Norwegian launches summer 2019 programme with new Rio route

The low-cost carrier’s Rio-Gatwick service took off on Sunday (March 31), along with new routes to Miami and San Francisco.

Its four-times weekly service to Seattle also resumes for summer 2019.

Norwegian’s Miami and San Francisco flights replace Oakland and Fort Lauderdale.

Rio flights will operate four times weekly, departing Gatwick Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, using Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft featuring 344 seats across two cabins, economy and premium.

Fares lead in from £169.90 one-way in economy and £449 in premium.

Bjorn Kjos, Norwegian chief executive, said the route would “make travelling to South America affordable for all”.

Norwegian’s daily Miami flights and five-times weekly San Francisco flights will lead in from £175. Four-times weekly Seattle flights lead in from £185.

The addition of Rio grows Norwegian’s long-haul network at Gatwick to 14 routes, 12 to the US complemented by Rio and Buenos Aires.