Most people living in Europe are used to flying the likes of easyJet and Ryanair on short haul flights. Even full service carriers like British Airways and Lufthansa mostly use small Airbus A320 or Boeing 737 family for flights within Europe. And even Business class seats are very likely to be identical to Economy seats, just with the middle seat left empty. But there are a few rare routes that operate larger long haul aircraft on short flights within Europe. Planes like the Airbus A350 or Boeing 787. You can even find short 2 hour seats with a full in flight entertainment system and even lay flat seats in Business Class. Some airlines like Finnair, Turkish Airlines, Iberia and Norse Atlantic Airways operate these routes permnently. Others like British Airways, Aer Lingus, Lufthansa and Air France only operate them seasonally. So in this post I’ve compiled a list of the best short haul routes in Europe that operate with widebody aircraft.

Why Choose Widebody Aircraft?

As mentioned earlier, most flights within Europe are operated with Airbus A320s or Boeing 737s. But for certain high demand routes, airlines will use their flagship long haul, widebody aircraft instead. Widebody aircraft in general are designed for long-term comfort so to me it’s hugely preferable for any duration of flight. In many parts of the world it’s very common to use larger aircraft on short routes. For example, I flew Singapore Airlines Airbus A350 from Singapore to Hanoi in Economy and it was so much better than any flight I’ve flown within Europe. Sadly the market in Europe is dominated by budget airlines like Wizzair, so it’s less common to see widebody aircraft being used.

In Economy Class you’ll probably find the experience to be pretty similar accross the board, regardless of airline or aircraft type. All these widebody aircraft will be fitted out in a long haul configuration. This means you’ll have comfier seats with more legroom designed for 10+ hour flights rather than 3 hour flights like the A320. All of my below options also have in flight entertainment systems, so you can watch new movies if you want.

Business Class meanwhile is where you’ll really feel the difference. There’s a wide range in quality between airlines. But even below average airlines will have a comfortable Business Class on their long haul aircraft. Take Iberia’s A350 for example. In my opinion (see my full review here) their A350 Business Class is pretty poor and outdated, but compared to any short haul aircraft it’s incredible. And Business Class tickets on widebody short haul flights cost the same as in single aisle aircraft. So really it’s a no brainer.

Finnair

Of all the airlines on this list I think they have the most interesting Business Class product. Their new seat screams Scandinavian style and is apparently very comfy. It also has amazing privacy, almost like you’re in your own private suite. I hope to try their A350 Business class out on a flight from Helsinki to London in a few months, so hang tight for a full review.

Turkish Airlines

Of all the airlines on this list Turkish Airlines probably have the greatest coverage. According to this article from Simple Flying they operate widebody aircraft on 27 routes. For the sake of time I’ll just list my preferred routes here, but follow the link for the full list. You’ll find flights on the massive Boeing 777 (the largest twin engine jet in the world) and their Airbus A330:

Obviously that’s only useful if you’re travelling to/from Istanbul. But considering Turkish Airlines offer a huge range of destination in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, they’re a great option if you want to fly further afield. And Istanbul Airport is awesome for connecting through from Europe.

Whether you’re in Economy or Business Class you’ll get a full meal with Turkish Airlines. Their old Business Class seat (which they use on the 777 and A330) are pretty outdated so I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that. But their new Business Class seat is great and their food is some of the best. And they’re also the only airline on my list that has an onboard chef, so that’s something different. Turkish Airlines Economy is also well known for great food, having been ranked best in the world several times.

Iberia

This next choice is questionable, mainly because I don’t think Iberia are a very good airline. I’ve flown them several times now. A return Business Class flight to Peru, London to Seville in Economy. Then finally Madrid to London on their A350-900 Business Class which I reviewed here. That flight had issues, mainly a 2 hour delays (admittedly out of their control) and frosty cabin crew. (It was actually my first experience being told I’m not allowed to film a flight, they said I couldn’t even film out the window).

So after all that you might be wondering why I’ve even included them on this list. Firstly, I was running out of ideas. More seriously though, they operate these A350 (and A330) flights on very busy routes, giving more people a chance to fly them. They’re also relatively affordable and charge the exact same price widebody aircraft tickets as narrow body tickets. So you’re getting a lot more value for money if you manage to find one of their widebody flights.

Norse Atlantic

Norse are the new kid on the block for this list, and admittedly your options are very limited. The only short haul route they operate is from London Gatwick to Oslo. That’s a pretty niche route, but I made it back in November 2022 and it was excellent, and incredibly cheap.

Norse exclusively operate the Boeing 787 and they are a budget carrier (following in the footsteps of now defunct Norwegian Long Haul). That means you’ll find yourself paying for all the extras (luggage, seat, food). But if you want the cheapest way to experience a widebody in Europe, this is probably it. They have a pretty good Premium Economy cabin, and their Economy seats are comfortable enough for a 2 hour flight to Oslo. You’ll also get tv screens on every seat too. And personally the Boeing 787 is one of my favourite aircraft so I’ll always choose that over, say a Boeing 737.

Singapore Airlines

Last on my list is Singapore Airlines. You might be thinking “hang on a minute… they only fly from Europe to Singapore?” But you’d be (partially) wrong! They actually operate a few routes known as “5th Freedom Routes“. Which basically mean they operate a flight between two countries that the airline is not based in. In Singapore Airlines case that consists of two short haul flights within Europe:

They also operate a few long haul flights between destinations you wouldn’t expect too. So if you fancy flying Singapore Airlines but don’t want to go all the way to Singapore they you could be in luck. You could fly from Manchester, UK to Houston, USA. Or maybe Frankfurt, Germany to New York… or even Los Angeles to Tokyo.

More from me…

Please feel free to check out other related posts I’ve written:

• Singapore Airlines Fantastic Regional Business – Saigon to Singapore on a 787-10
• Singapore Airlines Economy from London to Singapore – As Good as People Say?
• Vietnam Airlines Economy Refreshing Airbus A321 Trip Report

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