Both routes will operate year-round from Gatwick, with Chicago starting on March 25 and Austin two days later.
Austin fares will start at £239 one-way, with Premium cabin rates from £579. Flights will operate on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with a 10.00 departure from Gatwick. British Airways began flying to Austin in 2014 and quickly upgraded to a larger aircraft due to demand. Currently, BA has a European monopoly on services to the Texan city, which is popular for its music scene and stages the South by Southwest festival.
Chicago will operate on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, again with a 10.00 departure from Gatwick. Single fares will start at £179, with Premium seats at £499. Chicago’s O’Hare airport is a hub for American Airlines and United Airlines.
The announcements come only a week after Norwegian revealed plans to fly to Buenos Aires, a city to which BA has enjoyed a monopoly for many years. They also mark Norwegian’s third year of operating long-haul flights from Gatwick.
With the latest additions, the carrier will offer 13 long-haul routes from the airport.
Bjorn Kjos, Norwegian chief executive said: “Once again we have put the UK at the heart of our ambitious expansion plans, with affordable fares to another two exciting US destinations. As America’s third biggest city, Chicago is a perfect addition to our growing networks while Austin has also become a major hub for leisure and business travel, so we are delighted to offer passengers more choice and lower fares to these vibrant cities.”
Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate added: “These new flights are yet more proof that the low cost long-haul revolution is here to stay as Norwegian and Gatwick’s long-haul networks reach into all four corners of the globe.”
Norwegian also announced new routes from Paris to Boston and Oakland, as well as increased frequencies on existing routes from Paris to New York and Los Angeles.
