When you think of transatlantic flights, Norse Atlantic is one of the first airlines that comes to mind. Despite being regarded as budget-friendly, I have always heard mixed reviews about the customer experience at Norse. While some people sing its praises, some of my frequent flyer friends have reported poor service.

I decided to settle the matter once and for all by traveling with them recently, and in this honest review, we will talk about all the pros and cons. Keep reading to learn about an authentic Norse flight experience and find out what to expect!

Pros of Traveling with Norse Atlantic Airways 

Let’s begin by talking about some of the positive aspects of the trip and see where Norse Atlantic excels.

Low Fares

As a known ultra-low-cost carrier airline, you can count on Norse Atlantic’s ticket prices to be cheap and affordable. One of the things that initially caught my attention was the (almost penetrative) cheap fares. Norse is one of the few cross-Atlantic airlines that offer rates this low, so it’s certainly one of the factors that lure countless customers in, especially those who have low standards for flying, and cost saving is a higher priority.

It’s no secret that budget airlines bring the customer in with a promise of low costs and later reveal additional fees for some of the basic services (like seat selection). If you are okay with random seat assignments and a limited travel experience, then Norse is a good option. I personally opted to pay extra to choose my seat; you can also get their premium cabin for extra legroom seats.

Regardless, Norse is one of the best low-cost airlines if your flight time is long and you are a budget-conscious traveller. Compared to different carriers, this low cost airline has adequate rates that are somewhat proportionate to the service they provide.

Range of destinations

One of the best things about Norse is its multi-ranged variety of destinations and accessibility to major locations. As a cross-Atlantic airline, you can fly with this Norwegian airline to get from major United States regions like New York City and Los Angeles to European cities, including but not limited to Paris, Rome, London, and even Cape Town. This Norwegian budget airline allows passengers to travel across the ocean at cheap rates and select accessible destinations. This is a plus because when I was researching flights, I realized that most airlines have limited options where they land, especially within a continent. Norse, on the other hand, can take you directly to your desired city without having to book multiple flights or arrange other forms of transport from the airport to the desired city.

Another great thing is that they offer direct flights, which takes out the stress, tediousness, and time consumption of layovers. You can reach your location straight away without having to navigate through multiple customs and boarding processes. 

Good for early bookers 

Personally, I was able to benefit from my experience with Norse because I booked my flight early. Having compared details with some friends who also traveled with Norse, we came to the conclusion that this airline is advantageous for early bookers who purchase the tickets in advance. I was able to get a great deal by booking 2 months in advance. You are likely to find a flight last minute, too, but the deals and rates aren’t that great. 

So, if you already know that you have to fly somewhere, consider going through the booking process months in advance to acquire amazing rates!

Other pros 

Apart from the pros we discussed above, there are a few more bonus things that make Norse a good option. 

Passenger comfort: once you have navigated through the airport and the boarding process, the in-flight experience is genuinely satisfactory. Norse has good airplanes equipped with comfortable seating, tray tables, and pouches.

Even the seats in the economy cabin were spacious with plenty of room to stretch your legs and sit easily. This is important in long-haul flights because it prevents leg cramps and unease. Apart from some rude employees here and there, the cabin crew was fairly nice. 

Accessible website: First impressions are very important, and Norse certainly makes a good one. With their user-friendly website and interactive interface, you can easily select flights, compare rates on the dates, and access online check-in.

The Norse website posts monthly schedules so you can make well-informed decisions about one-way flights, return flights, etc. This helped me while purchasing the ticket because I was able to see that advanced bookings earned great deals. Another plus is that you can easily use your credit card. 

Cons of Traveling with Norse Atlantic Airlines

Now that we have talked about all the positive aspects, let’s delve into the realistic aspects of the experience that struck me as unsatisfactory for my first time with Norse. 

Lack of flexibility 

If you are unsure about flying planes, then do not book with Norse. It is nearly impossible to cancel your flight, change the itinerary, or make any other changes. They do not allow passengers to flexibly make changes to their flights once they have been booked. The additional cost of changing is higher than letting it go altogether. 

As I said above, I happened to book my flight two months in advance. What happened was that my flight fell on a Tuesday, and that wasn’t working for me because of a commitment that came up at the last minute. I ended up flying on that Tuesday because of the outrageous fees for changing the date. Thankfully, it wasn’t that much of a problem for me, but for other passengers who may face family emergencies or personal issues, this can be a huge deal breaker. 

Bad customer service

Unsurprisingly, Norse Atlantic is not much different from other budget airlines, because it has terrible customer support as well. This is a wide category that includes everything from direct interaction with staff to communication online. It’s very obvious that Norse Airlines has not invested in this department of the business because at every stage, passengers have to deal with unprofessional flight attendants and unreliable customer service staff. 

Again, when I was trying to change my flight to a later date, I tried searching for a phone number but came upon the information that you can only contact their customer service staff through email. This is pretty hopeless because the very option of direct response is out the window. They replied after a couple of days, but their answer was neither comprehensive nor helpful, and I ended up having to scour the internet for details.

Airport experience

Norse has painfully slow check-in lineups that make the boarding process all the more annoying. You are good if you have TSA PreCheck or priority check-in, but any other passenger will find the experience to be frustrating. The relevant staff are slow, unhelpful, and unnecessarily unskilled, ruining the passengers’ mood even before they get on the plane.

However, this isn’t the extent of their terrible customer service. Even the boarding process associated with Norse Atlantic, no matter the airport, tends to be bad. 

It’s common knowledge among Norse fliers that it is more suitable for people who fly light with fewer personal items. Norse is sort of known for being vigilant with their weight policies, but I already knew that and prepared accordingly. That didn’t help much because even though I was only flying with a “free carry-on bag”, I ran into problems at the check-in. Firstly, I wasn’t aware that they weigh carry-on luggage (which is something I haven’t seen before). Either way, I’m pretty sure that my bag wasn’t that far off, and that’s why the time-consuming process was very tedious and irritating. 

Limited services 

Needless to say, Norse Atlantic’s economy class package is devoid of any facilities or amenities. You have the option to go with onboard purchasing purchases, but objectively, it adds a lot of costs and defeats the purpose of flying with low cost carriers. If you have booked a flight with them in economy, be prepared to pay extra for plane food and meal service, complimentary meals, or even a water bottle. They also don’t offer any wifi, which means the entertainment options are fairly limited. You’ll have to bring your own food and entertainment.

Unlike most airlines, Norse doesn’t offer frequent flier programs or other schemes like that. This can be disappointing for regular travelers who are looking to form lasting loyalty with Norse.

Other than that, it is worth mentioning that even with their premium economy upgrade, the option to bring checked bags doesn’t come along, and you have to pay extra money. 

Final thoughts

Given the entirety of my journey, I would say that my experience on a Norse Atlantic flight wasn’t all that bad. Norse had the same tactics as any other budget airline in terms of limited options, mediocre service, and “extra costs” for premium service. However, these were things that I was already expecting, and perhaps that’s why it didn’t surprise me as much as it would, any other passenger. If you are thinking of flying with them, consider reviewing all of the details and try managing your expectations accordingly.

If you go in expecting a luxurious experience, you will be disappointed, but considering the overall costs and structure of their business (as a budget airline), they did better than several competitors. It’s also true that experience may be different for the premium class and the business class. 

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