Remember last year when those $99 flights from the U.S. to Europe surfaced? Well, WOW Air is at it again.
The no-frills Icelandic airline will begin offering $99 one-way flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Reykjavik and $199 one-way flights to pretty much anywhere in Europe—London, Paris, Berlin and 18 other destinations—beginning June 9 from SFO and June 15 from LAX.
Of course, as with any insanely cheap flight, there are a few “buts.” Just know that WOW flights lack any in-flight entertainment, so you’ll have to keep yourself busy the old fashioned way. Also, there are no free meals, but you can easily purchase a $6 bag of peanuts from the duty-free in the air.
Also, some fees can quickly rack up your ticket price. Though the flight allows one free carry-on (so long as it’s under 11 pounds), WOW Air charges $67 per checked bag, larger carry-ons $48, and $10 for a seat reservation. Needless to say, you should definitely assess your travel necessities before booking because a $99 ticket plus a seat reservation for extra legroom, a checked bag and a large carry-on already exceeds $250.
WOW started offering $99 fares from Boston and Baltimore to Iceland last year with great
success. Maybe the latest move to California can start some more price wars among airlines.
Tom is a travel writer, part-time hitchhiker, and he’s currently trying to imitate Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? but with more sunscreen and jorts.