This is a total gimmick, though also totally awesome.
Norwegian’s Svalbard To Ushuaia Journey
Norwegian is promoting the fact that they fly to both the world’s northernmost and southernmost commercial airports with a cool suggested itinerary for passengers.
On September 21, 2019, Norwegian became the only airline to operate flights to and from the world’s northernmost and southernmost airports, in Svalbard and Ushuaia, respectively. This comes as Norwegian has ramped up domestic flights within Argentina.
Svalbard is in the Arctic Circle and is located about 650 miles from the North Pole, while Ushuaia is the primary cruise gateway to Antarctica.
The entire £398.50 one-way journey covers a distance of 9,800 miles and takes approximately 25 hours, spread across four flights. Three flights are on 737-800s, while one flight is on a 787-9.
What The Itinerary Looks Like
Anyone who books this would be taking the following itinerary:
DY0397 Svalbard to Oslo departing 12:40PM arriving 3:35PM
D82807 Oslo to London departing 6:45PM arriving 8:05PM
DI7505 London to Buenos Aires departing 10:30PM arriving 8:10AM (+1 day)
DN6120 Buenos Aires to Ushuaia departing 6:35PM arriving 10:15PM
How To Book This Itinerary
Rather ironically, Norwegian is promoting the potential to book this itinerary, but it’s not actually bookable as one ticket. You’d need to book three separate itineraries. This isn’t actually a fare sale, but rather they’re promoting that price based on the lead-in fares for all of these markets. You would book the tickets as follows:
- One from Svalbard to London (fares start at £78.10 from Svalbard to Oslo, and at £26.40 from Oslo to London)
- One from London to Buenos Aires (fares start at £249.90 from London to Buenos Aires)
- One from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia (fares start at £44.50 from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia
Bottom Line
This is a brilliant concept to promote, since it shows how global Norwegian has become. That being said, I’d be surprised if anyone actually books this. Most people aren’t looking to hit both of these spots on one trip, and it’s not like the itinerary is that convenient, given the long layover in Buenos Aires.
Furthermore, cruises from Ushuaia are long (and expensive) enough without factoring in a side trip to Svalbard.
Ford and I visited Svalbard a few years back and had an incredible time — I’d highly recommend It.
Magellan is turning in his grave! And so are many other mariners!
You suck norweigen you left alot passengers screwed by cancelling flights from swf to Dublin and Shannon Ireland my family and I took the flight 3 times and was fantastic but you guys dropped the ball. Alot of passengers from upstate NY as well as NY city area got screwed. It was a great alternative other than travelling to Ny JFK . Thanks for nothing Norweigen good luck on the dumb flights to south America to Scandinavia sure youll book alot there . SMH
Funnily enough, I went on a travel research kick a few months back; I'd been reading Jules Verne's sci-fi and exploration novels and went "wouldn't it be cool to visit the northernmost and southernmost cities on the same trip?" I then looked up flights and was shocked that I'd have to do a ridiculous itinerary with about three layovers. And then I saw this headline and thought Norwegian had read my mind, except...
If you...
Funnily enough, I went on a travel research kick a few months back; I'd been reading Jules Verne's sci-fi and exploration novels and went "wouldn't it be cool to visit the northernmost and southernmost cities on the same trip?" I then looked up flights and was shocked that I'd have to do a ridiculous itinerary with about three layovers. And then I saw this headline and thought Norwegian had read my mind, except...
If you book these as separate tickets and one flight is late, you wouldn't be protected and could get stuck in, say, Buenos Aires?
That aside, I"m highly tempted to do this and blog about it. Not that I have a blog or anything but I"m sure this is an adventure people would like to read about.
Today I learned Norwegian operates a fleet of 737s in Argentina...
I've already been to Longyearbyen for no other reason than We're On Vacation, Why Not? TBH I'd head to Europe, go up north for a day or two before leaving waaay south for a day or two, head back to Europe, and return home to collapse for a couple days. And then giggle to my friends about "guess what I did for vacation last week..."
The Antarctica cruises from Ushuaia don't start until November...
To me a long daytime layover is not a bad thing. I'd find things to do in Buenos Aires. In fact I often pick from a choice of itineraries the one that gives me that kind of a free chance to visit another city. Soon I'm going to Cabo Verde, and purposely picked a schedule that gives me a free day in Portugal rather than the faster connections.
This can be booked on one ticket as per below, you would have to go via someone with GDS access however.
LYR
OSL DY 397 Q *Q 01NOV 1400 QKAMP 01NOV01NOV 2P
LON D8 2809 Q *Q 01NOV 1810 QKKAMP 01NOV01NOV 2P
BUE DI 7505 Q *Q 01NOV 2130 QCSRGB 01NOV01NOV 2P
USH DN 6120 Q *Q 03NOV 1835 QKAMP 03NOV03NOV 2P
NOK 2822 01NOV19LYR DY OSL Q8.40...
