Last year Icelandic low cost carrier WOW Air began flights between Iceland and the US, and they’ve been growing like crazy in North America ever since.
Last March, WOW Air launched flights between Keflavik (just outside Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik) and Boston, while last June they launched flights to Baltimore.
Their expansion in North America has been quick, as this year WOW Air has launched flights to Montreal, Toronto, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Furthermore, the airline will be adding flights to Newark as of November 2016.
Well, as if they haven’t been growing quickly enough, WOW Air has announced yet another North American destination. WOW Air will be launching flights between Iceland and Miami as of April 5, 2017. The route is now bookable, and fares start at $99 one-way (though a roundtrip purchase is required, and there’s very limited availability at that price).
Here’s the airline’s funky video promoting the new service:
New destination: Miami!☀️
We're already working on our beach volleyball skillsBook now on https://t.co/VaJjNMuqwS pic.twitter.com/bVYRifJ4bp
— WOW air (@wow_air) September 8, 2016
The route will operate year round on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays westbound, and Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays eastbound, with the following schedule:
WW131 Reykjavik to Miami departing 6:30PM arriving 10:30PM
WW132 Miami to Reykjavik departing 4:30PM arriving 4:05AM (+1 day)
As you can see, WOW Air has horrible aircraft utilization on this route, as the plane sits on the ground in Miami for 18 hours. The reason for this is that WOW Air’s business model is based around using Reykjavik as a connecting point between points in North America and points in Europe, so what they care about most are efficient connecting times in Iceland, even if it otherwise translates into horrible aircraft utilization. It’s the same reason Icelandair has a 757 sitting on the ground in Seattle for 23 hours every day.
This route will be operated by WOW Air’s A330, the same plane that flies to Los Angeles and San Francisco. The plane is in a one class configuration, with a total of 342 seats. That’s because the A320 and A321 aircraft they use for several other destinations doesn’t have the range to fly all the way to Miami.
Bottom line
This is an exciting new route, and will present a great new option for Floridians looking to visit Iceland, and also to get cheap airfare to other points in Europe. Do keep in mind that WOW Air charges fees for just about everything, so you’ll want to consider the all-in cost if booking a ticket on them, especially if you’re connecting in Iceland (though they recently improved their carry-on allowance… sort of)
Does anyone plan on taking WOW Air’s flight between Miami and Iceland?
Got 2 tickets today r/t for $290 each including seat selection and bags :0)
Thanks for heads-up.By the way I was able to book 2 one way tickets in June from Miami for $99.00 so round trip appears not to be required for 99.00 price.
@henry LAX You do realize that not everyone reads airliners.net right? Anyone providing any kind of news updates for any industry are all working with the same information. Do you call out all the news outlets for reporting the same news across different mediums every day?
Why are you even reading the article or bothering to comment if you know its something you've read elsewhere?
Just at KEF a week ago. Looks like they're growing too fast. Nowhere to sit, stand or park a plane at a gate.
Hey Ben, thanks for the heads up on this, although the flight actually operates Mon/Wed/Fri KEF-MIA but MIA-KEF is Tue/Thu/Sat. Just at WOW's website to check prices and that's the schedule it pulls up.
@ CanesLawMarty -- You're absolutely right, thanks! Post updated.
I'm very excited
I'm Miami and FLL based and want to visit Paris next year
American and air France charge at least $800 -900 round trip
It's actually cheaper to take a 1 hr plane ride in jet blue to cancun and fly to Paris from there ( connecting in Miami or course !!!)
Norwegian started flying direct to CDG but only once per week and then 2x per week I...
I'm very excited
I'm Miami and FLL based and want to visit Paris next year
American and air France charge at least $800 -900 round trip
It's actually cheaper to take a 1 hr plane ride in jet blue to cancun and fly to Paris from there ( connecting in Miami or course !!!)
Norwegian started flying direct to CDG but only once per week and then 2x per week I wasn't crazy with the days they chose. So this gives me the option to fly there on Norwegian and back on wow.
It's ok if I don't get the $99 one way. I'm happy paying $150-200 each way. So I know this will work for me
Plus the low cost carries do let you buy one way at usually a good fare. In contrast the big 3 plus airframe charge you $1200 one way or $900 round trip. Huh??? Makes no sense!!!!!!
Anyway thanks for the info !!!
Oh yes and I'm excited both Norwegian and wow will be using wife body aircraft. My ears don't seem to bother me on wide bodies as they do on 737s, A321 and A320 aircraft
Has anyone else noticed this or is it just me?????
@DJ : have to copy my phrasing too ? did you major in plagiarism at Trump University ?
@henry LAX just like clockwork another basher lurking behind to strike at first opportunity.
@lucky - this isn't the first time this has happened. I can count numerous occasions in which your blog posts not only have copied the news from A.net but also the analyses from the rest of the comments, and never once have you bothered with a single hat-tip.
I browse Boarding Area multiple times a day, and I cannot observe any other blogger with such Melania-Trump-like behavior. Unless you're suggesting no other blogger obtains...
@lucky - this isn't the first time this has happened. I can count numerous occasions in which your blog posts not only have copied the news from A.net but also the analyses from the rest of the comments, and never once have you bothered with a single hat-tip.
I browse Boarding Area multiple times a day, and I cannot observe any other blogger with such Melania-Trump-like behavior. Unless you're suggesting no other blogger obtains their news like you do. And guess what, the other person "keitherson" has also called you out on that.
I see this flight used more by Europeans looking to visit Miami.
Either way, i'm excited to take Wow from EWR to KEF in November. 2 r/t flights plus prebooked exit rows and 1 suitcase shared btw my wife and I for ~$900 all in.
Nice. This will give Norwegian some competition. And how funny that this was announced on the foot of DY's launch of their BCN routes to the USA (EWR, FLL, LAX, OAK). EU LCCs are finally getting big on long haul cheap routes and I'm pretty stoked. I hope one of them decides to fly from my home airport (NCE) and finally compete with DL and AC.
yup just like clockwork again. A.net posts this breaking news around 6-7am ET, and by 10am, there's an OMAAT post on it.
@ henry LAX -- I don't think you understand how the internet/news works...