Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) has announced two new transatlantic routes that will launch in 2023. This comes just shortly after the airline announced plans to launch a Copenhagen to New York JFK flight in early 2023.
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SAS adds transatlantic flights from Aalborg & Gothenburg
Historically SAS has exclusively operated transatlantic flights from Copenhagen, Oslo, and Stockholm, though that will be changing next year. As of April 2023, SAS will add new transatlantic seasonal service from both Aalborg and Gothenburg to Newark.
As of April 27, 2023, SAS will fly 3x weekly from Aalborg (AAL) to Newark (EWR), with the following schedule:
SK921 Aalborg to Newark departing 6:35PM arriving 9:05PM
SK922 Newark to Aalborg departing 11:30PM arriving 1:05PM (+1 day)
The 3,720-mile flight is blocked at 8hr30min westbound and 7hr35min eastbound. The service will operate to Newark on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and to Aalborg on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
As of April 28, 2023, SAS will fly 3x weekly from Gothenburg (GOT) to Newark (EWR), with the following schedule:
SK917 Gothenburg to Newark departing 6:30PM arriving 9:05PM
SK918 Newark to Gothenburg departing 11:30PM arriving 1:15PM (+1 day)
The 3,772-mile flight is blocked at 8hr35min westbound and 7hr45min eastbound. The service will operate to Newark on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and to Gothenburg on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Here’s how Erik Westman, SAS’ EVP & CCO of Network and Revenue Management, describes these new routes:
“As part of SAS’ strategy to strengthen the regional offering in Scandinavia, we are pleased to add intercontinental routes from Gothenburg and Aalborg. We see a demand from secondary cities and are delighted to connect even more parts of the world. The Airbus A321 Long Range is a slightly smaller long-distance aircraft and perfect in size for servicing the regional markets. Having a comfortable way of traveling with fewer stops to exciting cities such as New York, is something we believe will be highly valued by our travelers.”
SAS will use an Airbus A321LR for these routes
Scandinavian Airlines will be using an Airbus A321LR for both of these routes. This aircraft is the newest addition to SAS’ long haul fleet, and the airline has a total of three of these planes, with no further jets on order.
The A321LR is the ideal plane for “thin” transatlantic routes, where there’s some demand, but not quite enough for a wide body. SAS’ A321LRs feature a total of 157 seats, including:
- 22 fully flat business class seats, in a staggered 2-2 and 1-1 configuration
- 12 premium economy seats, in a 2-2 configuration
- 123 economy seats, in a 3-3 configuration
SAS’ A321LRs feature high speed Wi-Fi, and personal televisions and power outlets at each seat.
These kinds of routes are the perfect example of the niche that aircraft like the A321LR can serve:
- These will be the only transatlantic routes for both Aalborg and Gothenburg
- Aalborg otherwise only has short haul service, entirely within Europe
- Gothenburg also only otherwise currently has short haul service, though the airport gets a lot more traffic; Qatar Airways used to fly to Gothenburg, though that route isn’t operating at the moment
I think my one concern here is that SAS’ A321LRs are in a really premium heavy configuration. Is there enough premium demand to make this service work, especially for summer seasonal, leisure routes?
Bottom line
In the summer of 2023, Scandinavian Airlines will be launching two cool new transatlantic routes from airports that don’t otherwise offer long haul service. Specifically, the airline will seasonally operate 3x weekly flights from both Aalborg and Gothenburg to Newark using Airbus A321LRs.
It’s cool to see this kind of expansion, since this is what planes like the A321LR were designed for. I’m curious to see these routes perform, and if they stick around in the long run.
What do you make of SAS’ new long haul routes to Newark? Do you think they’ll succeed?
Not a lot of onward conex at EWR for an 21:00 International arrival. Earliest probably after 22:30 and UA has limited scheduled at hour.
Why the late departure from Europe for these two routes?
I mean there's Skagen near Aalborg...
SAS being a Star Alliance partner I question the timing of the EWR arrivals. This late at night there aren’t many connecting opportunities. So it will be mostly for New Yorkers
A few hours earlier arrival to catch the last departure bank for United would be better. But with EWR congestion this may be the only option
It’s always good to see more destinations
Aalborg is famous for its aquavit.
