[Expired] PLAY Announces $241 Return Fares With New Toronto-Hamilton to Iceland Service

Update:The offer mentioned below has expired and is no longer available. It was only a matter of time before PLAY launched flights to Canada and that time is 2023. The Icelandic low-cost start-up will depart for Toronto-Hamilton Airport (YHM) this summer. “I have been eagerly anticipating the launch of ticket sales for flights to Canada, as it will be a major market for us at PLAY,” said Birgir Jónsson, CEO at PLAY. “Our services in North America have been met with great success, and I am excited to be able to offer more people the opportunity to travel between North America, Iceland, and Europe at affordable prices.” This is exciting news for Canadians and Europeans alike. Let’s take a look.

PLAY Expands Network Into Canada

PLAY is taking advantage of the tailwind of 2022’s success and launching its first route to Canada from its Keflavik (KEF) hub in Iceland with the inaugural service to Hamilton taking wing on June 22, 2023. Hamilton is around an hour’s drive southwest of Toronto, so factor in ground transportation costs if you’re planning on making the most of PLAY’s low-cost fares from Canada to Europe via Iceland or vice versa. Hot Tip: Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital, is awash with an array of accommodation types. To kick off your research, take a look at what it’s like to stay at the Sand Hotel by Mr & Mrs Smith.  Operating to Hamilton rather than Toronto’s main international airport Toronto-Pearson (YYZ) means PLAY’s operating costs are significantly lower, which results in the airline being able to offer such excellent low fares. The service will operate year-round on a daily basis with the following schedule:

• Depart Hamilton (YHM) 6:35 p.m. — Arrive Keflavik (KEF) 4:20 a.m. (+1)
• Depart Keflavik (KEF) 2:50 p.m. — Arrive Hamilton (YHM) 5:10 p.m.  

For a limited time only, PLAY is offering introductory return fares of just $241 from Hamilton to Keflavik! As is standard practice with low-cost airlines such as PLAY, the fares do not include a checked bag. Still, it’s still a real bargain when comparing PLAY’s fares to the $500+ fare you’d pay to fly with Icelandair, the only other nonstop service.

Final Thoughts

In 2022, PLAY proved that it is possible for the low-cost transatlantic market to be profitable. And with that, it’s adding a new route and new country into the mix for 2023. Hamilton is the fifth North American airport to benefit from PLAY’s low-cost fares to Europe and we have a funny feeling that there could be more additions coming soon.