Norse Airlines Check In And All Your Other Norse Atlantic Airways Questions Answered
Updated: 1 day ago
When I saw the flight deal cross my inbox last March, I knew this introductory round trip fare sounded too good to be true. “You get what you pay for”, my brain thought. “There’s a reason things are cheap”, my husband said. We paid $318 round trip per passenger to fly from Orlando to Oslo nonstop. Flying on a new budget airline is always a gamble though - will they go broke or go under before we get to fly? Will I ever see my money again? Do I really want to be one of the first to fly this route? For $300 a person, you bet your britches I do. Here's how my Norse Atlantic flight experience went.
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The Norse Check-In Experience
When we first flew with Norse to Oslo, I was in a panic about checking in. We couldn't find out how to check in on the website, and when the airline first started, there were fees involved for checking in at the airport. I wasn't about to pay any added fees, but at the time, there was no information online, being such a new airline.
We raided twitter and reddit seeking travelers who may have had the same experience with the check-in process, but ultimately found that Norse Air has no phone number or customer service to call, so we were forced to just figure it out at the airport, which made me uneasy. As it turns out, there was not an issue at all and we checked in at the airport smoothly with no issues and no wait. Phew.
Note regarding the phone number: This is still true today, and they are very apt to warn everyone of any fraudulent or spammy phone numbers masking to be Norse. Again, they do NOT have a phone number.
Meanwhile, now that I've traveled with Norse half a dozen times, I understand how check-in works and no longer stress, but you are probably reading this for the same reason I was when I originally wrote this article.
While there are no longer imposed (or threatened) fees for check-in at the airport, it is good to know that ALL check-in happens at the airport. The check in counter will open about 4 hours ahead of your flight, but be sure to get online in advance and update any passenger information to make things go faster, including:
Passport information
Known traveler number (for pre-check or Global Entry passengers)
Double-check bag sizes and allowances, purchase more as needed
Purchase seats as desired (seats will be assigned at check-in unless purchased in advance)
Once your information is input (at any time in the booking process), you must proceed to check-in, which is available only at the airport.
It is important to note that Norse Airways does participate in TSA Precheck, so be sure to add your number to your personal information!
Baggage Concerns
In order to avoid further fees for a cabin bag, I had packed the whole family in one underseat bag per person. I was so thrilled with my feat and even more thrilled with the check-in folks didn’t even give a second glance to our baggage.
They are very strict about bags. If you pass muster, you will get a blue tag indicating as much.
Your Norse Personal Item Luggage Cannot Exceed 40 x 30 x 15 cm / 15.5 x 11.5 x 5.5
That's an underseat bag only, folks! If you use packing cubes you can actually fit a lot into an underseat or 'personal' bag.
Pro tip: It's not a bad idea to bring a digital luggage scale with you when you travel, just to ward off any surprises with weight restrictions, should there be any.
What works as a personal bag?
Check out my write up on personal bags for women and consider the challenge of packing only a personal bag for your next Norse, Ryan Air or Vueling flight, which all have added bag fees if you go larger.
This bag (pictured on the right in the below image) is my favorite of all the personal bags I've used due its volume, accessibility and durability. Note that although this works for the previous bag measurements, it can still work for the new measurements if you leave lots of squish space. I.e., don't fill it full to the brim.
This simple Samsonsite bag has carried three weeks of belongings, and it's less than $30! Get it now or check prices on Amazon at this link.
I've tried lots of different bags for different reasons, with different carry-ability. Check my link below to learn all about packing light and what other bags work for Norse Airlines.
Psst...while you are thinking about bags, if you happen to be vacationing somewhere with wine on the mind, check out my favorite wine suitcase at VinGardevalise.com. I can get you a cool 30% off with the code ALWAYS30. These are not underseat bag sized, but worth the added bag fee.
Bid For an Upgrade
Have you seen this? The latest surprise from Norse is an upgrade bid program, similar to what you might find on an undersold cruise ship.
Check out this screenshot of an email I received for an upcoming flight:
You simply follow the prompts and place a bid. If it is a strong bid, you may have a shot at the upgrade. Even if it's not a strong bid, sometimes you get lucky.
Even though the starting bid here is too high for my blood, it could be worth it to you. Check it out:
Full of surprises you are, Norse.
What We Learned During The Booking and Check-In Process
1. Norse Air does NOT have a hotline to call for help
2. Online check-in doesn't exist.
3. Norse Air does indeed participate in TSA Precheck
4. Underseat bags are included
5. Norse Airlines does not have an app for your phone
6. You can upgrade your ticket in a bidding process
The Onboard Norse Atlantic Flight Experience
Comfort
The seats were standard, spacious enough and clean. All seats reclined (excluding those backed against a wall, I assume).
Pillows and blankets were not provided, so I used my sweater instead. This is something to consider if you run cold on airplanes.
