Press release -
Norwegian Group ends record summer with 2.8 million passengers in August
In August, Norwegian had 2,420,727 passengers, marking the end of a record peak season. This is particularly true for Widerøe, which set a new passenger record in each of the summer months. Widerøe’s August passenger numbers were 366,216, bringing the group total to 2,786,943. Norwegian will announce the summer programme for 2026 later this month.
“August was a strong conclusion to a record summer, demonstrating that our preparations for the peak season were successful. Our network was well adapted to demand, and we further strengthened our product offering for our customers. In addition, August saw solid punctuality and very high regularity for both Norwegian and Widerøe,” said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian.
Norwegian’s capacity (ASK) in August was 3,979 million seat kilometres, up 2 percent from last year. Actual passenger traffic (RPK) for Norwegian was 3,420 million seat kilometres, an increase of 2 percent. The load factor was 86 percent, up 0.2 percentage points. Norwegian operated an average of 91 aircraft during August.
Widerøe’s capacity (ASK) in August was 193 million seat kilometres, down 0.3 percent from last year. The actual passenger traffic (RPK) for Widerøe was 150 million seat kilometres, while the load factor was 77.5 percent, up 1.1 percentage points.
Norwegian and Widerøe’s punctuality, defined as the share of flights departing within 15 minutes of scheduled time, was 81.2 percent and 91.8 percent respectively. Regularity, measured by the share of scheduled flights taking place, was 99.7 percent for Norwegian and 98.6 percent for Widerøe.
Summer programme 2026
Norwegian’s summer programme for 2026 will be announced on 10 September, featuring destinations in more than 35 countries across Europe and beyond.
“Next summer we will offer more than 300 routes to over 120 destinations, giving our customers a wide choice of travel opportunities. Forward bookings remain solid, and we look forward to a busy autumn. Those planning to travel during the autumn school holidays should book soon, as demand is picking up,” said Geir Karlsen.
During the summer months, Norwegian took delivery of six brand new Boeing 737 MAX 8 as a part of the ongoing fleet renewal process.
A separate press release on Widerøe’s traffic figures is available at the Widerøe media centre (in Norwegian only).
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About Norwegian
The Norwegian group is a leading Nordic aviation company, headquartered at Fornebu outside Oslo, Norway. The company has over 8,200 employees and owns two of the prominent airlines in the Nordics: Norwegian Air Shuttle and Widerøe’s Flyveselskap. Widerøe was acquired by Norwegian in 2024, aiming to facilitate seamless air travel across the two airline’s networks.
Norwegian Air Shuttle, the largest Norwegian airline with around 4,700 employees, operates an extensive route network connecting Nordic countries to key European destinations. In 2024, Norwegian carried 22,6 million passengers and maintained a fleet of 86 Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 aircraft.
Widerøe’s Flyveselskap, Norway’s oldest airline, is Scandinavia’s largest regional carrier. The airline has more than 3,500 employees. Mainly operating the short-runway airports in rural Norway, Widerøe operates several state contract routes (PSO routes) in addition to its own commercial network. In 2024, the airline had 3.8 million passengers and a fleet of 49 aircraft, including 46 Bombardier Dash 8’s and three Embraer E190-E2's. Widerøe Ground Handling provides ground handling services at 41 Norwegian airports.
The Norwegian group has sustainability as a key priority and has committed to significantly reducing carbon emissions from its operations. Among numerous initiatives, the most noteworthy is the investment in production and use of fossil-free aviation fuel (SAF). Norwegian strives to become the sustainable choice for its passengers, actively contributing to the transformation of the aviation industry.
