Well I guess WOW Air CEO Skúli Mogensen (pictured above) didn’t agree with me on Columbus, OH being a candidate for transatlantic service…Yet.
On Wednesday, August 23rd, WOW Air announced it would add the following 4 Midwestern U.S. cities to their route network from their Hub in Reykjavik, Iceland (KEF)
- Detroit (DTW, Starting April 25th, 2018)
- Cleveland (CLE, Starting May 3rd, 2018)
- Cincinnati (CVG, Starting May 9th, 2018)
- St. Louis (STL, Starting May 17th, 2018)
All four flights will be operated by the airline’s Airbus A321 aircraft, serving each city 4x weekly.
The news comes just days after competitor Icelandair announced non-stop flights to Cleveland starting in May, 2018.
WOW Air really knows how to come back swinging…
This is huge expansion on the part of WOW Air, as they currently fly to 8 destinations in the United States. With this announcement, they are increasing their U.S. footprint by 50%. Quite aggressive… But I like it!
Once these flights commence, here is what the airline’s U.S. route map will look like:
While WOW Air can rely on some passengers terminating in KEF, the airline utilizes its geographic location as the halfway point between the U.S. and Europe to its advantage. The airline’s business model revolves around transiting passengers through their hub in Iceland, and then connect them on to various points in Europe (and vice versa). The airline flies to 22 destinations throughout the following countries in Europe, and 1 in the Middle East (Tel Aviv, Israel).
- Spain
- Netherlands
- Germany
- England (United Kingdom)
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Ireland
- Scotland (United Kingdom)
- France
- Italy
- Austria
- Sweden
- Poland
For the consumers’ sake, lets hope the airline doesn’t stop growing. When searching a random date this October, a one way flight on WOW Air between Los Angeles (LAX) and their hub in Reykjavik (KEF) goes for $190 USD (thats their longest route too). Hot Damn!
Now keep in mind this is a low cost airline, meaning you’ll have to pay for premium’s like checking a bag, carrying a bag onboard, food, drinks, seat selection… The whole nine yards. That can add up pretty quickly. Still, if your fine with sacrificing some luxuries in order to get to your destination, this is a great option.
“You Recently Wrote that Columbus Should Get Transatlantic Service in the Near Future… Have Your Feeling’s Changed Now that WOW Air Passed on CMH in Favor of Other Ohio Cities like CLE and CVG?”
Nope! This isn’t the first time Columbus has been passed up for transatlantic service, and it certainly won’t be the last before the city actually secures a flight across the pond. I wrote a piece detailing why I think CMH deserved more serious consideration for TATL service a few days ago, and I am not (too) dissuaded by this announcement.
Columbus still has a ton things going for it, namely:
- Its big (14th largest population in the country)
- The city maintains a large corporate presence (Nationwide Insurance, Cardinal Health, Huntington Bancshares etc.)
- Outstanding Educational Institutions in Central Ohio (Ohio State, Kenyon)
- A young workforce eager to develop the city (Columbus was recently awarded a $50 million Smart City Grant, defeating 77 other competitors for the award)
- Its in range of newer single aisle aircraft models (A321neo, 737 MAX), which gives it a leg up on cities that require aircraft with greater range.
I’m still optimistic that the city will secure a flight to Europe in the future. Now we wait for the stars to align…
To the Point!
This is great news for underserved mid-west cities that were once overlooked when it came to transatlantic route expansion. Wow Air’s new routes serve two crucial purposes:
- Seamlessly connecting midwest travelers to various points throughout Europe
- Fantastically cheap. Drive down prices on legacy carriers like American, United, Delta, and British Airways.
Lets hope that when these full service carriers finally decide to join in on the mid-size city expansion, long haul LCC’s like Norwegian and WOW Air continue to drive ticket prices through the floor.
Do you have plans to fly any of WOW air’s new midwest routes?
Route Guide 