UK airports get 3 new routes to top winter city breaks with £2 beers, the world’s happiest people and pods of dolphins

NORWEGIAN has launched three new routes to destinations in Europe from two UK airports.

London Gatwick Airport and Newcastle International Airport will benefit from the new routes when they take to the skies in the spring.

A new route will operate from London Gatwick to Ålesund - a port town in Norway that's known for its connections to the Norwegian Fjords.

The thrice-weekly service will operate every Monday, Friday and Saturday, with Sun Online Travel finding one-way fares from £55 per person.

One of Ålesund's main attractions is its where visitors can spot pods of dolphins and the occasional whale.

London Gatwick will also get another new service to Riga, the capital of Latvia.

Even though Air Baltic and British Airways already operate direct routes to Riga, the new Norwegian service is a welcome addition to the airline's flight roster.

Riga has been previously named one of the cheapest weekend city breaks in Europe thanks to its low prices.

For example, pints in the city cost as little as €2 (£1.70).

Hotels in the city are fairly affordable too, with some places available online from £27 per night.

It's home to the world’s largest food market and is renowned for its food scene, alongside eclectic architecture and lush green spaces.

Sun Online Travel have found direct flights from £49.90.

Newcastle International Airport will also benefit from a new route.

The twice-weekly service from Newcastle International Airport to Copenhagen will start operating in May.

Sun Online Travel have found economy fares from £48, with flights operating every Monday and Friday.

Copenhagen is consistently ranked as one of the happiest cities in the world.

Home to stylish streets, mouthwatering food markets and a unique theme park that's slap bang in the middle of the city, it's no wonder that tourists are drawn to Copenhagen.

Earlier this year, the regional Airport was named one of the best in the world at an award ceremony in Bahrain, and it was crowned the 'Overall Winner' at the Routes World Awards 2024.

It also retained its title of 'Airport of the Year' in the under 5 million passengers category for the second year running.

In the last few months, Newcastle International Airport has added several new routes, with the 16 airlines flying to 80 destinations.

Magnus Thome Maursund, commercial director at Norwegian, said: "From the UK, we are introducing direct routes to vibrant European cities.

"As the summer months are a busy travel period, we encourage customers to plan and book their holidays early to secure seats."

Norwegian Airlines currently operates 21 routes from the UK to 15 destinations in five countries.

The Low-cost airline easyJet is launching a new route between London Gatwick and Rimini, with flights to start operating in April.

Meanwhile, Jet2 is poised to launch a new base at London Luton Airport.