Basics 2
The details below cover routes to Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland from the UK and Ireland. For connections within Scandinavia itself, see the "Getting There" sections for each Individual country.
BY PLANE
Flying to Scandinavia isn't especially cheap. Lowcost charter flights do exist, but they're few and far between and serve only limited destinations; more Information follows, and is available from the operators listed under "Packages". Often the best startingpoint for the cheapest deals to Scandinavia is the classified sections in the Sunday newspapers {The Sunday Times especially), or, if you live in London, Time Out magazine or the Evening Standard. Failing that, go straight to a discount flight agent like STA Travel or Campus Travel (addresses below); they specialise in youth flights, and generally have good deals if you're under 26 or a student, as well as ordinary discounted tickets if you're not.
It's also worth trying the major scheduled 'UnesBritish Airways. SIS(the airline of Denmark, Norway and Sweden) and Finnair since seasonal deals mean that the cost of an APEX ticket from one of the airlines is often the Mme as the fare you'll be quoted from an agent. I "ere are, however, the usual APEX restrictions: you have to book seven (or sometimes fourteen) Mys in advance, stay at least one Saturday night abroad and you have no option to change your flight. It's not really worth shopping around the major airlines since the APEX fares at least are matched.
However, if you are under 25, ask about the availablility of youth fares, which should save you a few pounds.
If you don't live in London, bear in mind that a number of smaller airlines offer good deals from different regional airports; full details are given below. Worth considering also is a package deal, particularly if you're clear on where you want to go and intend to stay for no more than a week; city breaks, particularly, can work out very good value. Again, full details below.
TO DENMARK
Between them, British Airways and SAS have nine to eleven flights a day from London to Copenhagen, a onehour fiftyminute flight; from the Midlands, Birmingham Executive Airways flies to Copenhagen twice each weekday, once on Sunday. If you're keen to avoid Copenhagen, SAS flies twice daily (except Sunday) from London to Arhus (Ihr 40min), and it's also possible to fly twice daily from London to Copenhagen and three times daily from London to Billund in Jutland with Maersk Air, who also have good domestic links within Denmark. SuperAPEX return fares to Copenhagen and Arhus are currently ?135140.
TO NORWAY
British Airways and SAS have several daily flights from London to Oslo (2hr), and also daily flights to Bergen (2hr) and Stavanger (Ihr 40min direct, up to 4hr via Copenhagen). Fares and booking regulations change throughout the year, but for the cheapest fares you'll generally need to book at least one week in advance and stay a Saturday night; current returns are around ?140 170.