($18 admission), or the Fontana Baths (an hour from Reykjavik, with $25 admission), or Laugardalslaug, Reykjavik's public pools, which will only set you back $7 for admission.

Have you been to the Blue Lagoon? What was your experience like?

—Kelly Lewis

This article was originally published by Oyster.com under the headline 6 Things No One Tells You About the Blue Lagoon in Iceland (That You Definitely Should Know).

The Best Layover Cities In The World From Travel Experts

If you are trying to find the best flight deal on your travels, chances are more than once you’ve had to pick which city you want to spend a long, 6+ hour layover in. But instead of seeing it as an annoyance and hassle, why not make the layover an extended part of your journey by discovering the best layover cities in the world?

When I returned from Budapest to LA this May I spent six hours in Oslo, Norway. A 19-minute express train from the airport to the city center meant I could zip to Oslo, take in a few sights, have a meal, and get back with more than enough time for my second flight to LA.

Oslo Waterfront – Photo by Moyan Brenn via Flickr (since I had no camera in Oslo)

I loved this little excursion and wanted to start doing something similar on all my other trips as well. The only problem was, for many cities offered as layover options, I didn’t know how easy it would be. Did the airport have a good range of amenities? Quick and easy transport into the city center? Was the center easily walkable?

So I asked my favorite travel bloggers, writers, and photographers, which cities in the world they love to spend their time between flights in. Now next time you fly, you will know which are the best layover cities to add to your journey (a couple of East Asian airports especially seem preferred among travelers worldwide).

Best Layover Cities

1. Hong Kong International Airport (2x Choice!):

Ken Kaminesky (Ken Kaminesky Photography)

Inside Hong Kong International Airport – Photo by IQRemix via Flickr/CC BY 4.0

My favourite city for a layover is Hong Kong. The airport is one of the best in the world but what makes it special is the Cathay Pacific lounge! I always fly with Cathay Pacific to Asia if possible and their lounge at Hong Kong International Airport is the best I’ve ever seen. Showers, good food, complimentary massages, and more. Just what a weary traveller like me needs after a super long haul flight. I’m blessed to live a life well-travelled and grateful that there are companies like Cathay that value their customers to such a high degree. In fact, I’m heading to Cambodia tomorrow and thrilled to be stopping in Hong Kong for my layover on the way to Siem Reap.

Michael Hodson (Go See Write)

I tend to complain a lot about airports and layovers. There are, however, many airports that do everything they can to make your layover more comfortable and enjoyable. The best experience I had was in Hong Kong International Airport. If education is your thing and you want to stimulate your brain more than you want to get a hand massage, then you’ll really enjoy this airport. There’s shopping and dining, as usual, but there are also a lot of really interesting exhibits to experience and enjoy.

2. Singapore Changi Airport (2x Choice!):

Barbara Weibel (Hole in the Donut Cultural Travel)

Photo by Cheryl via Flickr/CC BY 4.0

Without a doubt, Singapore Changi Airport ranks as my favorite airport in the world for long layovers.

This airport is more like a destination than a transit hub. It provides free Wi-Fi, has an almost overwhelming array of dining choices, and even offers massage and reflexology services. Skytrains whisk passengers between terminals to view sculptures scattered throughout the airport and gardens that feature cactus, sunflowers, and orchids. Travelers with layovers of more than six hours can even take advantage of a free Singapore tour.

Kristin Addis (Be My Travel Muse)

It has fast, free Wi-Fi, a movie theater, and even a free tour of the city if your layover is a long one. It’s easily the best airport in the works for layovers!

3. Dubai International Airport: Liz Carlson (Young Adventuress)

Dubai at Night – Photo by Kemal Kestelli via Flickr/CC BY 4.0

My favorite city for layovers is Dubai. Usually I stop there on trips between New Zealand where I live, and Europe. Since it’s such a long journey and I hate to do back to back long haul flights, I try to stop there for a day or two to rest. Dubai is a city for comfort so I don’t feel pressure to go out and about and explore, but rather to relax in the nice hotels with spas and just chill, which is exactly what I need between trips. Also I usually do all of my shopping there for gear and clothes that I can’t find anywhere else. Dubai is perfect for stopovers and a place to indulge.

