Low-cost Icelandic carrier Play expands to New York, marking third US destination
Just over a month after announcing its first service to the U.S., Icelandic low-cost carrier Play is back with an expansion.
The airline said today it will fly to New York Stewart International Airport (SWF) in Newburgh, New York, marking its third U.S. destination, alongside Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) and Boston Logan International Airport (BOS).
Play began service in 2021 with flights between Keflavik Airport (KEF) near the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik to London’s Stansted Airport (STN), quickly expanding to around 20 destinations. The airline is built around a business model similar to that of now-defunct Wow Air, which also offered cheap travel between the U.S. and Europe by way of Keflavic. Several of Wow’s former management team sit at the helm of Play.
Service from New York Stewart to Keflavik will begin on June 9, the airline said. Baltimore flights start on April 20, while Boston service begins May 11.
"Passengers have convenient transportation options to reach the airport, in addition to short wait times in the security line and low costs for parking their cars," Play CEO Birgir Jónsson said in a press release. "The low fares and flexibility that passengers experience at Stewart International Airport are exactly what passengers seek when they book their travel with Play."
To mark the launch, Play rolled out introductory fares for as low as $109 one-way (though only when booked as part of a round trip) to 10 of its destinations: Iceland Keflavik (KEF), London Stansted (STN), Dublin (DUB), Paris (CDG), Berlin (BER), Copenhage, (CPH), Brussels (BRU), Stuttgart, Germany (STR) Trondheim, Norway (TRD) and Gothenburg, Sweden (GOT). Fares are available on Play’s website.
Keep in mind that the discounted fare will only be on the U.S. departing trip when booked as a round-trip, meaning you’ll still pay full price for the return leg. Still, Play’s low-cost model means those fares start from relatively low base levels. The introductory fares are on sale until midnight, eastern time, on Feb. 7.
Stewart International Airport is located in Newburgh, NY, about two hours north of New York City. There are several commuter rail and bus links to Manhattan. Play will be the first international airline at the airport since September 2019, when low-cost carrier Norwegian Air suspended flights from the airport to Dublin.
Related: 9 reasons you should visit Iceland this summer
While the airport can be a long commute from New York City, its lower operating costs compared to New York-JFK Airport (JFK) and New York-Newark (EWR) has long held an appeal for low-cost international airlines trying to find cost-effective ways to access the New York market.
Norwegian began flying several European routes from Stewart in the summer of 2017, flying narrow-body aircraft, primarily the Boeing 737 Max, to cities such as Edinburgh (EDI) and Belfast (BFS) in the U.K., Shannon Airport (SNN) in Ireland, and Bergen, Norway (BGO). The airline's service to the airport peaked in December 2018, when it flew 242 flights to and from the airport, according to data from Cirium.
Norwegian suspended flights to Stewart on April 8, 2019, as the Boeing 737 Max was grounded worldwide following the second of two fatal crashes. The airline resumed flights to Dublin in September of that year, using 737-800 aircraft, but ceased operations at Stewart the following month. Norwegian has since refocused its operations on short-haul European travel, following the collapse of international demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns and maintains the airport, recently completed a $37 million project to build a new international arrivals hall and U.S. Customs inspection area.
Play operates a fleet of Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft. TPG had a chance to fly the airline between Keflavik and London earlier this year, and found it to be a great experience by low-cost carrier standards.
It remains unclear how Play expects to succeed using the Wow business model. The latter airline collapsed in 2019, during the peak of pre-pandemic travel demand. Economically sustainable low-cost transatlantic travel has long eluded the world’s airlines, and numerous competitors operate low-cost flights throughout Europe. Hungary-based Wizz Air, for instance, already flies to about 10 destinations from Keflavik.
Related: 7 reasons flying Iceland’s newest airline was a great experience
Still, Play will introduce the low-cost service between Europe and the U.S. at a time when international travel dynamics are emerging changed from the COVID-19 pandemic. Time will tell whether that presents an opportunity for a low-cost carrier like Play, or whether the model will continue to be unsustainable on flights across the Atlantic.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.