A new airline has taken the lead in the transatlantic market to and from New York, and it’s not the one you might expect. For many years, British Airways held the title of the largest non-US airline on these routes to and from the New York City area. However, now that title belongs to the budget-friendly Norwegian Air Shuttle.
In the 12 months ending July 2018, Norwegian transported a total of 1.67 million passengers to or from airports in the NYC area, based on data from the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. In comparison, British Airways carried 1.63 million passengers during the same period.
While US-based airlines continue to dominate transatlantic routes between New York and Europe, with United Airlines being the biggest, Norwegian’s rise to the top spot previously held by British Airways highlights a change in what consumers are looking for.
The Port Authority’s data cover John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and LaGuardia Airport (LGA). It doesn’t include New York Stewart International Airport (SWF), where Norwegian has been growing its presence over the past year.
Low-cost airlines like Norwegian have made a significant impact on the international market. Alongside Norwegian’s expansion throughout the US, other budget airlines such as WOW Air and Level have also increased their presence. Traditional full-service carriers have felt the influence of this low-cost surge and have responded by offering basic economy fares with competitive prices.