4. Keflavík International Airport, Reykjavik: Stephanie Yoder (Twenty-Something Travel)

Photo by Marco Bellucci via Flickr/CC BY 4.0

Keflavík is a really nice, safe, and clean airport where you can safely hang out for hours. It is kind of boring though, so I recommend taking a bus to the famous Blue Lagoon, a milky colored hot spring set against a barren moon-like landscape. Within the span of just a few hours you can visit one of Iceland’s top tourist attractions and get back in time for your flight!

5. Minneapolis – St. Paul International Airport: Gary Arndt (Everything, Everywhere)

Downtown Minneapolis – Photo by m01229 via Flickr/CC BY 4.0

Minneapolis. MSP is, in my opinion, the best airport in North America. It has great restaurants and many options. If you have a really long layover, you can also take a light rail train from the airport to the nearby Mall of America, which is less than 10 minutes away.

6. Istanbul Atatürk Airport: Earl Baron (Wandering Earl)

Photo by Moyan Brenn via Flickr/CC BY 4.0

With either a 45 minute shuttle ride to Taksim Square or 45 minutes on the metro/tram to reach Sultanahmet, you have excellent food, fascinating sights, interesting neighborhoods and markets, shisha cafes, shops, museums, bars and more are all right there, ready to fill up the hours you have between flights.

7. Prague, Václav Havel Airport: Ivana & Gianni (Nomad is Beautiful)

Photo by Moyan Brenn via Flickr/CC BY 4.0

You get from the airport to the heart of the city in half an hour easily by bus and metro. Even if it’ll be difficult to avoid crowds in the very center of Prague, especially if you visit it only for a few hours, it’s definitely worth to roam in the gardens near Petrin, in Letna park, Prague’s Castle and the Lesser Town district.  

8. Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi Airport: Melvin Boecher (TravelDudes)

Photo by Greg Knapp via Flickr/CC BY 4.0

My favorite layover city is Bangkok, as that city just gets you. Usually travelers who come here first enjoy their stay a lot, but also don’t mind to leave again after 2-3 days. The city is full of culture, friendly people and yummy food. But it also provides lots of traffic, smog and some scams. So a few days gives you a great first feeling for the city and then you can head on to your next destination. This could be in Thailand itself, in the surrounding countries or even further away, as Bangkok has good flight connections all over the world. And my experience is, the more often you visit and explore Bangkok, the more you will fall in love with the city and could stay a complete holiday alone in the “City of Angels”.

9. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol: Spencer Spellman (Whiskey Tango Globetrot)

Photo by Moyan Brenn via Flickr/CC BY 4.0

The reason I love layovers in Amsterdam is two-fold. One is that theoretically, you could be into the heart of Amsterdam in 20-30 minutes from the airport, since the core of Amsterdam is less than 10 miles from the airport (rare for most cities). However, additionally, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is one of my favorite airports. You’ve got a couple of different spas, a museum, casino, and a number of great bars and restaurants, such as East Bar & Bites, which I particularly like for their sake cocktail menu.

10. London Heathrow Airport: Ayngelina Brogan (Bacon is Magic)

There is so much to see, do and eat. There are great airport lounges and spa services but I also love shopping at Boots so I’m happy to stopover and spend an hour browsing around. But most of all I like Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant Plane Food, it’s a great dining room and very reasonably priced.

11. Shanghai Pudong International Airport: Laurence Norah (Finding the Universe)

Photo by hans-johnson via Flickr/CC BY 4.0

The city is very easy to get to from the airport, and in fact the mode of transport is one of my favorite things – it’s the fastest train in the world. Then the city itself is very easy to explore, you can sight see for as long or as short as you like, and if you get tired  there is no shortage of tea houses to relax in!

