In a nutshell
- Icelandair is Iceland’s national airline, offering not only flights to Iceland but also connections to Canada and the USA.
- Layover times with Icelandair are tight on many routes — as long as your first flight is on time, it generally works out fine.
- One real downside of Economy Class: no food is included, though drinks are free. Bring your own snacks for long-haul legs.
- A great perk: you can add a free stopover in Iceland of up to 7 days at no extra charge.
- Not sure if flying Icelandair is right for you? We flew Economy Class from Frankfurt via Reykjavik to Edmonton, Canada — and we’re sharing exactly what to expect.
Booking and Check-In
Online Booking
The online booking process on the Icelandair website is smooth and clearly laid out at every step.
You can reserve your seat for free right during the booking process.
Payment is only possible by credit card, though — alternative methods like PayPal or direct debit aren’t available. For us, that wasn’t an issue, but if you don’t have a credit card, this is a good reason to get one before you book.
Read our article on the best travel credit card
Economy vs. Economy Comfort on Icelandair
On most Icelandair flights, there are three classes: Economy Class, Economy Comfort Class, and Business Class (which Icelandair calls Saga Class).
Economy Comfort is essentially a premium economy, though compared to other airlines it doesn’t offer a huge amount of extras.
You get about 1.2 inches more legroom, lounge access in Reykjavik, priority boarding, a higher checked baggage allowance, and a few complimentary extras — food, alcoholic beverages, and headphones — that you’d have to pay for in Economy.
We went with standard Economy Class. The perks just didn’t justify the extra cost for us.
Baggage
In Economy Class, you can check one bag weighing up to 23 kg (about 50 lbs). Carry-on baggage may weigh up to 10 kg, which is seriously generous compared to most airlines.
Check-In
Online check-in opens 36 hours before departure — for flights to or from the US, it’s 24 hours.
The process was totally straightforward. Your boarding pass is issued electronically and can be printed if you prefer. We used the mobile option on our phones and it worked perfectly.
Short Layover Times on Icelandair
One thing that stood out to us when booking: the connection times are extremely tight. We flew from Frankfurt to Reykjavik, then onward to Edmonton.
On the outbound flight, our layover was just one hour and ten minutes; on the return, only 45 minutes. Since Icelandair offers these itineraries directly on its own website, we trusted that it would work.
When our outbound flight left Frankfurt 45 minutes late, we did get a bit nervous. A quick sprint through Reykjavik airport later, we made it — just in time.
On the way back, we arrived earlier than expected and connected without any stress at all.
Icelandair cuts layover times close on many routes, and it usually works out. That said, we’ve heard of cases where it didn’t. Worth keeping in mind: Reykjavik’s airport is compact, so you won’t have far to walk between gates.
Comfort and Service on Board
Seats and Legroom
Most Icelandair flights operate on a Boeing 757 — including ours. The planes have a 3×3 seating configuration with a seat pitch of 32 inches, which is perfectly acceptable for a long-haul flight.
On the longer leg between Edmonton and Reykjavik, blankets and pillows were also provided free of charge.
Food and Drinks on Board
The in-flight catering was honestly the biggest downside of our Icelandair experience. No food is included in Economy Class!
We’re not big fans of airplane food, and on a three-hour hop to Iceland we don’t really need a meal anyway.
But on a flight to Canada or the US — including connections — you’re easily looking at ten to fourteen hours of travel. At some point, you’re going to get hungry.
You can buy food on board, but the selection is pretty limited. On our flight, the options were a filled baguette for 8 euros, Cordon Bleu for 14 euros, or a mixed chicken salad also for 14 euros, plus smaller snacks like instant soups and candy.
Since we knew this ahead of time, we just brought our own food. Still, it feels pretty unusual for a non-budget airline not to include meals on long-haul routes.
Non-alcoholic drinks, coffee, and tea are free on board — there were two drink rounds per flight. On the longer leg between Canada and Iceland, each passenger also received a small bottle of water at boarding.
In-Flight Entertainment
All seats have a personal in-flight entertainment system. We had 49 movies to choose from — a mix of Icelandic films, some older Hollywood titles, and a handful of more recent releases. Films are available in English and Icelandic.
Icelandair Destinations
Icelandair connects Reykjavik with a solid range of destinations across continental Europe.
From Europe, Icelandair flies to Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, and Zurich, with seasonal service to Hamburg as well.
From Iceland, there are connecting flights to 17 cities in the US and five cities in Canada.
Stopover in Iceland
Honestly, the best reason to fly Icelandair to North America is the chance to build in a longer stay in Iceland.
A stopover of up to seven days is possible at no extra charge. Our schedule didn’t allow for it this time, so we had to skip it — but next time, we’d absolutely take advantage and spend a few days exploring this incredible island.
Also read the guest article on Iceland’s top attractions
Our Verdict
Overall, our Icelandair experience was solid — nothing that blew us away, but nothing that let us down either. You can book with Icelandair without hesitation.
The biggest downside is the lack of complimentary meals on long-haul flights. The standout perk? The option to add a free stopover in Iceland of up to seven days. That alone makes Icelandair worth considering for your next trip to North America.
