Budget airline Play will reduce U.S. service

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Play said it will begin eliminating U.S. destinations in mid-2025.
Play said it will begin eliminating U.S. destinations in mid-2025. Photo Credit: Play

Discount Icelandic carrier Play plans to decrease service to North America and northern Europe, focusing on better-performing routes to southern Europe.

With the change, Play will also de-emphasize connecting service between North America and Europe via Reykjavik.

Play said that capacity adjustments are already underway and that it will begin eliminating U.S. and northern European destinations in mid-2025. It did not specify which destinations will be cut.

"The  yields on the hub-and-spoke part of the business across the Atlantic has been disappointing, particularly in 2024," Play said in a announcement. "The North American market has changed substantially recently with a general increase in supply, with a negative effect on Play's financial results."

Play began operations in 2021 and launched U.S. service in April 2022. This month, Play is operating at least weekly service to 30 destinations. Play's U.S. destinations are Baltimore, Washington Dulles, Boston and New York Stewart (about 70 miles north of Manhattan). Play also flies to Toronto. 

Play is flying 86 total frequencies from the U.S. this month following a mid-summer peak of 124, Cirium flights schedule data shows.

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