A new low-cost airline has launched flights between London Stansted and Boston, Massachusetts for under £200 one-way.
This is the second flight route from Icelandic carrier Play, whose inaugural UK-US flights started up in April, jetting between London and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall.
The first Boston service took off on 11 May.
Neither route is direct – both fly via the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik.
The London-Boston flight takes 11 hours and will operate four times a week, costing from £199.
More expansion is planned for the coming months: flights from Stansted to New York Stewart International are set to be added in June; Stansted to Orlando International will follow in September; and Liverpool to Orlando joins the network from November.
Fares for the New York service start from £159 one-way, with the route operating four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Located 60 miles north of Manhattan, New York Stewart airport is further away from the city than better-known NY airports JFK and Newark.
However, the airline claims travellers can be in the Big Apple in an hour “thanks to the time saved getting through airport customs, compared to the much lengthier processes at JFK and Newark”.
The airline also plans to double the size of its three-strong fleet of A320 neo aircraft by the summer.
Play reported its strongest bookings in recent weeks, recording 37,000 passengers in April, up a 54 per cent from March.
CEO Birgir Jonsson said: “Around the world, tourists and holidaymakers are fuelling an international travel comeback.
“Expanding our flights to Boston will support European travellers looking for budget-friendly access to the North East States, allowing them to pay less for their flights and more on the fun activities and excursions that make the trip memorable.
“As we continue to grow our presence in the US, we look forward to providing travellers with a no-frills approach to travel, where they can expect reliable yet affordable service from Play.”
