On February 9th, SAS launched Copenhagen to New York JFK, the first time in 33 years that it has served the airport pair. Then, it was by the 767-300ER and 767-200ER. Now, it is by the A321LR in winter and A330-300 in summer, nicely demonstrating aircraft upgauging and downgauging by season to protect loads, load factors, fares, and yields. SAS will also make history in April by beginning Aalborg and Gothenburg to Newark.

SAS begins JFK

While timings vary somewhat, the following shows the winter and summer schedule, with all times local. The A321LR will operate from February 9th until March 29th, after which the A330-300 will take over for the summer before reverting to the LR on October 28th. SAS uses Terminal 7 at JFK.

• Copenhagen to JFK: winter, SK919: 18:25-21:30 (9h 5m block); five weekly A321LR
• JFK to Copenhagen: winter, SK920: 23:00-12:55 (+1) (7h 55m)
• Copenhagen to JFK: summer, SK919: 19:20-22:00 (8h 40m); daily A330
• JFK to Copenhagen: summer, SK920: 23:55-13:45 (+1) (7h 50m)

Click here for JFK-Copenhagen flights.

Not surprisingly, Copenhagen-JFK was Denmark's largest US market on a point-to-point basis in 2019, according to booking data, yet ~40% of passengers flew via a hub. SAS is head-to-head with Delta, which resumed JFK-Copenhagen last May, having ended it in September 2019. It resumes from JFK on April 2nd with a daily 767-300ER operation.

Photo: Airbus.

SAS's premium heavy LRs

With only 157 seats, SAS's A321LRs are fairly premium-heavy, precisely what is needed for long-haul narrowbody service to offset the higher seat-mile costs. They have 22 fully flat seats in SAS Business, 12 seats in SAS Plus (premium economy), and 123 in SAS Go (economy). It is unusual to see a premium economy on long-haul narrowbodies.

Unlike widebodies, long-haul narrowbodies mean far lower trip costs, reducing expenses and risk, while far fewer passengers are required to break even at a specified load factor. They work best in sufficiently premium markets.

Photo: The Global Guy | Shutterstock.

Six Newark/JFK routes

Because of fellow Star Alliance member United, SAS's primary US gateway is Newark. This summer, it has up to six daily Newark/JFK flights, its highest-ever number – for now, anyway. They encompass six routes: Aalborg, Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Oslo, and Stockholm to Newark, together with Copenhagen to JFK. It means that SAS has up to 12 daily USA flights this summer, exceeding its previous record.

In a week in mid-July, SAS's Newark/JFK operation is as follows:

• Copenhagen to Newark: double daily (daily A321LR, daily A350-900)
• Copenhagen to JFK: daily (A330-300)
• Stockholm to Newark: daily (A330-300)
• Oslo to Newark: daily (A330-300)
• Aalborg to Newark: thrice weekly (A321LR)
• Gothenburg to Newark: thrice weekly (A321LR)

Click here for Newark-Stockholm flights.

Image: GCMap.

Up to six daily JFK/Newark flights

On July 11th, for example, SAS's departures from JFK/Newark are as follows:

• 17:20: SK904; Newark to Stockholm (A330-300)
• 17:35: SK910; Newark to Copenhagen (A350-900)
• 18:55: SK908; Newark to Oslo (A330-300)
• 23:30: SK918; Newark to Gothenburg (A321LR)
• 23:30: SK902; Newark to Copenhagen (A321LR)
• 23:35: SK920; JFK to Copenhagen (A321LR)

Click here for Newark-Oslo flights.

What do you make of it all? Let us know in the comments.