Norwegian Air announces $65 flights to Ireland, Scotland

Aye, though it will be easier than ever to catch a flight to Ireland, it will likely cost a bit more than $65

A flight to Ireland for less than the cost of a bus to Buffalo?

Well… not quite.

Ever since Norwegian Air announced the insanely low promotional rate of $65 starting July 1 for transatlantic flights from Stewart Airport to Ireland and Scotland, Hudson Valley hearts have been aflutter with wanderlust. This could be just what those who have grown accustomed to the staycation have been waiting for- a cheap trip, and without the hassle of flying out of one of the big three NYC airports to boot!

Destinations include Belfast, Dublin, Edinburgh and Shannon (on the West Coast of Ireland). In addition to Stewart, two other airports will be making the same routes: T.F. Green Airport in Providence, RI, and Bradley International Airport in Hartford, CT.

The move by Norwegian to fly transatlantic flights out of smaller markets is being watched closely by the aviation industry and was strongly opposed by the Airline Pilots Association. It’s made possible by the airline’s use of Boeing’s brand new 737-MAX, a smaller, single-aisle plane with greater fuel efficiency and range, which will make its debut on these routes.

Before you get two excited, keep the following in mind:

That’s the price for a one-way flight. Assuming you want to go back, you have to pay for a return ticket- likely several hundred dollars.
The rates are as low as $65. If there was a flight for that price, we couldn’t find it. (It seems travelers using one of the other two airports are having better luck with that.) From July-September, $219 was the cheapest we found, with most flights ranging between $219 and $279. On Halloween, there’s one for $99 and another for $139 (unlucky day?), with the others in the same range as previous months. During the last two months of the year, the frequency of flights drops, as do the prices, with numerous $99 one-way flights.

Even with most round-trips in the $500-$600, that’s still several hundred dollars cheaper than other flights to Ireland, although you can find flights to Scotland at that price.