SAS is celebrating its 80th anniversary with special flights from Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo to New York, reviving the route of its first transatlantic service in 1946. The commemorative programme centres on the airline’s historic link between Scandinavia and the United States, using its current long-haul network to highlight a journey that now takes just under eight hours on direct services.
The anniversary traces back to 17 September 1946, when SAS’s DC-4 Dan Viking flew from Stockholm’s Bromma Airport to LaGuardia with stops in Copenhagen, Prestwick and Gander. The inaugural trip carried 28 passengers and took 25 hours. Eight decades later, SAS is framing the New York flights as a tribute to its role in connecting Scandinavia with the world and the world with Scandinavia.
The airline has also planned an anniversary reception in New York on 18 September, bringing together guests from government, diplomacy, business, culture and aviation. The event underlines SAS’s long-haul heritage and its continuing transatlantic presence from Scandinavia.