Layover Tips & Lessons

With layovers, ALWAYS make sure to watch the clock, as Dan & Audrey (Uncornered Market) warn:

Layover in Barcelona. Can’t check-in for 3 hours. What to do? Head into town, hit the streets, and have a tapas-filled lunch of roulette peppers (every 100th one is hot!), fried artichokes and a bevy of local fish. Then soak up the streets and color, hop the bus back to the airport and hope they’re ready to take you to your destination — which on our last stop there was Bogota, Colombia.

We had about 6 hours. We arrived at terminal T2, but were departing from T1. So we took the shuttle there to leave luggage and get a lay of the land. Glad we did, because that removed an unknown. Took the bus into town. Had a couple of hours. We focused on lunch and walking neighborhoods, including Ribera. When we returned by bus, we were just under 3 hours from our flight departure. We’d already checked in online, so removed that variable. After security, we ended up at our gate with 1hr, 40 mins. Audrey even tried to get a manicure at the lounge, but time was tight and staff bounce between lounges. Outside of that, we found our gate area sparse, so we’re glad we popped into downtown Barcelona.

And keep an eye out for Layover Perks: Alyssa Ramos (My Life’s a Movie)

When I think of making the best out of long layovers, I always suggest finding flights with the longest layover (if a long layover is inevitable) so that you can possibly go see a little bit of the city. I did that during my flight to South Africa with a layover in Dubai. I chose the longest layover which was 8 hours (it also made the flight cheaper), and the airline even gave us a free hotel to shower and relax in while we waited!

What’s your favorite layover city? Have you ever had a great layover experience? Share below!

photos by: & , , , , , Moyan_Brenn 

Source: http://www.losethemap.com/

You Can Buy A ticket From The U.S. To Europe And Iceland Right now For $99!

The Icelandic low-cost airline WOW Air has launched another $99 sale on flights for travel to Europe this fall and winter.

The temperatures may be dropping in Europe as autumn arrives, but so too are the airfares. Iceland-based airline WOW Air just announced a special sale, with airfares as low as $99 for one-way travel from Boston or Baltimore-Washington airports to Reykjavik, Iceland, or $149 each way to Copenhagen, London (Gatwick), Dublin, Amsterdam, Paris, and Berlin this fall and winter.

Flights are operated by Airbus A321 aircraft to Reykjavik-Keflavik Airport in Iceland, where travelers then connect and continue on to destinations in Europe. WOW, which has been flying between Iceland and Europe since 2011 and began low-fare flights from the U.S. last March, is famous for these $99 deals.

Fare specials advertised at $99 include taxes, fees, and a carry-on allowance of 5 kg (11 lbs) or less. WOW’s status as an ultra-low-cost airline means their flight prices are “unbundled” (aka "a la carte") and passengers must pay extra for additional luggage allowance, checked bags, in-flight meals, extra legroom, and even seat assignments.

Source: www.cntraveler.com

Northern Lights And Icelandair's Guarantee

Last night, Icelandair helped to alleviate the long days of darkness with the launch of an Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) themed plane: the Hekla Aurora. The launch culminated in Reykjavik as the plane flew over an illuminated city's Hallgrímskirkja Church as a prelude to the city's annual Winter Lights Festival, which begins today.

The Hekla Aurora is part of Icelandair's transatlantic fleet providing passengers with a guaranteed experience of the Aurora Borealis as part of the airline's Stopover service. Icelandair offers a Stopover of up to seven nights in Iceland on all transatlantic flights at no additional airfare. The new plane features an onboard Northern Lights light show, and the Aurora Borealis painted on the exterior.

As the plane flew over Reykjavik city, passengers also experienced the dancing lights of the Aurora Borealis on board during the in-flight light show with Icelandic music as the soundtrack to the experience and a unique birds-eye view of the illuminated city's Hallgrímskirkja Church below.

