Routing to get to Iceland
 

Thinking of going to Iceland with the girlfriend next August. I don't believe UA has flights that go there. Anybody know what kind of routing people take to get there?

Thanks.
Eric

According to the Keflavik Airport wikipedia page, the only Star Alliance flights there area an Adria Airways summer seasonal charter from Ljubljana and summer seasonal service on Lufthansa from Frankfurt that begins May 2 next year.

Here is the full list if you want to peruse

Note: there is new service on WOW air from Boston (starting March 27) and Baltimore (June 4). That's probably the cheapest way if you aren't using any miles.

Just checked pricing from DC area, and it was $530ish next August. Not too bad at all.

JFK-KEF on DL ^

It's tough to get there on *A. There's an OSL-KEF on SAS.

Friends who have tried to do this eventually gave up and flew Icelandair from a U.S. city rather than doing, like, SFO-EWR-OSL-KEF.

I used to fly Europe to NYC on Icelandair several times a year a few years back.

Icelandair, I think, is partnered with Alaska Airlines. BA and other airlines fly there but are expensive.

Although my info is out of date, it used to be cheaper to fly US to Europe (or vice versa) with a stopover in Iceland, rather than fly directly. So take your girlfriend to London or Paris or somewhere for a weekend and stopover in Iceland if possible...

I am going in July as I'll be in Berlin for the whole month and will most likely take the SAS flights. Thought if you are looking to do it all on *A double check because some days/times the flights listed on SAS are actually operated by Icelandair.

As others have said there is also the LH flight.

If you aren't worried about miles then do as others have said and book with Icelandair and take advantage of their free stop over and do an add on to Europe.

From your location I'm guessing you're looking for xSFO??

If so, there are a couple options that are mostly *alliance.

You can fly UA to LHR, UA/LH to FRA or UA to CDG, and from any of those cities connect to Icelandair nonstop.

Or you can fly SAS to CPH and connect nonstop on Icelandair from there.

Not *alliance, but the shortest trip is Jet Blue to Boston and connection to Icelandair from there. Only 20 minutes longer is Alaska to SEA and then Icelandair from there.

If you're already in Berlin, might I suggest the TXL-EWR service? Eight out of 10 times it's stops in the N. Atlantic for more fuel anyways. I'm sure if you ask nicely they'll accommodate your request for a KEF tech stop as opposed to some barren airstrip in Newfoundland or PEI. :D:D:D

(/sarcasm for the literal consumers among us)

From SFO your easiest routing is probably via SEA or DEN, connecting to Icelandair. They are also starting PDX a few days a week next summer.

Iceland is poorly served by the alliance carriers. I believe that DL's flight from JFK is the only alliance option from the US. A few of the Euro carriers fly to Iceland, but generally from their secondary hubs.

Generally speaking Iceland is a small market and Icelandair covers that market very well. This is a destination where it makes sense to forego trying to earn any miles, and just go based on price/convenience.

As an FYI, AS used to partner with Icelandair but I believe the partnership ended.

I've flown between TXL & EWR about 2 dozen times (half in the winter) and I've never had a fuel stop. All but 1 of them was a 752.

LOL!

Identical thread from not too long ago in the *A forum
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star-...avik-star.html

Iceland Air wins over any connection in Europe and back

During the off-season, the only Star Alliance carrier to fly to KEF is SK.

OSL-KEF-OSL

I had to do a very odd routing to keep it on Star Alliance, but it can be done.

Icelandair's partnership with Alaska ended in 2013.