New Route of the Day (12 April 2025): PLAY between Reykjavik and Faro
Icelandic LCC PLAY commenced flights between Reykjavik and Faro in Portugal on Saturday 12 April. The 3,160-kilometre service will run 2-weekly, on Wednesdays and Saturdays with the A320neo aircraft. It becomes the sole operator between the two cities.
Flight OG454 departs Reykjavik at 15:00 local time, arriving in Faro at 20:45. The return service, operating as flight OG455, takes off from the Portuguese airport at 21:45 local time, touching back down at Keflavik Airport at 01:40 the following morning.
What they said
Einar Orn Olafsson, CEO of PLAY, said: “With the addition of Faro to our growing network, we are excited to offer more opportunities for travellers to affordably explore the world. This new route reflects our commitment to connecting North America and Europe through Iceland, providing our passengers with exceptional service and unforgettable experiences.”
PLAY shifts focus from transatlantic to leisure traffic
During the first half of 2025, PLAY has 425,000 one-way seats, down 10% compared to the prior year.
Its scheduled network consists of 37 destinations in 18 countries. Reflecting its changing network strategy, the carrier is shifting focus from transatlantic operations to seasonal European leisure routes. Apart from Faro, it is launching Antalya flights on 15 April (weekly) and Pula on 2 June (weekly).
Five of the six routes introduced in 2024 remain served: Funchal, Marrakech, Split, Vilnius and Verona. The exception is the short-lived Cardiff. Having last been served in 2023, it will return to the Danish city of Aalborg on 7 June (2-weekly).
PLAY’s sole Canadian route (Hamilton) will end in April. This builds on the cessation of Washington IAD in December 2024. It leaves three North American routes: Baltimore, Boston and New York SWF.
PLAY launched operations in June 2021, following the end of WOW Air. The carrier has since prioritised growth but has recently switched to a greater emphasis on financial results, with traffic and the type of traffic changing.
