British Airways launches new route to the ‘cheaper alternative’ to Lapland

BRITISH Airways is launching a brand-new direct service to a “cheaper alternative” to Lapland.

The UK flag carrier will launch its first-ever flight to a magical Norwegian town later this year.

The new direct service will operate between London Heathrow and Tromsø, Norway from December 1, 2024.

Twice-weekly services will operate every Thursday and Sunday until March 27, 2025.

Outbound flights will leave London Heathrow at 8.15am before arriving in Tromsø at 12.05pm local time.

Return flights from Norway will depart at 1.40pm, touching down in the UK at 4.05pm.

Tickets are already on sale for the seasonal service, with return fares starting from £153 per person.

Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ Chief Planning and Strategy Officer, said: “Those who missed the northern lights in the UK need not worry!

“We are excited to welcome Tromsø to our route network – it is a growing winter leisure market thanks to its abundance of cold-weather activities and we’ll be the only premium carrier operating there from the UK.

“We’ve optimised the schedule for three- and four-night trips, which we know are perfect for a destination like this.”

When the new route launches later this year, Tromsø will become the airline’s northernmost destination.

Operating throughout the winter, there is no shortage of wintery delights for families to sample during a yuletide visit.

What is there to do in Tromsø?

Located quite a bit further north than Finnish Lapland, Tromsø is arguably an even better place to spot the northern lights.

Several aurora tours leave from Tromsø, meaning visitors will have plenty of opportunities to go looking for the natural phenomenon.

Other wintery delights include Stortorget, the town’s main square, which plays host to Christmas markets during December.

Santa’s reindeer can also be visited on a winter safari and can even take you and your family for a sledding trip through the nearby arctic landscapes.

Huskies are also more than happy to take people out for a sledding trip as well, with northern lights tours also available with the animals.

They aren’t the only animals that can be seen around the town, with whale-watching another popular activity for visitors.

Pods of orcas and humpbacks can frequently be seen in the waters around the city, particularly between November and February.

Tromsø has been previously described as a budget-friendly alternative to Lapland by The Times.

They wrote: “A three-night trip to Lapland could easily cost £7,500 for the five of you, so it’s understandable that you balked at the cost.

“Head instead to Tromsø in northern Norway, a winter wonderland 215 miles north of the Arctic Circle, where you can put together an activity-filled trip of husky sledding, snowmobiling and reindeer-feeding.”

There are plenty of other new flight routes launching throughout the UK this year.

The latest new routes

British Airways announced that it would be launching two new flights from a small UK airport this summer.

The flights launched from Southampton Airport over the weekend, with Brits now being able to fly to Bergerac and Majorca.

Budget airline Norse Atlantic Airways is launching new transatlantic flights from London Gatwick to Las Vegas.

It is the first time the London airport will have flights to the US city.

The airline also confirmed new routes from London Gatwick to Cape Town this winter.

EasyJet has launched new flights from Glasgow Airport to Larnaca in Cyprus and Enfidha in Tunisia.

And new airline Lufthansa City Airlines, launched by German flag carrier Lufthansa, will have flights between Birmingham and Munich from June.