Budget Airline PLAY Stops All U.S. Flights, Ends Boston Logan Service September 15

The budget airline PLAY will end its U.S. operations by October 2025. Boston Logan flights end first, finishing up mid-September. They're moving away from American routes to focus on sunny destinations in Europe.

"This is primarily a plan for practical changes to the operations of the Icelandic airline PLAY. We're focusing on the profitable aspects of the business—sun destination flights—and discontinuing those that have not yielded results," said CEO Einar Örn Ólafsson to Ground News.

The last three North American routes will close in steps: New York Stewart ends September 1, Boston Logan follows on September 15, and Baltimore/Washington finishes October 24.

While four planes will keep flying European routes, six aircraft will be leased to other airlines. Meanwhile, major investors want to take the company private by purchasing outstanding shares.

This ends a short American venture that began in April 2022 with the first landing in Baltimore. At its height, PLAY connected to five locations across North America, including flights to Washington Dulles and Ontario's Hamilton airport.

The airline started in 2021, created by former WOW Air executives who saw an opportunity after their previous company folded. They hoped to continue WOW's legacy, offering budget flights across the Atlantic.

"We look forward to continuing to foster competition in the aviation market with our red aircraft and Icelandic crews. Our main goal remains to offer Icelanders affordable flights to the sun," Ólafsson stated.

Their goal of flying a million passengers yearly across the Atlantic hit hard reality. Post-Covid travel changes and difficult market conditions forced them to abandon long-haul flights for shorter European trips.