The plane landed at Reykjavik's airport to a fanfare welcome as the locals came out in force to celebrate. They were also able to experience the plane for themselves as it was opened for public viewing for an hour.

To celebrate the launch of the plane and the magic of the Aurora Borealis, former Icelandair employees were invited to join the illuminating journey. Birta Líf Kristinsdóttir, a renowned Icelandic meteorologist and former Icelandair pilot, was on hand to bring the science alive by providing passengers with a talk on the natural phenomenon.

"Hekla Aurora provides an authentic Aurora Borealis experience to all those who fly on her. The on-board light show provides the perfect beginning to any transatlantic flight by showcasing the natural beauty of Iceland's famous Northern Lights," comments meteorologist, Birta.

Passengers on last night's celebration flight departed from London Heathrow Terminal 1 and landed in Reykjavik airport to enjoy the Icelandair Stopover offering.

Wow Air Is Offering Flights To Europe As Low As $99, Seeking To Be The Low Cost Leader

Wow Air is on a mission to make flying to Europe cheaper, forever. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle

Wow Air, the roughly three-year old discount air carrier, is going where few other ultra low cost airlines have gone: across the Atlantic. And if all goes according to plan, it's going to do it much cheaper than anyone else.

The budget airline, which is based in Iceland, announced last week that it will begin flying passengers non-stop from both Boston and Baltimore to Reykjavik, Iceland for as little as $99 each way. The airline will also offer one-stop flights from the two U.S. cities to London and Copenhagen, starting at $228 for a round trip. The airline will begin offering the flights next March. 

"Paying even $200 for a one-way flight to, say, London, is unheard of," said Tom Parsons, the CEO of bestfares.com, which tracks airline pricing. "It just doesn't exist."

The incredibly low ticket prices are real, but don't expect them to last forever. "Those are definitely opening, introductory fares," said Skuli Mogensen, Wow Air's chief executive. "On an occasional basis we hope to be able to introduce similar fares, but those very aggressive. We wouldn't be talking if I had introduced prices more commonly seen in the market, would we?"

But the airline's commitment is to offer the cheapest ticket for every route the airline flies, including transatlantic routes, Mogensen said. The prices Wow Air offers will vary by season, and depend on a number of other factors, including fuel prices and flight vacancies.

Wow Air's cheapest transatlantic offerings, by month, looked something like this on Tuesday afternoon, according to the airlines' website. 

By comparison, the average price of a round-trip plane ticket between Boston and Reykjavik in March of 2015 is just under $600, by Parson's estimate. A single stop round-trip ticket between Boston and London runs about $770, while a non-stop ticket costs roughly $800.

How does Wow Air expect to pull this off? For one, by operating like all other ultra discount carries. A ticket on Wow Air will come with little more than a seat, mini-tray table, and 11 pound carry-on. Everything else will cost extra. A carry-on will cost an extra $29 when booked online, or an additional $48 when done so at the airport. Checked luggage will set one back a bit more—an extra $48 online or $67 at check-in. And extra leg room, pre-assigned seats, and, of course, food will rack up the bill, too.

But unlike Spirit Airlines, which is famous for squeezing passengers' knees, Wow Air won't skimp quite as much on leg room. The seat pitch, the distance between two seats, is between 30 and 36 inches on the Airbus A320 aircrafts flown by the airline, said Svanhvít Fridriksdóttir, Wow Air's director of communications. Most pitch sizes are about 31 inches, and many discount carrier pitch sizes are less than 30 inches. Spirit Airlines', for instance, is 28 inches.

Wow Air also expects to save money by operating as efficiently as possible. The company relies heavily on online sales and marketing, for instance, which allows it to skip the cost of middlemen. It also operates few airplanes—only four currently—but maximizes their utility. "We have extremely good aircraft utilization," said Mogensen. "Within one 24-hour cycle, a single airplane will fly from Iceland to Boston, back to Iceland, and continue to London, and then back to Iceland, each time full of passengers."

