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I flew a big-name airline and a budget competitor across the Atlantic. The low-cost option is worth it if you follow the rules.
By Taylor Rains,
1 day ago
I flew on mainline Virgin Atlantic Airways (left) and budget carrier Norse Atlantic Airways across the Atlantic to compare the competing business models.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
I recently flew back-to-back in economy on Virgin Atlantic Airways and Norse Atlantic Airways.
The mainline option, Virgin, has more amenities, but low-cost Norse can offer a better value.
I'd recommend either, but pay attention to Norse's bag fees, which can cost up to $300 per leg.
As an aviation reporter, I spend a lot of time reviewing airlines . My job sometimes gives me the perk of long-haul business class, but I mostly sit in economy .
While I think Virgin is the better choice regarding convenience and amenities, I'd still recommend Norse to price-sensitive travelers who don't mind giving up a few freebies for a cheaper ticket — so long as they pay attention to the strict bag rules.
Here's how my experiences compared:
I flew on Virgin's Airbus A350 and Norse's Boeing 787. Virgin's A350 is much larger than the Norse 787.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
Virgin and Norse approach transatlantic flying very differently. Virgin tickets include complimentary meals and a carry-on. The seats come with headphones and linens.
Budget airline Norse reduces their fares by unbundling the tickets to just a seat and a personal item. Anything extra is a fee — even water.
I paid about $600 for each airline one-way. Virgin sells discounted basic coach tickets to compete with the encroaching low-cost competition.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
I booked Virgin's lowest-tier economy fare from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to London Heathrow. It included two meals and a carry-on bag, and I added a checked bag for $75 and an assigned seat for $50.
My one-way Norse price was close to Virgin's because it originated from the UK vs. New York. Tickets departing London are typically more expensive than those departing other European cities because of the UK's high taxes and fees.
Google Flights shows that the one-way base fare on Norse (no add-ons) from New York to London this fall is regularly half the price of the cheapest mainline tickets.
However, Norse's bundled fare can sometimes be more expensive than a mainline — so always compare with add-ons included.
Norse's cost-savings make it a good value option, but it can be a headache. Premium economy passengers have expedited lines.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
If you are a low-maintenance traveler like me who just needs a headrest and entertainment to enjoy a flight, then Virgin and Norse are easily comfortable.
Norse also lacks Virgin's network and check-in efficiency, and travelers must remember to bring their own food, drinks, and headphones. Otherwise, pay up or go bored, parched, and hungry.
Norse doesn't have online check-in from London Gatwick. The line ahead of the author after joining the queue.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
This was one of the rare times I needed to check a bag, so I planned to go to the Norse counter anyway when I got to the airport. However, even those with just a carry-on bag are still required to have their documents manually checked by an agent.
That means Norse passengers can't just show up at the airport with a mobile boarding pass and go straight to security — so budget extra time for check-in.
Virgin's self-serve check-in and bag drop was much simpler. It only took me a few minutes to tag and drop off my luggage. My checked bag could weigh up to 50 pounds.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
Unlike Norse's Gatwick operation, Virgin's New York-JFK check-in has kiosks where passengers can print their luggage tags without seeing an agent.
The self-serve bag drop was easy. I simply scanned the bag tag, put the luggage on the conveyor belt, and off it went. Employees are also available to help.
Those without checked luggage can get their boarding pass on the mobile app and head to security.
At the Norse counter, almost everyone was asked to verify their bags met requirements. My luggage got an "approved" tag after it passed the weight and size check.
This means they're strict about the size and weight — and those who arrive at the airport unprepared will feel it in their wallets.
Those who didn't pass were given time to rearrange their bags to make them fit or pay extra.
Last-minute bags on Norse cost up to $300. Virgin's checked luggage fee is $75 for basic tickets, and carry-ons are already included.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
According to Norse's website , a personal item can be a maximum of 15.5 x 11.5 x 5.5 inches with no weight limit, while carry-on bags can be a maximum size and weight of 22 x 18 x 10 inches and 22 pounds.
Premium economy travelers get a bigger personal item, which can be no larger than 17 x 14 x 8 inches. The carry-on size allowance is the same but can be up to 33 pounds.
Each allowed piece of standard checked luggage can be a maximum of 62 linear inches and 50 pounds in all cases. Norse's website outlines the imposed fees of up to $300 — which apply per person and per leg — if people show up to the airport with oversize, overweight, or unpaid bags.
Norse and Virgin offer the same legroom in regular economy. The Virgin seats (right) are 0.4" wider than those on Norse (left).
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
Besides the fare structure, the main difference between Norse and Virgin is the aircraft cabins.
