Why ‘low-cost’ flights to the US aren’t always what they seem (2024)

Low-cost flights from London to Las Vegas have arrived, thanks to Norse Atlantic Airlines – which advertises return fares from Gatwick from £399. It sounds good but what about when you add luggage or pay for seat selection? How do Norse and the other new low-cost, no-frills transatlantic airlines, such as Play and JetBlue, compare with British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and American Airlines?

Telegraph Travel analysed return fares with one checked bag to the major US destinations to which the new low-cost carriers fly and compared the cost with the long-established airlines. The research was carried out in June for travel in early October.

The table shows that it’s hard to save money in economy and you are better off sticking with BA, Virgin and AA, particularly if Heathrow is your preferred airport. Low-cost long-haul carriers tend to operate from Gatwick and Stansted.

Play, which only offers economy class, is not only more expensive than BA and AA (though cheaper than Virgin) to New York and Boston, its flights go via Reykjavík which adds time – and expense since most people have a meal during a layover. By the time you’ve eaten, Play flights will have taken two hours longer and set you back around £100 more than if you had chosen BA or AA.

Economy-class flights on Norse Atlantic from Gatwick are slightly cheaper than BA and AA to Las Vegas and Miami, and a lot cheaper than Virgin. Fares are about the same as BA, Virgin and AA to Los Angeles but more expensive to New York, because the established carriers compete hardest on the London-New York route. JetBlue, which operates from Heathrow as well as Gatwick, is more expensive than BA, AA and Virgin to most US destinations, our research shows.

You can save money on premium economy fares by flying Norse – to Miami and Los Angeles. Norse premium economy to Miami is several hundred pounds cheaper than BA and Virgin and less than half the price on AA. Norse is around £500 cheaper than BA and AA to Los Angeles in premium economy and £150 cheaper than Virgin.

What about the competition between BA, Virgin and AA? BA and AA economy-class flights are more or less on par. Virgin is marginally more expensive than BA and AA, which Virgin puts down to “better service”.

Fares vary widely in premium economy. AA is hundreds of pounds more expensive than BA and Virgin on many routes, which is odd since many travellers say they prefer the premium economy cabin and service on BA and Virgin to AA. When it comes to the UK’s two flag carriers, premium-economy prices are route-dependent. Virgin is more expensive than BA to Las Vegas, about the same as Boston and New York, but cheaper than Los Angeles and Miami.

Premium economy returns to New York and Boston offer the best value over economy on each airline. Upgrading on Virgin to New York will only cost you £170 more than economy each way – money well spent.

Virgin Atlantic said: “Our focus is on delivering the best experience to our customers at a competitive fare. In line with the rest of the industry, we operate a dynamic pricing system based on supply and demand. We’re proud to be a full-service airline, offering an award-winning onboard experience including complimentary food and drink, 300 hours of top entertainment, and checked bags.”

BA and Virgin have regular sales, so the best advice is to wait for the sales and/or book as early as possible.

Norse Atlantic said: “We pride ourselves on offering affordable long-haul travel throughout the year and our customers value knowing that they can find these fares at any time on our website.”

American Airlines, Play and JetBlue did not respond to requests for comment.

Related Topics

• British Airways,
• Virgin Atlantic,
• Los Angeles,
• Las Vegas,
• Boston