Norse Atlantic launches Manchester to Bangkok flights, from £256 return

Well, this is unexpected.

No sooner have Norse Atlantic aircraft started to fly to Manchester via the IndiGo damp lease (IndiGo flights from Mumbai to Manchester launched this week), the airline has announced a route of its own.

Flights from Manchester to Bangkok will launch on 26th November 2025.

Norse Atlantic calls the route ‘groundbreaking’. It is, apparently, the first time ever that Manchester has had flights to Bangkok, even though 100,000 people per year fly between the two cities – but indirectly.

That said, Norse isn’t getting too carried away. There will only be one flight per week and flights are only currently scheduled until the end of March 2026. The airline has said that there is ‘potential for expansion based on demand’.

Departures will be on Wednesdays, departing Manchester at 11.30pm, arriving at 6pm into Bangkok.

Bjørn Tore Larsen, CEO of Norse Atlantic Airways, said:

“We don’t just follow demand — we unlock it. This route has been waiting to happen, and we’re proud to be the ones making it a reality. Manchester is a key gateway to the North of England, and Bangkok is a magnet for adventure, business, and culture. Connecting the two cities is a natural next step for Norse as we continue to disrupt and expand in the long-haul space.”

The cheapest return flight is currently £256 with no checked baggage. The cheapest return in Premium (see our comments on this below) is £805 return.

Norse Atlantic is also launching flights from London Gatwick to Bangkok from the end of October 2025 – click here to read our article.

What do you get when you fly with Norse Atlantic?

As with all Norse flights, you get a modern Boeing 787 aircraft and a two class cabin – economy and premium economy. The airline inherited Norwegian’s long haul fleet when the latter moved to being a purely short haul airline.

We rate Norse Premium highly. It has, by a huge margin, the most personal space of any competing premium economy seat. You can see how Norse Atlantic’s premium economy compares to British Airways and Virgin Atlantic here.

Economy is, well, economy, but is better than it was.

You still won’t get any food included with the cheapest economy tickets. However, it DOES now include a 10kg carry-on bag for free. IFE is also now free.

You will need to pay for seat assignments or checked baggage, but as long as you bring your own meals and can stick to 10kg of hand baggage, you can realistically now fly for the lowest quoted price.

You can read our review of flying Premium on Norse Atlantic from Gatwick to New York here.

PS. Norse is also launching seasonal flights to Phuket from Oslo (starts 8th December, one flight weekly) and Stockholm (starts 4th December, one flight weekly)