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.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees