WOW Air Expands US Network in Midwest

WOW Air is expanding its fast-growing U.S. network with the addition of four new Midwest destinations.

The Icelandic low-cost carrier announced Wednesday that it will begin offering trans-Atlantic service to Iceland from Detroit, Cleveland, Cincinnati and St. Louis in 2018.

Available four days per week from each city beginning next spring, one-way flights to WOW Air's hub at Keflavik International Airport will start at approximately $100, with connecting flights to the carrier's other European destinations starting at $150.

Travelers can purchase tickets starting Wednesday.

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Flights from Detroit Metropolitan Airport will begin April 26, while service from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport will start May 4. WOW Air's new routes from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport will be offered from May 10 and service from St. Louis Lambert International Airport kicks off May 17.

The carrier will operate the new flights with single-aisle Airbus A321 aircraft.

"We’re very excited about these cities," WOW Air founder and CEO Skúli Mogensen told USA Today. "We like the region. We think there’s opportunity there. We think it’s underserved."

Mogensen said WOW Air is optimistic that its inexpensive fares will inspire more travelers to consider Iceland and Europe, ultimately boosting demand for service from the Midwest and elsewhere.

WOW Air began service from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport earlier this year and will soon operate flights from as many as a dozen U.S. destinations.

READ MORE: Wow Air to Launch Tel Aviv Service

In addition to Reykjavik, WOW Air's new routes will open the new Midwest markets up to a handful of coveted European destinations, including Berlin, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Dublin, Paris and London.  

As TravelPulse's Mia Taylor reports, the increased competition on trans-Atlantic routes created by WOW Air's low fares is putting pressure on U.S. airlines.

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