I thought flying to iceland was supposed to be cheap ... How without WOW Air!
Nov 14, 2016, 7:42 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 33
I thought flying to iceland was supposed to be cheap ... How without WOW Air!
Hi all,
My girlfriend and I just go the opportunity to go to iceland in late february and I had thought flights were pretty cheap but it seems like if you don't want to fly Wow air your options are limited. We're based in BTV but frequently fly out of YQL. I have a ton of chase and united points (200k total) at my disposal but can't seem to find a way to use them for this venture.
Any ideas that aren't a minimum of $800 each way for economy (or Wow air?)
Thanks!
-Bob
My girlfriend and I just go the opportunity to go to iceland in late february and I had thought flights were pretty cheap but it seems like if you don't want to fly Wow air your options are limited. We're based in BTV but frequently fly out of YQL. I have a ton of chase and united points (200k total) at my disposal but can't seem to find a way to use them for this venture.
Any ideas that aren't a minimum of $800 each way for economy (or Wow air?)
Thanks!
-Bob
Nov 14, 2016, 8:17 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: SEA
Posts: 2,556
I would do that, and save the miles and points you have for other itineraries.
Nov 14, 2016, 9:30 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Slightly to the left of center
Posts: 3,475
Hi all,
My girlfriend and I just go the opportunity to go to iceland in late february and I had thought flights were pretty cheap but it seems like if you don't want to fly Wow air your options are limited. We're based in BTV but frequently fly out of YQL. I have a ton of chase and united points (200k total) at my disposal but can't seem to find a way to use them for this venture.
Any ideas that aren't a minimum of $800 each way for economy (or Wow air?)
Thanks!
-Bob
My girlfriend and I just go the opportunity to go to iceland in late february and I had thought flights were pretty cheap but it seems like if you don't want to fly Wow air your options are limited. We're based in BTV but frequently fly out of YQL. I have a ton of chase and united points (200k total) at my disposal but can't seem to find a way to use them for this venture.
Any ideas that aren't a minimum of $800 each way for economy (or Wow air?)
Thanks!
-Bob
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keflav...tional_Airport
Nov 14, 2016, 10:11 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
Used to live in the BTV area - great place!
How about Boston - late February on WOW is $300 or $600 on Icelandair.
That time of year is tough since no one else flies there.
AS is an Icelandair partner but only SPG transfers there.
There are awards with UA which cost 60k RT in Y but they require a 34 hour routing like:
BTV - IAD - FRA - CPH - KEG
Which IMO is not worth it.
If you go with WOW just make sure to read up on them and be careful to adhere by their rules so you don't get hit with a bunch of fees the nullify the cost benefit.
How about Boston - late February on WOW is $300 or $600 on Icelandair.
That time of year is tough since no one else flies there.
AS is an Icelandair partner but only SPG transfers there.
There are awards with UA which cost 60k RT in Y but they require a 34 hour routing like:
BTV - IAD - FRA - CPH - KEG
Which IMO is not worth it.
If you go with WOW just make sure to read up on them and be careful to adhere by their rules so you don't get hit with a bunch of fees the nullify the cost benefit.
Nov 15, 2016, 7:21 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 33
Yea I guess I should have wrote my post a little differently to say that is there any way to get there for a reasonable amount that is not wow air. There are base price flights out of Montreal for around 310 RT. Add on bag fees and it'll be around $500 which is fine but man I'd prefer something a bit nicer 
Nov 15, 2016, 8:04 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: YUL
Posts: 1,000
Drive to Montreal and take Icelandair. It is a short drive from BTV. Lots of Vermonters do it.
Icelandair is great, we just flew to Iceland with them. But Iceland itself is crazy expensive.
Not sure there are any cheaper options. But Icelandair has no bag fees at all, in fact you can take two full sized suitcases each.
Icelandair is great, we just flew to Iceland with them. But Iceland itself is crazy expensive.
Not sure there are any cheaper options. But Icelandair has no bag fees at all, in fact you can take two full sized suitcases each.
Nov 15, 2016, 8:39 am
#7
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,365
just an addition to Bogwoppit's comments for Icelandair
2 free checked bags (decent weight allowance too) and free seat selection
but you dont get food onboard. free drinks(water/juice/nonalcoholic beverages...)