They do sell ‘comfort packages’, which include a blanket and eye mask, should you need one, or you can always bring your own compact folding travel blanket. These are handy because they are part cushy pillow, part snuggle buddy, and part blanket.
Pro tip: bringing your own pillow on typically does not count against your carry-on allowance on airplanes, but you should check every airline's site to be sure.
Entertainment
Curious if there is seat back entertainment? Yes, there is.
Pro tip: cut the cords and chaos with this adorable little AirFly device, which allows you to listen to airline entertainment wirelessly from your AirPods or wireless headphones like these Bose bluetooth noise-cancelling headphones.
Simply plug it into the screen instead of plugging in your headphone jack, sit back, and relax. It's so annoying to get tangled in blankets and jackets, or having to get up to let people out and having to grab all your stuff. This little device is genius!
Meals and Beverages
Meals could be pre-ordered or ignored (as was my case), and they often came around with carts offering pay options for sandwiches and drinks.
I brought my own snacks and water and was happy with that choice, even though some of their offerings seemed reasonable.
I do not recall water being offered for free, so fill up your bottle before you board.
This one is cool because it is flat, so it fits in your seat back a little bit better than your typical round one would:
Pro tip: If you get hungry often, bring plenty of snacks. I like to bring the Cup of Noodles stir fry cups. Their Korean BBQ flavor is amazing.
Simply ask the flight attendant to add hot water, and you've got a hot, delicious and cheap meal in minutes. Just be careful not to crush it in your bag.
What We Learned In Flight
1. There are no pillows or blankets provided
2. Meals must be purchased online in advance
3. There is no beverage service
4. There were seat back video screens with movies
The Return Trip Experience
Coming from Oslo or London en route to the US, we've had similarly easy experiences. The airline operates in the same manner both directions.
Check-in at the airport, watch your bag size, and expect no frills on board.
What To Do When You Get To Oslo
Considering many of the Norse flights will end up in Oslo, you may be wondering what to do when you get there.
I suggest spending two or three days in Oslo exploring things like the Polar Ship Fram museum, driving around the Fjord towns, or discovering the food scene.
Read more here: 3 Days In Oslo: Norwegian Fjord Tours and Viking History
Alternatively (or after your couple days stay), get out of town.
Go deep into the fjords or take a cruise from Bergen to Amsterdam, Germany and beyond. Check cruise itineraries here!
Or, airlines like Vueling, Ryan Air and Easy Jet offer cheap options from traversing elsewhere.
My favorite option, however, is to take the super fun DFDS ferry to Copenhagen. This overnight ferry is not only a cheap way to get to Copenhagen from Oslo, but it's loads of fun with the family. It's basically a mini-cruise complete with comfortable ensuite cabins, a kid's club, and multiple bars and restaurants to choose from to spend your time.
Flying Norse to London Instead? Here are some ideas!
Not far from London, head to Southampton to hop on board a cruise ship. Learn more about Southampton at the link below, or browse cruises and ferries below.
Some ferries travel to Spain and France, or you can consider traveling by train on the Eurostar - the famous underwater Chunnel train. This train takes you to Paris, Brussels and even Amsterdam.
This experience is amazing, and a great pairing with a Norse flight. Learn more at the link below:
Honestly, we use Norse all the time now to fly non-stop, direct to London and then we move on from there. Sometimes we do a London stopver, which means we'll spend a few days to detox from the jet lag and we'll see some sites. I've put together an itinerary for that type of quick London trip at the link here.
Otherwise, we'll do a cruise or take the train or the above mentioned El Cheapo airlines to move on to anywhere else in Europe. Taking Norse from Orlando to London is our official go to airline and flight now. (In this regard, there is literally a program called "CheapOair" that you can look up these kinds of flights, totally worth checking out here).
Compared to Other Budget Airline Reviews, Is Norse Airways Worth It?
Opening the door to Scandinavian countries at such an affordable price, Norse Airways is providing a stellar opportunity for U.S. travelers to explore new places beyond the top tourist hot spots.
Norse airways is bringing tourism back to an area that I hadn't otherwise been to since the early 2000's. Norway, Sweden, Denmark and more northern European countries are now all back on the radar and becoming hotter destinations to travel to than ever.
With pride, Norse Air talks about their Boeing 787 fleet in their seat back screens. The fleet, inspired by Viking longships, cements their vision to be the “explorer’s airline”.
After several positive experiences, I'll continue to repeat flying with them. Compared to other Budget airlines, I actually really enjoy their format. I enjoy not being bothered all flight with drink carts and service, I enjoy their basic hands-off hospitality, and I like the feeling of being on an air bus. That's all it is, really.
Sit down, shut up, and let us get you there safely.
Honestly, I don't need more!
Norse Airways flies to London and Oslo (seasonally) non-stop from Orlando, and a new route from the United States has just been launched to Rome!
Book flights at Norse Atlantic Airways website: flynorse.com
