American Flew to Italy With Cheap Airlines: Norse Atlantic, EasyJet

At the time of my trip, my Economy Light ticket only included a personal item, so I had to pay extra to bring another bag.

I’d planned to bring my smaller suitcase onto the plane, but it came in over the 22-pound carry-on weight limit. I had to pay $75 to check it into the cargo hold.

Fortunately, Economy Light tickets now include a personal item and carry-on, making it an even better deal. Next time, I’ll definitely pack lighter and take advantage of that.

Boarding my overnight flight in Orlando, I was surprised to see that the plane was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. (Turns out, this is exclusively what Norse Atlantic flies.)

After years of flying in paper-thin seats on other discount carriers, I expected a scaled-back cabin with extremely limited legroom and undersized tray tables.

Instead, I was met with plush reclining seats and the type of ample storage normally reserved for higher-priced airlines.

I hadn’t expected to have conveniences like an entertainment screen or charging ports on board, so I was pleasantly surprised.

As a relatively average height person at 5’7″, I felt relatively comfortable — or as comfortable as I can feel in coach.

Norse also offers a more expensive premium seating option for those seeking more space, but I was content with my seat.

One thing that did make Norse feel like a budget airline was the reminder that food and drinks were not included in my ticket price.

Instead, I had an in-flight menu with a decent array of options, from fries to pasta dishes, that were available for purchase.

However, as my flight didn’t depart until nearly 9 p.m., I had already eaten dinner and didn’t sample any of the onboard cuisine.

When I arrived at London Gatwick, the airport was evacuated due to a bomb scare. Once the airport reopened, I was unable to locate my checked bag, which was misplaced during this crisis, and I had to continue on to Italy without it.

Losing your clothing and belongings in another country is a stressful experience, but I felt calmer once I emailed Norse’s customer support for help. My communications with airline representatives were swift and attentive.

Soon, Norse located my bag and had it shipped directly to my house in Orlando. This attention to detail allowed me to enjoy my vacation despite the mishap.

I was even more impressed by Norse after I hopped on an easyJet plane for the second leg of my journey, which would take me from London to Venice.

To me, this made the difference in quality between Norse Atlantic and some of its other budget competitors even more obvious.

To be fair, this flight was only two hours compared to the Norse one, which was four times as long. It also wasn’t transatlantic.

Still, easyJet’s seats were stiff and not nearly as comfortable. I’m not sure I would’ve wanted to stay in them any longer than I did.

The plane didn’t seem to have many frills, and our seatbacks didn’t have screens with onboard entertainment options.

All in all, my experience on easyJet reminded me of flying with American discount carriers, like Spirit. Even so, the flight was cheap and got me to my destination right on time.

I had a decent experience with both airlines, but Norse Atlantic especially blew me away with its comfy seats and amenities on my transatlantic route.

Although my flight was cheap, my experience felt anything but.

It’s definitely easier to handle a long plane ride when you’re comfortable, and I appreciated the onboard entertainment and comfy seats.

Honestly, even if my travel experience wasn’t great, I still think the bargain price I paid for a transatlantic flight ($196) would’ve made the journey well worthwhile.

Prices vary, but I’ve generally found that Norse Atlantic flights from Orlando to London tend to be hundreds of dollars cheaper than direct flights from other airlines.

Based on those numbers and my great experience, I’m now likely to fly with this airline time and time again.