The transatlantic market between Scandinavia and the U.S. will see growth of more than 3% this summer, helped by the addition of three new routes.
According to analysis of OAG Schedules Analyser data for the summer 2025 season, capacity between the U.S. and the Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Sweden and Norway will total around 1.45 million two-way seats.
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) now operates 12 routes—up from 10 during summer 2024—following the reinstatement of service between Oslo and New York John F. Kennedy International Airport in March and the launch of a new route from Copenhagen to Seattle on May 21. Both additions are part of SAS’s evolving strategy following its entry into the SkyTeam alliance and strategic partnership with Delta Air Lines.
The 5X-weekly route to Seattle, returning to the network after a 15-year absence, aligns with Delta’s growing presence at SEA, the U.S. carrier’s largest West Coast hub. The service also taps into strong VFR demand from Washington state’s Scandinavian-American population, estimated at about 740,000.
Data provided by SAS indicates the airline will offer more than 567,000 seats from Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm to U.S. destinations this summer, representing a 5.9% increase year-over-year.
Delta is also expanding its transatlantic footprint in the region, increasing capacity by nearly 30% to 198,492 seats. The airline now operates routes from New York-JFK to both Copenhagen and Stockholm and has added a new link from Minneapolis–St. Paul to Copenhagen.
However, not all carriers are increasing capacity. Norse Atlantic Airways has exited the Oslo–Los Angeles market and reduced its overall U.S. capacity by 60%, offering just 32,804 seats this summer. American Airlines, which serves a single route between Copenhagen and Philadelphia, has trimmed capacity by 10%, while United Airlines has made a smaller cut of 1.2%.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to correct inaccuracies in previously published summer 2024 data sourced from OAG Schedules Analyser. A prior version reported a significant decline in Scandinavia–U.S. capacity. The revised figures reflect summer 2024 data provided by SAS.
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