With just 18 days remaining until the draw for next year’s football World Cup, travel-savvy Norwegians are already making their arrangements, eagerly dialing up airlines to secure their spots.
– We’ve seen an extraordinary surge in ticket bookings from Norwegians planning to attend the World Cup in the USA, particularly to New York, said Øystein Schmidt, communications manager for SAS, in an email to E24.
On Sunday evening, Norway’s men’s national soccer team secured their own World Cup berth by defeating Italy 4-1 in Milan. The tournament, set to take place next summer, will be co-hosted by Mexico, the USA, and Canada—a fact likely driving the uptick in interest.
– We’ve particularly noticed a rise in bookings for flights between June 9 and 12, which makes perfect sense given that the championship kicks off on June 11. Interest spiked significantly after last week’s game against Estonia and has soared again following our spectacular win over Italy, Schmidt observed.
The airline is already contemplating adding extra flights should demand continue to escalate, he added.
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Currently, SAS services 11 airports across the USA and Canada. The airline also hinted at upcoming routes to Mexico, generating additional excitement among fans.
– We can confirm that announcements regarding new flights to both Mexico and Canada will be made soon, Schmidt noted.
Norse Atlantic, which specializes in long-haul flights to the USA, is already reporting an uptick in interest.
– We’re seeing increased searches for flights to the World Cup from Europe. We anticipate a rush of bookings following the group draws in December, and we advise Norwegian football fans to book their tickets early, remarked Bård Nordhagen, communications manager for Norse Atlantic, in an email on Monday evening.
Norse Atlantic currently operates flights from Paris, Rome, Athens, and London to the USA this summer.
– While we have not yet considered direct flights from Oslo, we are mindful of the semifinals and final dates, Nordhagen added.
