A Play Airlines plane. Right: Seats on a Play Airlines flight.
Pack your bags! Canada just got a brand-new airline offering cheap flights to Europe, just in time for a summer vacation.
Low-cost carrier Play Airlines has just launched in Canada, connecting Toronto with destinations like Greece, France, Italy, Portugal and more.
The carrier's inaugural flight from Toronto to Iceland took off on June 22, 2023, from the John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport, and Narcity was invited to come along for the ride.
From what to expect on board to where you can travel this summer, here's what you need to know about the new airline.
What is Play Airlines?
Play is a budget airline that formerly operated flights only between Iceland and the rest of Europe.
The Icelandic airline was founded in 2019 in Reykjavík by executives from WOW Air, a similar low-cost airline that ceased operations in 2019.
The airline announced its service to Canada in January, allowing travellers to book cheap flights from Hamilton International Airport to 32 European destinations including London, Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen, Dublin, Brussels, Stockholm and Gothenburg.
Similarly to other low-cost carriers like Flair and Swoop, Play offers a streamlined, no-frills service without extras like Wi-Fi, entertainment or free meals, which it says allows travellers to "pay less and 'play more.'"
Instead of spending on these features, travellers are encouraged to use their travel budget on "the meaningful experiences, dining, and excursions that make a trip memorable."
What sets Play apart, however, is its service to Europe; so far, no other Canadian budget airline offers low-cost flights to Europe.
Where does Play Airlines fly from Canada?
The wing of a Play Airlines plane in flight.
Play Airlines connects Canada with 17 European countries, with flights connecting with the airline's base in Iceland.
In Canada, the airline currently only flies out of Hamilton's John C. Munro International Airport. Play says that the lower cost of operating at the airport compared to other airports in the area means that the airline can offer Canadians the lowest fares between the Toronto area and Europe.
Here's where Canadians can jet off to with Play this summer:
- Austria (Salzburg)
- Belgium (Brussels)
- Czech Republic (Prague)
- Denmark (Aalborg, Billund, Copenhagen)
- France (Paris)
- Germany (Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg)
- Greece (Athens)
- Iceland (Reykjavik)
- Ireland (Dublin)
- Italy (Bologna, Venice)
- Netherlands (Amsterdam)
- Poland (Warsaw)
- Portugal (Lisbon, Porto)
- Spain (Alicante, Barcelona, Gran Canaria, Madrid, Malaga, Mallorca, Tenerife)
- Sweden (Gothenburg, Stockholm)
- Switzerland (Geneva)
- U.K. (Glasgow, Liverpool, London)
How cheap are the flights with Play Airlines Canada?
Play Airlines' inaugural flight from Hamilton Airport.
Play Airlines offers cheaper flights from Canada to Europe than most other airlines. For instance, at the time of writing, a round-trip flight from Toronto to Paris with Play Airlines departing on July 31 and returning on August 5 would cost you $1,072, whereas the same trip with a carrier like Air Canada would cost you a minimum of $1,525.
You can also find cheap flights to Iceland from Toronto such as the one we took, with an example being $794.15 for a trip from Toronto to Reykjavik on July 15-22, with the same trip costing $1,956.86 with Air Canada.
Because Play's flights to Europe transit through Iceland, passengers have the option of adding a stopover to their flight. This means that instead of spending an hour at the airport without seeing the country, you can easily incorporate some time to explore into your trip.
What can you expect inside a Play Airlines plane?
Inside Play Airlines' inaugural flight from Hamilton.
On board, you'll find the seats pretty typical of that of a small budget carrier — with basic armrests and a small fold-out tray.
Uniquely, in front of your seat, you’ll also find a handy place to prop up your phone or tablet — a nice feature to have given that Play doesn't offer any entertainment (it's on you to provide your own).
There's an onboard menu featuring Icelandic sweets and chocolate like Freyja Ris (milk chocolate), BEAR Fruit Rolls, and traditional Icelandic chocolate, which contains toffee and sea salt, for 3-4 euros.
The menu also has a selection of drinks (pop, tea, coffee and alcoholic beverages), for 3-9 euros.
If you’re in the mood for something savoury, there's a variety of snacks available as well, with things like chicken-flavoured noodle cups, Pringles, olives and beef jerky for 3-5 euros.
And if you're hungry hungry, there are also sandwiches available for 9 euros each, including a hot ham and cheese baguette, a vegan wrap made with red peppers, carrots and cabbage, and a Margherita pizza.
While your ticket doesn't include a complimentary meal, you can get power on board — each aisle has four ports for charging devices.
Other frills you won't see on board include Wi-Fi (not even for a fee), and you'll also have to pay extra for baggage and seat selection.
Overall, the airline holds true to its promise of "no frills," but delivers pretty much all of the basics that you'll need for your flight.
Play Airlines will operate daily flights from Toronto to Iceland and Europe. To celebrate its inaugural flight, Play is offering up to 25% off fares for certain round-trip flights to Reykjavik, Amsterdam, Berlin, London, Dublin and more cities, with prices at as low as $129 until June 25, 2023.
Bon voyage!
These prices are confirmed at the time of publishing, but they can change at any time. Taxes and fees may not be included.
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.