From 1994, the airline market was deregulated, and Braathens was free to operate domestically and within the European Economic Area.
Braathens SAFE started as a charter airline, flying predominantly to the Far East and South America.
[3] Braathens SAFE started domestic services in 1951, using de Havilland Herons on a route from Oslo via Tønsberg to Stavanger.
[17] In 1996, Braathens bought Sweden's second-largest airline, Transwede Airways, and started a route to Stockholm.
[23] That year also saw the opening of Oslo Airport, Gardermoen, which increased Braathens number of slots and allowed them to start a new route to Haugesund.
[24] Braathens started a costly price war with its competitors Color Air and SAS;[25] after Color Air went bankrupt in 1999, Braathens started terminating routes, and the Swedish division was merged into the subsidiary Malmö Aviation.
The latter kept only four international routes, but was granted new services to Northern Norway: Alta, Bardufoss, Kirkenes and Lakselv.
The list includes destinations subcontracted to Busy Bee and later Norwegian Air Shuttle and operated as part of Braathens' network.
[31] Braathens Helikopter operated to seven offshore oil platforms in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea—these are not included in the list.