(wow doesn't even provide free water)
2 free checked bags (decent weight allowance too) and free seat selection
but you dont get food onboard. free drinks(water/juice/nonalcoholic beverages...)
(wow doesn't even provide free water)
Nov 15, 2016, 8:53 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 33
Drive to Montreal and take Icelandair. It is a short drive from BTV. Lots of Vermonters do it.
Icelandair is great, we just flew to Iceland with them. But Iceland itself is crazy expensive.
Not sure there are any cheaper options. But Icelandair has no bag fees at all, in fact you can take two full sized suitcases each.
Icelandair is great, we just flew to Iceland with them. But Iceland itself is crazy expensive.
Not sure there are any cheaper options. But Icelandair has no bag fees at all, in fact you can take two full sized suitcases each.
Nov 15, 2016, 9:05 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: YUL
Posts: 1,000
Calculate the cost of the whole trip before committing. Car rental was astronomical, hotels the same, eating out was bonkers. We ended up with an AirBnB in Reykjavik and shopped for food. Elsewhere we booked hotels with kitchens and cooked and shopped for meals.
Most things you will want to see are free, thank goodness.
Most things you will want to see are free, thank goodness.
Nov 15, 2016, 9:21 am
#10
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 3,365
I'm actually going there tomorrow for 5 days. clothes (and everything, since it's imported) is very expensive, so make sure you dress properly for winter (layers/waterproof/...), proper hiking boots for outdoors etc
driving around is complicated too (winter = icy/some road closures, technically you could drive around ring road in <5 days but you shouldn't. it's 830 miles)
Nov 15, 2016, 10:41 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 9,113
Wow is starting service with new XL and XXL seats. Spring for the XXL and it will be the nicest way to get there - other then Premium Economy or Business on Iceland Air. February will be the cheapest time to go - other than that prices spike in the weekend (mostly in Reykjavik).
Well worth the trip and expense though.
Well worth the trip and expense though.
Nov 15, 2016, 11:52 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 33
Calculate the cost of the whole trip before committing. Car rental was astronomical, hotels the same, eating out was bonkers. We ended up with an AirBnB in Reykjavik and shopped for food. Elsewhere we booked hotels with kitchens and cooked and shopped for meals.
Most things you will want to see are free, thank goodness.
Most things you will want to see are free, thank goodness.
We're looking at doing Air b&b and our friends want to do a few tours since we won't have easy transportation. May have to run the $$ option by the gf.
Nov 15, 2016, 1:23 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,932
And apparently tours are really full (though I don't know if in Feb), so for a peaceful experience in the environment people suggest going earlier so as to get to the sites before the tour throngs arrive.
So you may want to re-think whether this is the right time to go to Iceland (if you don't like spending lots of money).
Last edited by sdsearch; Nov 15, 2016 at 3:16 pm
Nov 15, 2016, 1:36 pm
#14
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,305
Exchange rate in
2007: 1 USD = 60 ISK
2008 1 USD = 142 ISK
2014: 1 USD = 111 USD
2015: 1 USD = 139 ISK
Now: 1 USD = 110 ISK
It still is relatively cheap to get to compared to other places in Europe, particularly in summer. As others have noted, you're going at a time where there are fewer carriers operating.
Nov 15, 2016, 3:59 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Chicago
Posts: 63
In addition to the cost, you may also think a bit about what you want to do there. IMHO Iceland is all about the outdoors and you only have about 8 hours of sunlight to work with in February. Combine that with the likely rain/snow/wind combo and your number of available hours and days shrink further.
I had originally planned to go in May to hike but after reading comments from others that mid-June snowstorms were possible I moved it back to July. Yes, there's more people but if you get off the main tourist track and book WAAAAAY ahead of time you will not feel crowded. And yes, car rentals are ridiculous. A "full size SUV" is the equivalent of a Honda CRV in the states.
I had originally planned to go in May to hike but after reading comments from others that mid-June snowstorms were possible I moved it back to July. Yes, there's more people but if you get off the main tourist track and book WAAAAAY ahead of time you will not feel crowded. And yes, car rentals are ridiculous. A "full size SUV" is the equivalent of a Honda CRV in the states.