This can be booked on one ticket as per below, you would have to go via someone with GDS access however.
LYR
OSL DY 397 Q *Q 01NOV 1400 QKAMP 01NOV01NOV 2P
LON D8 2809 Q *Q 01NOV 1810 QKKAMP 01NOV01NOV 2P
BUE DI 7505 Q *Q 01NOV 2130 QCSRGB 01NOV01NOV 2P
USH DN 6120 Q *Q 03NOV 1835 QKAMP 03NOV03NOV 2P
NOK 2822 01NOV19LYR DY OSL Q8.40 41.56D8 LON Q13.44
GBP 251.00 10.75DI BUE Q61.61 143.41DN USH37.00NUC
GBP 14.72-UB 316.17END ROE8.926446
GBP 25.90-ZN XT GBP 1.20-XR GBP 0.30-TQ
GBP 1.50-XT
GBP 293.12
Just that you can't book this as one itinerary makes it a very, very risky thing to consider.
Norwegian has been split in a huge load of mini-wegians (hence the four different codes: DY, D8, DI, DN) and they somehow don't interact with each other. Living in Scandinavia (and having appalling SK as main alternative), this is rather frustrating.
Given that Norwegian is in financial trouble and given their appalling long haul on-time record...
Just that you can't book this as one itinerary makes it a very, very risky thing to consider.
Norwegian has been split in a huge load of mini-wegians (hence the four different codes: DY, D8, DI, DN) and they somehow don't interact with each other. Living in Scandinavia (and having appalling SK as main alternative), this is rather frustrating.
Given that Norwegian is in financial trouble and given their appalling long haul on-time record (yes, I tried it once and was delayed 4 days on my way from JFK to OSL), I would either book it if it could be done with protected connections (if I were feeling adventurous) or not at all. You can just cut it in two and fly SK to LAX or MIA and continue on AR from there. Bigger chance that you get there at all, get there on time and get home again afterwards.
But why are they using different codes? DY/D8/DI/DN..
Why haven't you Norwegian airlines...First
fix your flights from USA to Europe??? Shame!!!
Any idea if they have a promo fare for Business class ?
I sure hope this is on someone's 40k to far away trip haha
Give the people what they want Ben. Book it.
Gee, if only there were a blogger crazy enough to fly to... say, Luanda just to try an obscure airline product. This hypothetical blogger surely wouldn't shy away from the chance of flying an itinerary such as this one.
*wink*
avocados?
Having been to both airports, I would say you need a lot of money to just stay at either places, and oh two places' avocados probably each gonna cost a kidney :P
737s on short flights intra europe.. 787-9 on the ones leaving to South America..
On 737's?????
No thanks
This would be awesome! If I had the time I'd certainly do it, I've wanted to visit Svalbard since I met a scientist who had worked there in the late 1980s. And throw in the Southern Hemisphere and it'd be fantastic!
Not sure if I would book Norwegian unless near to going, they are another European airline on the edge.
Sad as their premium economy Hard Product is as good as many business class products 15 years ago.
Ushuaia has almost equally miserable weather in the South American summer. The different is there are no cruises to the Antarctic in the southern winter months.
Also, many, many of these flights get cancelled for unclear reasons. If you are flying aerolinas Argentina, at least there are many frequent flights to iguzau and Ushuaia a day. With Norwegian, not so much.
If u live on the US west coast, flying Alaskan/American Airlines + aerolinas can...
Ushuaia has almost equally miserable weather in the South American summer. The different is there are no cruises to the Antarctic in the southern winter months.
Also, many, many of these flights get cancelled for unclear reasons. If you are flying aerolinas Argentina, at least there are many frequent flights to iguzau and Ushuaia a day. With Norwegian, not so much.
If u live on the US west coast, flying Alaskan/American Airlines + aerolinas can take u from anchorage to Ushuaia with only 2 stops with about 21 hours in the air.
Someone will be crazy enough to do it ;)
*the flight to USH leaves from AEP.
Also to add salt to the wound of the transfer in Buenos Aires, the flight from London arrives into EZE, but leaves from AEP.
Since this is not a single ticket, then far more sensible to book as separate flights with several days stopover in London, Buenos Aires and Ushuaia. I assume you will have already visited Oslo on the way to Svalbard.
Svalbard is best to visit in the Northern summer months while Ushuaia is best to visit in the Northern Winter months. One of your destinations is going to be mighty cold if you do these two on the same trip.
"I’d be surprised if anyone actually books this".
I understand that you have higher priorities right now and I deeply hope that everything turns great to your family, but wouldn´t you be a prime candidate to book this kind of ticket?