New direct route to New York from Göteborg Landvetter with SAS

SAS - Scandinavian Airlines is expanding its network of routes and enhancing connectivity between North America and western Sweden and will launch a new direct route to New York from Gothenburg in April 2023. The route will be served three times a week with the new Airbus 321 Long Range aircraft.

People will be able to fly non-stop between western Sweden and the US this spring for the first time. SAS is expanding operations at Göteborg Landvetter Airport and enhancing connectivity with North America by adding sought-after service to New York, with three weekly departures.

There are strong ties between Sweden and the US, and New York has long been high up on the Gothenburg region’s wish list of new direct routes from Göteborg Landvetter. Non-stop service to the US will mean shorter travel times and improve business opportunities with the US, which already today is the Gothenburg region’s largest export market. There are around 200 American-owned companies in the region, and there was a steady increase in the number of tourists from the US for a number of years before the Covid pandemic. The trend is once again on the rise, and the US is the fourth largest international market in the West Götaland region. According to the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth, more than 150,000 American guest-nights were recorded during the period January-October 2022.

“There is good demand for SAS’s new route to one of the world’s most popular destinations, and this is fantastic news for the region. It is validation of the long-term work that we at Swedavia have carried out together with the hospitality industry and the business community for many years. The route improves connectivity with North America and is an important addition to Göteborg Landvetter’s existing range of routes,” says Elizabeth Axtelius, Director of Aviation Business at Swedavia. “The US is one of our biggest trade partners and an important market for cargo and incoming tourism as well as an attractive destination for Swedes.”

Before the pandemic, there was a good mix in demand from business and leisure travellers as well as between Swedish and American passengers. The majority of people flew as tourists or to visit relatives and friends.

“As part of SAS’ strategy to strengthen the regional offering in Scandinavia, we are pleased to add intercontinental routes from Gothenburg and Aalborg. We see a demand from secondary cities and are delighted to connect even more parts of the world. The Airbus A321 Long Range is a slightly smaller long-distance aircraft and perfect in size for servicing the regional market. Having a comfortable way of traveling with fewer stops to exciting cities such as New York, is something we believe will be highly valued by our travelers,” says Erik Westman, EVP & CCO, Network and Revenue management at SAS.

Through the GOT Connect project, Swedavia works together with Business Region Göteborg, Göteborg & Co, the West Sweden Tourist Board, the marketing company Visit Sweden and the West Sweden Chamber of Commerce for better connectivity to Gothenburg and western Sweden.

"The establishment of this new connection proves West Sweden's strong attractiveness as a region where you can do business, investments and establishments. It will be easier for our West Swedish companies to reach a global market at the same time as the world's eyes are opened to the opportunities in our region. Western Sweden is already the driving force in Sweden's economy and the new non-stop route will have a direct impact on continued positive growth. The effects will also be visible in the hospitality industry, where Gothenburg and Western Sweden already have a strong position", says Johan Trouvé, CEO of the West Sweden Chamber of Commerce.

Beginning April 28, SAS will serve the Göteborg Landvetter Airport (GOT) – Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) route three times a week with modern Airbus 321LR aircraft. GOT-EWR will have service on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays while EWR-GOT will have service on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Newark Liberty International Airport is located just 22 km from Manhattan and offers the fastest ground transfers to many parts of the city, including AirTrain service to New York Penn Station in midtown Manhattan, with a travel time of less than 30 minutes.

SAS - Scandinavian Airlines is a Star Alliance member. By taking connecting flights with other members of the alliance, Swedish travellers have access to a range of destinations offered by partner airlines and can easily continue on to other parts of North America. The new A321LR is part of SAS’s ongoing rejuvenation of its aircraft fleet and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions compared to earlier generations of similar aircraft.

Elsewhere in North America, SAS also flies non-stop to New York (EWR) from Stockholm Arlanda and to Chicago (ORD), Miami (MIA) and Toronto (YYZ).

Swedavia’s work towards net zero aviation
Swedavia has carried out ambitious climate work for many years. All ten of its airports achieved the goal of zero fossil carbon dioxide emissions from their own operations by year-end 2020. Swedavia also works actively to promote the switch to sustainable aviation fuel and has the goal that five per cent of all fuel used for refuelling at Swedish airports shall be fossil-free by 2025. Swedavia’s climate transition work and pioneering work to operate climate-smart airports have won international awards, and in 2021 the trade organisation Airports Council International (ACI) named Stockholm Arlanda Airport Eco-Innovation Airport of the Year. Swedavia offers all travellers flying from one of its airports the option of buying biofuel for their entire journey or parts of it via flygreenfund.se/swedavia.

For further information, please contact Swedavia’s press office at tel. +46 (0)10-109 00 00 or press@swedavia.se.