New budget airline Play adds Frankfurt to Hamilton schedule

People wanting to experience the arts, history, skyscrapers, museums – and frankfurters, the famous German smoked sausages — can take flights to Frankfurt from Hamilton starting in December.

The German city is also known for being the hometown of 18th-century literary giant Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Low-cost Icelandic airline Play announced that its first flight to the German commercial and financial hub will be on Dec. 14. That route will operate four to five times a week throughout the winter, according to a press release.

Play is holding a flight sale to celebrate the new route. The sale began on July 27 and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on Aug. 10. It said flights for that route to Frankfurt Airport, the third largest in Europe, are as low as $259, excluding taxes and fees. The discounted fare applies for travel between January and March 2024.

“We are delighted to be able to add more destinations to our transatlantic route network at a time when demand in North America for flights to Europe is high,” said Birgir Jónsson, chief executive of Play, in a statement. “Revenues from passengers coming from North America are much higher than before, making it a great time to add Frankfurt as a destination.”

Jónsson said Play is well-positioned to expand its routes with 10 aircraft in its fleet, which he called “the youngest and most modern fleet in Europe.” 

“The addition of Frankfurt to PLAY’s extensive network of European destinations is exciting for Hamilton International, it not only strengthens business ties between our regions, but also enhances tourism opportunities for travellers seeking a seamless connection into Germany via Iceland,” said Cole Horncastle, executive managing director of John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport, in a statement.

The airline has been operating flights between Iceland, Europe and North America since 2022.

Play launched its fifth route in North America, its first in Canada, on June 22 in Hamilton.