I took public transit to EWR (Newark International Airport), located in New Jersey, not far from Manhattan, New York City, United States. Icelandair Check-in, Security, and Preflight at EWR Terminal B This review is only for EWR-KEF portion of this itinerary. This point accrual and ticket price below are based on the entire roundtrip itinerary, EWR/New York to MUC/Munich via KEF/Reykjavik. Total segments/boardings for the entire itinerary: 4 Total miles for the entire itinerary: 4,267 Ticket price: $576.00, paid with Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®. The points took about 30 days to hit the account. So, while I couldn’t directly accrue AAdvantage Miles on my Icelandair flight, I was able to link my JetBlue account and can theoretically daisy-chain the miles to benefit a future American Airlines or JetBlue flight. Since I have allegiance to American Airlines, a perk of Icelandair is that it has the partnerships with JetBlue and JetBlue has associations with American Airlines/OneWorld. Icelandair has partnerships with Air Baltic, Alaska Air, Finnair, JetBlue, and SAS. Expect a large reclining seat and a plated meal.Īs of January 2023, Icelandair is not a member of any alliance. Don’t expect lie-flat seats and on-board lounges. Icelandair’s Saga Premium cabin serves as its business class option, but the arrangement is more like most domestic First Class in the United States. The fare classes for Icelandair are broken into Saga Premium Flex, Saga Premium, Economy Flex, Economy Standard, and Economy Light.

But as with a low-cost airline, food on board and other niceties are not free. Unlike a true low-cost airline, the standard economy fare for Icelandair includes a checked bag and pieces of carry-on luggage. Icelandair slots somewhere between an ultra-low-cost Transatlantic airline (think the late Norwegian Transatlantic) and a typical mainline airline (think… most airlines).

I didn’t have any expectation (or real awareness) of this airline, and had to do a bit of research to understand the pitch. Icelandair consistently came in as the cheapest option from New York City to Munich and back with checked luggage included in the fare. Knowing my preferred American Airlines/OneWorld didn’t offer me much in terms of direct flights, I decided to be a bit adventurous and try a different airline altogether. That was the rendezvous point for a two-week ski holiday in the Austrian Alps. IcelandAir has a lot to lose if they mess up the art of this short layover.īackstory: Icelandair Economy Class Review So, if you have the slightest bit of self-awareness and know which gate area to go to (either in the Schengen Area or outside of the Schengen Area), an hour layover at KEF will be plenty for you. Each way, my customs clearance took all but thirty seconds (and the staff spoke impeccable English). This scenario happened to me on my return flight, but the flight attendant on my first flight assured me I’d make my flight (and my luggage as well). You’re also going to have the luxury of Icelandair being able to hold flights slightly if your arrival is delayed (and you flew Icelandair). There is food but you will need your boarding pass in hand to pay for many of the services. Unless you’re flying somewhere in domestic Iceland, your flight will depart from the terminal you arrived in. Unless you somehow booked separate tickets, your luggage is checked to the destination. That said, the Icelandair layover actually works and KEF is an extremely streamlined operation. The inherent risks of air travel (delays at the origin, change in connection, slow deplaning, etc.) can make an hour to transit seem downright unfeasible. I’ve traveled enough to admit that having only an hour to enter the Schengen area from the USA could be seen as a risky pursuit. This layover can be as short as one hour in duration. One of the biggest risks in booking an Icelandair flight to Europe is the relatively microscopic layover time at Iceland’s Reykjavik Keflavik Airport (KEF). I’ll get the elephant out of the room straight away. Is One Hour Layover at KEF Enough Time? Layover At KEF Reykjavik Keflavik Airport Going to Europe Verdict: Missing a clear product identity, Icelandair offers a discreet experience that walks a blurry line between low-cost and fully-featured. USB-A (the most common) is the only power source at the seat. Minimal food waste thanks to à la carte service. Highs: Tastefully decorated, clean aircraft. In comes Icelandair with a distinctive proposal: get there for less, but with an intermission in the land of the Blue Lagoon and Björk.įlight Review: Icelandair Economy Class FI622: Newark (EWR) to Reykjavik Keflavik (KEF) (January 2023) While low cost flights to Europe are a dime a dozen, finding one that includes cabin and checked luggage in a regular fare is a tougher game to win.

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