SAS Prioritizes Copenhagen Hub Growth

Following the announcement of resuming flights to Seattle next May, SAS will add 14 new routes from Copenhagen, primarily targeting short-haul European leisure destinations. The airline will also increase frequencies on 15 existing routes.

SAS says it will continue offering “robust services” from Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL) and Stockholm Arlanda Airport (ARN), its other two hubs. Operations at OSL will include up to 125 daily departures to more than 60 destinations, while ARN will maintain over 70 routes with 120 daily departures.

Additionally, SAS plans to launch a new seasonal route between Oslo and New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), marking the first time the route will be served in more than 30 years. Daily flights are scheduled to begin on March 30, 2025, using Airbus A321LR aircraft, complementing the existing Newark service operated with A330-300s. The airline has also signed a wet-lease agreement with Braathens Regional Airlines (BRA) to provide domestic feed to ARN.

“Following new ownership and the successful completion of our restructuring, SAS is emerging as a competitive and financially strong airline,” SAS CEO Anko van der Werff says. “By enhancing Copenhagen as our main hub and expanding our network, we are boosting connectivity and driving economic growth not only in Denmark but across Scandinavia. As we focus on building a global hub in Scandinavia, Copenhagen will become a central gateway, bringing the region even closer together.”

The new routes being added from CPH will connect the Danish capital with Billund, Denmark; Bodø, Harstad/Narvik and Kristiansand, Norway; Budapest, Hungary; Bucharest, Romania; Krakow, Poland; Lyon, France; Madrid, Seville and Valencia, Spain; Malta; Milan Linate, Italy; and Turku, Finland. Analysis of OAG Schedules Analyser data shows that seven of the routes were served by other carriers during the summer 2024 season.

“Copenhagen’s attractive location in continental Europe allows for efficient same-day travel across Northern, Central and Western Europe,” SAS says in a statement. “The hub will also serve as a key transit point for long-haul travel, connecting Europe with North America and Asia.”

In late August, SAS exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. and Swedish company reorganization through a $1.2 billion exit financing transaction from a consortium of new owners, including Air France-KLM, Castlelake, Lind Invest and the Danish state. The airline left Star Alliance and joined SkyTeam on Sept. 1, and has already signed codeshare agreements with new SkyTeam partners Air France, KLM and Delta Air Lines.

SAS is the largest operator from both CPH and ARN, with a 34.9% and a 37.5% seat capacity share, respectively, in September 2024, as well as being the second-largest airline operating out of OSL with a 34.5% share, behind Norwegian on 40.1%. About 19% of SAS’ total seat capacity is deployed from CPH, according to OAG data, making it the largest of the three hubs. OSL ranks second with 17.3%, and ARN third on 16%.