Condé Nast Traveler reports that, no, that isn’t a typo. Scandinavian airline Primera Air just announced new routes starting in April 2018 from both Boston and Newark to Birmingham, England; London’s Stansted (marking the first non-stop between the airport and both New York and Boston); and Paris’ Charles De Gaulle starting at $99 one-way. The flights will run daily from Newark (only 45 minutes from Harlem, NY) and four times a week from Boston year-round, and tickets are currently available.
Primera Air—which is based in Denmark and Latvia and before this announcement operated flights between more than 70 airports in Europe exclusively—also says this just the start of their endeavors overseas; they plan to add two more more transatlantic routes from the three European hubs by the end of summer 2017. With the addition of its U.S. schedule, Primera goes head-to-head with other budget airlines including WOW and Norwegian, in an age of low-cost options hitting the market.
Another important note? The airline will fly Airbus A321neos (which will have both economy and premium cabins) across the Atlantic. Due to their smaller size—they seat about 185 people—these planes are more traditionally used for domestic travel, though more and more carriers have expressed interest in flying single-aisle aircraft across the pond. JetBlue, for one, was recently looking into buying similar planes for flights to Europe.
Of course, travelers can expect the usuals that come with flying on a low-cost carrier—yes, we’re talking fees. Case in point, when flying across the Atlantic with Primera in “light” economy, it will cost you $45 if you want to pick your seat (more if you decide to sit in an exit row), $40 for a standard chicken meal (and $70 if you want the premium food option), and $45 one-way to check a bag. Like with many budget carriers, by the time you crunch the numbers, it may be cheaper to fly a major airline.
But for travelers who can pack light, bring their own snacks, and don’t care where they sit, though, there are some perks: Wi-Fi is free, and there are both electric and USB sockets for your device. But BYOE; Primera has no in-flight entertainment—besides, perhaps, relishing in your savings.
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