Home » AIRLINE NEWS » France Joins Spain, Germany, Luxembourg, Latvia, India, and More in Scandinavian Airlines’ Strategic Summer 2026 Growth, Offering New Connections and Increased Travel Flexibility for Passengers Worldwide

Published on
September 22, 2025

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In a bold move to enhance global connectivity, France joins Spain, Germany, Luxembourg, Latvia, India, and more in Scandinavian Airlines’ strategic Summer 2026 expansion. This growth initiative is designed to meet the rising demand for both business and leisure travel, offering new direct routes and increased flight frequencies. By expanding its network, SAS aims to provide passengers worldwide with greater travel flexibility, smoother connections, and easier access to key global markets, reinforcing its commitment to making international travel more convenient than ever before.

With summer 2026 just around the corner, SAS is to introduce one of its largest flight schedules ever. The carrier is adding seat capacity by an impressive 20 percent, amounting to a 50 percent increase in opportunities for passengers to connect from Copenhagen. This move is the expression of SAS’s commitment to serving a wider group of customers, offering greater flexibility and greater access to key global markets.

Strengthening Copenhagen as Scandinavia’s Global Gateway

Copenhagen, Denmark’s vibrant capital, is set to see a major boost in air traffic with SAS as its driving force. The airline’s commitment to growing its operations from Copenhagen further solidifies the city’s importance as a global hub for international travel. The new routes and increased frequencies will enhance access to multiple destinations, not just within Europe, but also across key global markets in North America and Asia.

This expansion is not just about numbers; it’s about providing travelers with an exceptional travel experience. By strategically increasing frequency on existing routes while adding new destinations, SAS is ensuring that passengers can enjoy smoother connections, better flexibility, and an overall more streamlined travel experience.

“We are excited to present our largest summer program in SAS’ history, which reflects the strong momentum we’re having as a company”, says Anko van der Werff, President & CEO of SAS. “With two more Airbus A350’s, more destinations and better connectivity than ever before, we’re offering our customers an unmatched level of choice and flexibility. This expansion underscores our ambition to grow, to further strengthen Copenhagen as Scandinavia’s global hub, and to provide our customers with reliable, world class punctual travel on a broader scale.” 

Expanding Reach Across Europe, North America, and Asia

The summer 2026 schedule marks a key step in SAS’ efforts to enhance its international network. Among the new additions are several high-demand destinations that are expected to significantly boost SAS’s service offering to both business and leisure travelers.

For instance, travelers will now be able to fly directly to new cities such as New York, Tokyo, and Seoul. These destinations are expected to appeal to both corporate travelers looking to connect to major economic hubs and tourists eager to explore diverse cultures. SAS’ strategic focus on these key international locations is expected to provide travelers with more options and increased flexibility when planning trips.

Moreover, SAS is not only adding entirely new destinations but also increasing the frequency of existing routes, further cementing its reputation for reliable and efficient air travel. Routes between Copenhagen and major cities like Berlin, Brussels, Krakow, and Prague will see more departures, making it easier for passengers to choose their preferred time of travel.

Seasonal Extension and Increased Frequencies: Enhancing Travel Convenience

SAS has also committed to extending several seasonal routes, which had previously operated only during the summer or peak months, to ensure year-round accessibility for travelers. For example, popular routes such as Copenhagen–Ålesund, Copenhagen–Edinburgh, and Copenhagen–Thessaloniki will now be available throughout the entire year, offering more consistent options for passengers traveling to these stunning destinations.

This move is part of a broader strategy by SAS to make its services more accessible and convenient for passengers. By offering these routes on a year-round basis, the airline is catering to travelers who prefer to plan their trips outside of peak seasons, providing them with greater flexibility and more travel options.

SAS is also increasing frequency on more than 30 of its existing routes, a move that will directly benefit travelers looking for convenient departure times. Copenhagen will see more frequent flights to over 25 destinations, including top cities such as Berlin, Brussels, and Prague, while Stockholm and Oslo will also see more departures to key European cities such as Brussels, Dublin, and Reykjavik.

9 new routes including 6 new destinations  

New RouteStarting DateFrequency Copenhagen – Mumbai 02 June 2026 5 x Weekly Copenhagen – Istanbul 26 March 2026 Daily Copenhagen – Riga 08 March 2026 3 x Daily Copenhagen – Luxembourg 09 March 2026 2 x Daily Copenhagen – Bordeaux 15 May 2026 2 x Weekly Copenhagen – Marseille 22 June 2026 2 x Weekly (peak only) Copenhagen – Visby 22 June 2026 3 x Weekly (peak only) Stockholm – Madrid 29 March 2026 2 x Weekly Oslo – Hamburg 30 March 2026 2 x Weekly

Operational Excellence: Punctuality and Reliability

As SAS continues to expand its network, the airline’s commitment to operational excellence remains a top priority. In the past year, SAS has earned significant recognition for its punctuality, ranking as both Europe’s and the world’s most punctual airline for several months. This achievement highlights the airline’s reliability and commitment to ensuring that travelers reach their destinations on time.

SAS’ focus on punctuality and operational precision is a cornerstone of the airline’s strategy to build trust with its passengers. Whether passengers are flying for business or leisure, they can count on SAS to provide a smooth, timely travel experience, further enhancing the airline’s reputation for excellence in the aviation industry.

A Vision for the Future: Booking and More

SAS’s summer 2026 expansion is not just about increasing seat capacity; it’s about enhancing the overall travel experience for its customers. With this move, SAS is setting a new standard in global connectivity, offering passengers more flexibility, better connections, and greater access to a diverse range of destinations.

France joins Spain, Germany, Luxembourg, Latvia, India, and more in Scandinavian Airlines’ strategic Summer 2026 expansion, introducing new direct routes and increased flight frequencies. This growth aims to enhance global connectivity, providing passengers worldwide with greater travel flexibility and smoother connections.

Travelers looking to book flights for the summer 2026 season can start making their reservations beginning on September 22, 2025, as the new schedules will be available for booking. Whether for business or leisure, this expansion offers a wealth of opportunities for travelers seeking to explore new destinations and enjoy a superior travel experience with one of the world’s most reliable airlines.

In summary, SAS’s ambitious summer 2026 expansion is a game-changer for travelers in Scandinavia and beyond. Its addition of routes, frequencies, and new destinations on top only shows SAS’s dedication to expansion but also its constant drive to ensure customers have smooth, dependable, and convenient travel everywhere in the world. With Copenhagen at the hub of this expansion, SAS is on the verge of revolutionizing travel for passengers who want to meet the world.