SAS marks the start of its 80th anniversary with a specially painted Airbus A330-300 to celebrate eight decades of connecting Scandinavia with the world. In 2026, SAS will mark the anniversary through various initiatives that focus on the company's heritage and role in connecting people, businesses and communities.
This year marks 80 years since SAS operated its first intercontinental flight, on September 17, 1946, between Stockholm and New York – a route that brought Scandinavia closer to the outside world. Today, SAS connects Scandinavia with destinations in Europe, North America and Asia, with Copenhagen as its main international hub.
To kick off the celebration, SAS is presenting a specially painted Airbus A330-300. The aircraft is part of the company's long-haul fleet, which includes eight Airbus A330-300s with 266 seats and modern Airbus A350 aircraft, which together operate SAS's intercontinental network.
The new design means that for the first time the entire aircraft is in SAS's iconic blue colour. The Scandinavian flag has been updated as a reference to the 1980s painting and is complemented by a new anniversary symbol inspired by the aircraft's engines and fuselage.
“For 80 years, SAS has helped develop aviation and brought Scandinavia closer to the world with safe and reliable flights,” says Anko van der Werff, President and CEO of SAS. ” From our first transatlantic flight to today, we have had the same mission. This aircraft is a symbol of our heritage and of what we mean to our customers and the communities in which we operate.”
The aircraft makes its first flight between Copenhagen and New York, marking SAS's first intercontinental route.