Wow Air plans to fly all of these routes in 2015. (Source: Wow Air)

And Wow Air expects to fill all of its planes, a feat few if any airlines operating transatlantic routes have managed. "Our assumption is that we will fill every plane, and we price accordingly," said Mogensen.

But Wow Air's biggest advantage might be its headquarters. Iceland is ideal, because it gives airplanes a midpoint where they can stop to refuel. That allows the airline to fly passengers to and from Europe in smaller planes, which it can more consistently fill with passengers. It also helps the airline save money on fuel. "About 40 percent of the fuel airplanes carry is used to ferry the fuel to the final destination," said Bob Mann, an aviation industry analyst at R.W. Mann and Co. Consulting. "As you go shorter and shorter distances, you can ferry less fuel, and save money."

Convincing customers to travel with a stop over might be difficult, but if it means hundreds in savings it's hard to believe it won't be possible.

Still, the small Icelandic airline faces what some industry experts believe is a steep uphill battle. Wow Air isn't, after all, the first airline to try operating cheap transatlantic flights. Low-cost air travel pioneer Freddie Laker tried unsuccessfully to do it in the late 1970s with Laker Airways; the airline closed in the early 1980s after it couldn't stay afloat. More recently, Norwegian.com, a subsidiary of Norwegian Air Shuttle, began offering affordable transatlantic flights this summer. The pitch was London-New York flights for $241. But the flights haven't been as cheap as advertised, and the routes have been stricken with delays, according to Mann. "Norwegian has had huge difficulties," he said. "All across the summer it has been running relays for its transatlantic flights to and from New York."

The biggest obstacle to discount long distance air travel might simply be that long trips could strip an airline like Wow Air of the efficiency on which it so heavily relies. Despite Wow Air's advantage of being able to stop in Iceland, the nearly 5.5-hour flight between Boston and Reykjavik is still long by budget airline standards.  

A comparatively small fleet becomes a competitive disadvantage as soon as there's a delay. "Once it starts to get off-schedule, they'll never get it back on schedule unless they start cancelling flights," said Mann. Likely for that very reason, low cost carriers have soared domestically, but shied away from routes between North America and Europe. Discount airlines currently control nearly a third of the airline market in North America, and more than third of it in Europe, but only about 1 percent of the market for transatlantic travel.

Convincing customers to travel with a stop over might be difficult, but if it means hundreds in savings it's hard to believe it won't be possible.

Still, the small Icelandic airline faces what some industry experts believe is a steep uphill battle. Wow Air isn't, after all, the first airline to try operating cheap transatlantic flights. Low-cost air travel pioneer Freddie Laker tried unsuccessfully to do it in the late 1970s with Laker Airways; the airline closed in the early 1980s after it couldn't stay afloat. More recently, Norwegian.com, a subsidiary of Norwegian Air Shuttle, began offering affordable transatlantic flights this summer. The pitch was London-New York flights for $241. But the flights haven't been as cheap as advertised, and the routes have been stricken with delays, according to Mann. "Norwegian has had huge difficulties," he said. "All across the summer it has been running relays for its transatlantic flights to and from New York."

The biggest obstacle to discount long distance air travel might simply be that long trips could strip an airline like Wow Air of the efficiency on which it so heavily relies. Despite Wow Air's advantage of being able to stop in Iceland, the nearly 5.5-hour flight between Boston and Reykjavik is still long by budget airline standards.  

A comparatively small fleet becomes a competitive disadvantage as soon as there's a delay. "Once it starts to get off-schedule, they'll never get it back on schedule unless they start cancelling flights," said Mann. Likely for that very reason, low cost carriers have soared domestically, but shied away from routes between North America and Europe. Discount airlines currently control nearly a third of the airline market in North America, and more than third of it in Europe, but only about 1 percent of the market for transatlantic travel.

Contributed by Roberto A. Ferdman, www.thewashingtonpost.com

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