Icelandair
Icelandair at a glance
Icelandair runs one of aviation's most geographically pure business models: Iceland sits halfway between Europe and North America, and the airline turns that accident of geology into a hub, connecting the two continents over Keflavík with a fleet of narrowbodies that could never cross the Atlantic in one hop from anywhere else. Its famous stopover program, letting transatlantic passengers pause in Iceland at no extra fare, doubles as the country's tourism engine.
Founded in 1937, the airline is mid-way through the biggest fleet change in its history: Boeing 737 MAX jets have replaced most of the veteran 757s that defined Icelandair for three decades, and its first Airbus aircraft, A321LRs with XLRs to follow, began arriving in 2025, ending an all-Boeing era. Partnerships reach where its own network cannot, including a codeshare with Southwest Airlines, that carrier's first, and with Emirates.
Fleet
Icelandair's fleet is built for one job, six-hour hops in both directions from Iceland: 737 MAX 8s and 9s carry the network, a few 767s add capacity on trunk and charter flying, and the incoming A321LR and XLR fleet marks the airline's first-ever Airbus order after nearly nine decades of Boeing.
| Aircraft | Role | Fleet Size |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Transatlantic workhorse (with MAX 9) | ~21 |
| Airbus A321neo | A321LR, first Airbus jets, from 2025 | 13 ordered |
Hub & route network
Everything connects over Keflavík: morning arrivals from North America meet afternoon departures to Europe and vice versa, in a wave system covering some 50 destinations across both continents. The stopover program converts connecting passengers into Icelandic tourists, an alignment of airline and national interest few carriers enjoy.Alliance & partnerships
Icelandair belongs to no alliance but partners widely: its codeshare with Southwest Airlines, the American carrier's first international partnership, feeds US points beyond its own gateways, and an Emirates codeshare links Iceland to the Gulf network.Group structure
Icelandair Group, listed in Reykjavík, spans the airline, its cargo arm and Loftleidir Icelandic, the charter and aircraft-leasing business that flies for governments and tour operators worldwide.Full specifications
Latest Icelandair coverage from AeroTime
Frequently asked questions
Iceland sits mid-Atlantic, so narrowbodies can reach both Europe and North America; Icelandair banks flights over Keflavík so passengers connect between the continents with one stop, often adding a free multi-day stopover in Iceland.
The fleet that defined the airline for three decades is down to its final aircraft, replaced by Boeing 737 MAX jets and, from 2025, Airbus A321LRs, the company's first Airbus aircraft.
Southwest Airlines, in that carrier's first international codeshare, and Emirates, among others, extending Icelandair's reach beyond its own transatlantic network.