Virgin's economy section is sleeker, but both it and Norse offer 31 inches of pitch and about 17 inches of width. Each was spacious enough for my five-foot-three-inch tall self.
Norse economy passengers get the bare basics, while Virgin has added touches. The seats were equally spacious and padded, but Virgin had linens and headphones.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
Both airlines have seatback screens loaded with content, power ports, and headrests — the latter a must for me to be comfortable. That's about it for Norse.
The low-cost carrier's seatback pocket was big enough for a water bottle and laptop but lacked Virgin's two smaller pockets (not a big deal, but notable for organizing purposes).
Virgin also includes a pillow, a blanket, and headphones. Norse passengers who forget wired headphones must pay $6.50 for a set. A "comfort kit" stocked with a blanket, a neck pillow, earbuds, and an eye mask costs $9, or passengers can request just a blanket for $6.50.
Virgin had more entertainment content. I prefer to watch my own movies and TV shows when I fly (bottom), even though Virgin (top left) and Norse (top right) had good enough IFE.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
Virgin's seatback screen was crisper than the one on Norse, and I noticed it had more and newer movie options.
Virgin even had a nifty outside camera. We could watch the view of the plane from the outside via the seatback screens.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
The aviation enthusiast in me loved the plane-following system on the seatback screen, which allowed passengers to see the A350's surroundings in real time via an outside camera.
Norse's system wasn't as unique.
WiFi is available on Virgin — but it's not free. Virgin's WiFi cost nearly $9 for one hour of browsing. A messaging option was also available for $3.95.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
Unlike other transatlantic options Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways, Virgin does not offer complimentary internet. Instead, messaging, browsing, and streaming all cost.
Norse, however, doesn't have the option at all.
The meals were good for airplane food, but I got two on Virgin. The two meals on Virgin (top) and the one on Norse (bottom left). Water on Norse cost $3.50.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
Meals cost extra on Norse, and I only paid for one. Virgin's basic ticket still included two, but I found one meal kept me full enough for the eight-hour trek.
The first meal on Virgin was a breakfast box with a sandwich, a granola bar, and yogurt. Lunch was a chicken dish with cheese, salad, and pudding.
Norse's meal was chicken, bread, chocolate pudding, and a non-alcoholic drink. The low-cost carrier also lets passengers order meals and drinks from the seatback screen.
Neither airline left me waiting too long at baggage claim. Last year, I waited 45 minutes for my checked bag after a Hawaiian flight from Honolulu.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
I prefer not to check luggage because I am impatient and don't want to spend time checking my bags before departure and picking them back up after landing.
However, this trip required checked luggage, and I only waited 10-20 minutes after each flight.
I had no issues with the low-cost option because I arrived prepared. Passengers deplaning the Norse aircraft.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
I always carry wired headphones regardless of airline because they are typically uncomfortable or scratchy. I also brought a jacket, my own water, a protein bar snack, and a tablet with pre-downloaded content — though Norse's movie options were perfectly fine.
The blanket on Virgin was appreciated, though, because it was designed with wings to drape over your shoulders so it doesn't fall off when sleeping.
I can imagine travelers who don't want to worry about bag size and bringing their own meals might prefer Virgin's model to Norse. It's simply an easier experience.
Price-sensitive customers can expect comfort on Norse, but Virgin is overall better. The Virgin cabin had a better ambiance with the lighting, quietness, and space.
Taylor Rains/Business Insider
Virgin's A350 is quiet and spacious, and I think it has a much more elegant look than Norse's bland 787 cabin and better amenities, like the blanket and WiFi.
However, the budget option is just as comfortable seat-wise, and there are enough good IFE options to pass the time.
Personally, I don't mind Norse and would choose it again over Virgin if the price is right. Still, Virgin is a great transatlantic pick overall if you're not sold on the low-cost business model.
Norse's flight frequency is a drawback, but I like its route options from New York. Norse flies as far as Bangkok and Cape Town, South Africa,
Norse Atlantic Airways
Virgin's well-established network means it flies several times daily to London and can connect to nearly every corner of the globe, giving passengers more choice. For example, I opted for Virgin on the outbound because I could take a daytime flight , which helps me better battle jet lag.
Norse, by comparison, only has red-eyes to London — but it also offers nonstops to several other European cities from New York, and with no layover. This includes Athens, Berlin, Oslo, Paris, and Rome.
Its point-to-point network also flies nonstop to Europe from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, and Miami. And, although less robust than most mainlines, Norse can connect to even more cities on both sides of the pond via its partnerships with low-cost carriers like easyJet and Spirit Airlines.
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