The Final Flight of PLAY to the United States
On October 24, the Icelandic low-cost airline PLAY will embark on its last journey to the United States. This final flight will be from Keflavik to Baltimore, a route that marked the airline’s first US service in April 2022. For many, this is a bittersweet moment as it marks the end of an era for a carrier that once offered affordable travel between Europe and North America.
PLAY has cited the US market as expensive and unprofitable, primarily due to high competition and seasonal fluctuations. The airline also faced challenges with overcapacity, which led to lower yields than expected. As part of a broader strategic shift, PLAY is moving away from connecting passengers between North America and Europe. Instead, it will focus on leisure-driven point-to-point routes in Southern Europe, where it believes the market performs better.
In addition to this focus, PLAY plans to expand its leasing operations and leverage its Maltese air operator’s certificate to explore new opportunities, either independently or in partnership with other airlines.
Gradual Exit from the US Market
The airline’s decision to leave the US market was not sudden. Over the past few years, PLAY has been gradually reducing its presence. Flights between Keflavik and Washington Dulles ended in December 2024. While these two airports serve different regions, some may find it unusual that a small airline would choose to operate between them.
Flights to Stewart Airport, a less congested option near New York City, ceased in September 2025. With this, Stewart no longer offers any flights to Europe. PLAY had previously competed with Icelandair for routes to New York JFK and Newark, as well as Delta to JFK and United to Newark.
In September 2025, PLAY also stopped flying to Boston. Despite this, Boston’s overall European traffic has seen significant growth in the past year. It had been in direct competition with Icelandair, and according to Cirium Diio, Boston had more seats and flights in 2025 than any of PLAY’s other US routes.
Only One Route Remains
At this point, only the Keflavik to Baltimore route remains. PLAY operates this route five times a week, with daily services on the 174-seat or 180-seat Airbus A320neo. The schedule is designed to facilitate connections across wider Europe, which explains the early arrival time of 04:55.
PLAY directly competes with Icelandair, which currently operates daily flights on the 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9. Icelandair benefits from a codeshare agreement with Southwest, which will allow it to serve Baltimore twice daily next summer. In addition, Icelandair will continue to operate two daily flights to Dulles during peak summer months. This will be the first time the airline has four daily departures to the DC area.
The flight schedule includes departures from Keflavik at 16:50 (Dulles), 17:00 (Baltimore), 20:05 (Baltimore), and 20:05 (Dulles). Return flights will leave at 06:25 (Baltimore), 06:25 (Dulles), 09:25 (Baltimore), and 09:25 (Dulles). These similar timings are designed to enhance connectivity to and from wider Europe.
PLAY’s Exit from Canada
PLAY’s service to Canada was limited and often overlooked. Instead of targeting major hubs like Toronto Pearson, the airline chose Hamilton, a smaller and less congested airport. The route operated between June 2023 and April 2025, providing Hamilton with its only European passenger service, though other carriers had previously served the city.
Booking data indicates that PLAY carried approximately 155,000 round-trip passengers. Surprisingly, most travelers used the route to go to or from Iceland rather than other destinations. Among those who did transit, Dublin was the most popular city. With PLAY’s full exit from the North American market, it will no longer operate flights to Dublin and several other northern European cities.
