Budget carrier Norse Atlantic Airways is known for its cheap but barebones flights between the US and Europe, and I usually avoid it in favor of major carriers with more included perks.
But I found myself with little choice in June after my Iberia flight from Naples, Italy, to Orlando was canceled just weeks before my trip. Norse was the only last-minute option that didn't cost more than $1,000 or require multiple stops.
I booked two economy "light" tickets for my boyfriend and me for about $630 total, carefully reviewing Norse's fare rules and strategically purchasing extras to ensure it went smoothly.
My fare included an unassigned seat, a personal item, and a carry-on with strict size and weight restrictions, but nothing else. I added an immigration fast-track on the Norse app since I was transferring at London Gatwick, but skipped the seat selection, luggage, and meals.
The 10-hour Norse flight was more enjoyable than I expected, and the extra planning required for a no-frills airline was worth the savings. Here's what made the experience work for me.
I bring my own food and water to save money.
Norse doesn't include meals in its most basic fare, so I spent $5 on groceries to bring cherry jam and almond butter sandwiches.
It was easily the better choice, and nobody seemed to mind that I brought a huge bag of food with me.
Eating a full meal with drinks and a snack would have cost about $20 per person on Norse, and the portions looked small and the food unappetizing.
The options were also very carb-heavy and lacking veggies: lasagne Bolognese, instant noodles, Margherita pizza, chicken nuggets, and butter chicken with rice were on the menu—not great for a vegetarian.
While I saw flight attendants handing out free cups of water to some passengers, "Light" fares don't include drinks, so I didn't want to take a chance.
I brought an empty 1.5-liter water bottle and filled it up before the flight. A bottle of water onboard would have cost $4.30.
I won't pay the $16 extra for a blanket and pillow.
Norse does not include free linens in the regular economy cabin. Passengers can buy a flimsy-looking blanket for $7 or a "comfort kit" with a neck pillow, sleep mask, and earplugs for $9.
I brought my own comfort items instead, including a large jacket to double as a blanket. I'm glad I did because the cabin was noticeably really cold on my flight. There was also no WiFi at all, meaning we couldn't work.
The Boeing 787 cabin was otherwise nice for a budget carrier, with plush seats, headrests, a power port, and seatback screens that offered more than enough entertainment options. At 5 feet 10 inches, I had plenty of legroom with the 32-inch seat pitch.
I didn't need a checked bag because I usually travel light, but I was happy the fare included a free carry-on, though it couldn't be bigger than 22x18x10 inches or heavier than 22 pounds. I'm careful to follow the limits to avoid the hefty penalty at the airport.
I took a gamble on my seat location and got lucky.
Norse charges between roughly $45 and $120 to select a seat in advance, with the higher end reserved for extra-legroom seats.
I prefer to put that money toward a nice dinner and roll the dice on a random seat. That means I often end up in a middle seat in the back of the plane, but sometimes I get lucky.
For my Norse flight, our randomly assigned seats were an aisle and a middle together in the "preferred" section toward the front of the plane.
There are times I will spend the extra money. To get a head start during my Gatwick layover, I upgraded my easyJet fare to Smart+, which included a seat assignment, priority boarding, and a carry-on for about $70 more per person.
I selected seats in row 2 at the front of the plane, which meant my partner and I were among the first passengers to deplane. The seat was the only payoff of the upgrade, as I don't need priority boarding.
We should have bought a skip-the-line pass for check-in.
My itinerary, booked through Norse but with the first leg from Naples operated by easyJet, included a two-hour layover at London Gatwick — a tight connection once I factored in immigration, security, and checking in for my Norse flight to Orlando.
I had to complete the check-in process after arriving in London because "Light" ticket holders must check in at the airport counter rather than online, and there was no Norse staff available in Naples.
However, Norse offers skip-the-line passes for security and check-in, which typically cost around $10 to $15 per person and are often cheaper when purchased during booking, though they can be purchased once at the airport.
For two people, that would have added at least another $40 to our trip. Instead, we paid $20 to bypass security. In the end, it saved us only a few minutes, and the money might've been better spent on the check-in fast pass instead, which we didn't buy.
Next time, I plan to see how long the lines are at the airport before deciding whether the extra cost is worth it.
Overall, I'd book Norse again to save money.
The no-frills carrier was comfortable, but maximizing savings required a little more preparation than flying a major airline. Still, the lower fare was worth the extra effort.
Next time, I'd give myself more time for check-in and be prepared to pay a little more if airport lines are longer than expected.