I mean, really famous. Not mentioning aquavit in an article about "what's the deal with Aalborg" is almost like not mentioning wine in an article about flying to Bordeaux (BOD).
Even here in Sweden, most people have no other reference to Aalborg than the slightly sweeter, Danish alternative to our homegrown cumin-driven, dry "snaps".
Skål!
In terms of Aalborg, it’s just up the road (1h) from Aarhus, Denmark’s second largest city. In fact some 1,5 million people live in that part of Denmark.
"Is there enough premium demand to make this service work"
GOT is for example insanely popular with the well-heeled equestrian competition crowds in New York, SoCal, and especially S.Florida.
In fact, a weakness may be that they're a bit TOO elite, as many are more primed to have private transportation than use such a service as this.
But of course that's only one example. GOT also has a sizable population (570K city, 1.1million...
"Is there enough premium demand to make this service work"
GOT is for example insanely popular with the well-heeled equestrian competition crowds in New York, SoCal, and especially S.Florida.
In fact, a weakness may be that they're a bit TOO elite, as many are more primed to have private transportation than use such a service as this.
But of course that's only one example. GOT also has a sizable population (570K city, 1.1million metro) and is an automotive engineering and parts managing hub, the latter could be easily used to fill the (limited) cargo space on a TATL A321.
I graduated from the University of Aalborg. It's a small city with some industry, but I don't see how that route makes sense. I'd not expect it to last long.
Does SAS fly the A321 to Washington Dulles? I saw one of their narrow-bodied planes at Dulles a couple of weeks ago, and couldn't tell which aircraft it was...
Not a whole lot (if any?) of connection options landing at 9 pm in Newark
GOT has the industrial basis to make this work, but not AAL. Norway sold all stocks in SAS, no need to expand in NO. Apparently ARN isn’t a big secondary market. Is SAS suddenly a viable company?
Embarrassed to say I've never even heard of Aalborg before...setting aside my ignorance I thought that maybe it had something to do with cruising which continues to grow faster in the Baltic region than most, but in looking while there are a number of ships that call on Aalborg they all depart out of larger ports like Stockholm, Amsterdam, Bergen, etc. If there are deals to be had it might be a nice mileage run,...
Embarrassed to say I've never even heard of Aalborg before...setting aside my ignorance I thought that maybe it had something to do with cruising which continues to grow faster in the Baltic region than most, but in looking while there are a number of ships that call on Aalborg they all depart out of larger ports like Stockholm, Amsterdam, Bergen, etc. If there are deals to be had it might be a nice mileage run, looks like a pleasant enough place to spend a couple days.
The only thing I have heard about Aalborg before is their university has quite a good ranking for Electrical Engineering.
GOT makes sense to me, it is the 5th largest metro area in Scandanavia and should have enough to warrant 3x weekly. AAL on the other hand just leaves me scratching my head. Why would they do AAL before doing Bergen, Stavenger or even Trondheim? They have at least focus cities in those places. They fly nowhere from AAL.
wonder if they have a deal with Volvo to feed their European Delivery customers through EWR on the Gothenburg flight.
I guess Stavenger isn't coming back yet. (Bergen won't see UA again for 2023.)
I can see Goteborg working with a plane this size, since they'll have onward options with UA at EWR. Aalborg, though... is a small town. I guess it might be attractive to Danes who don't want to deal with CPH (and the attendant transfer through the city), but I can't see that being quite so popular.
I really wish oneworld had a PHL to Scandinavia flight.
Aren't the SK 321LR's premium heavy? I don't see these routes succeeding, to be honest. POS from the US will probably not be strong. Most Americans probably can't find Aalborg or Gothenburg on a map. If this is aimed at Sweden POS, it seems very much of a stretch as well.
I agree with you, but if you consider United's network from EWR it just might sustain a 3x weekly.
If UA connections were important, then the schedule just doesn't work. The westbound flight arrives after UA has shut down for the night. It will require an overnight at EWR to connect. Also SK isn't a member of the UA JV and I don't think they have joint fares.
"Most Americans" also don't even have a passport, so not sure why you're using them as a standard of anything.