You can get to Iceland by plane or ferry. But a word of warning. The ferry from Denmark takes between 2 and 3 days to arrive, so it’s not the most practical option for shorter trips. The simpler option would be to fly to Reykjavik airport, which is well connected to Europe and North America.

This article will tell you how long it takes to fly to Keflavik airport, near Reykjavik, no matter which continent you’re coming from!

Flights From Europe to Iceland

You can get non-stop flights to Iceland from many European countries. Here is a non-exhaustive list to give you an idea of travel times:

•       London, England (Takes 2 hours 50 mins)
•       Manchester, England (Takes 2 hours 50 mins)
•       Frankfurt, Germany (Takes 3 hours 40 mins)
•       Paris, France (Takes 3 hours 35 mins)
•       Madrid, Spain (Takes 4 hours 30 mins)
•       Copenhagen, Denmark (Takes 3 hours 15 mins)

If you’re travelling from somewhere else, you may need to get a non-direct flight and add on the travelling time it takes you to get to one of the airports above. Don’t forget to incorporate transfer times.

Flights From North America to Iceland

You can get non-stop flights to Iceland from:

•       New York (Takes 5 hours 50 mins)
•       Boston (Takes 5 hours 20 mins)
•       Seattle (Takes 7 hours 25 mins)
•       Toronto (5 hours 20 mins)

North American travellers can also take advantage of the Iceland stopover en route to Europe, if travelling with Iceland Air. This means that as you fly over the Atlantic to reach Europe (or another destination), you can choose to stop off in Iceland, for no extra airfare.

Flights From South America to Iceland

There are no direct flights from South America to Iceland. The best departing airport from South America would be Guarulhos airport in Brazil. You can fly to Iceland with just a single stop, in either London Heathrow, England or Frankfurt, Germany. You’re looking at a minimum trip time of 17 hours, though.

South America is obviously vast, so don’t hesitate to explore which options are closer to home.

Flights From Asia to Iceland

No Asian airports currently fly direct to Iceland. If you were flying from Beijing, China, you would have to stop on the way. Frequent stopovers include Copenhagen, Vienna, Paris, or Istanbul. Generally speaking, you’ll have to take 1 or 2 stops, and the journey would take a minimum of 16 hours and 30 minutes.

For more information about flying to Iceland from Asia, it’d be better to check out the travel itinerary from your closest airport.

Flights From Africa to Iceland

There are no direct flights from the African continent to Iceland. To give you an example of how long the journey might take, we can look at the example of Johannesburg, South Africa. If you were to fly from there, you would probably stop in Amsterdam, Netherlands or London Heathrow, UK. The journey would take you about 20 hours.

Morocco is considerably closer, so the journey would take more like 9 hours and 20 minutes. You would probably stop off in Madrid, Spain.

Flights From Australia to Iceland

It would probably take you a minimum of 27 hours to fly from Australia to Iceland, and you’d be looking at one or two stop-offs along the way. Some people would fly from Sydney, stopping at Singapore and Frankfurt. This journey would easily take up to 60 hours, so make sure you have a backpack full of snacks and books!

FAQs 

How to fly direct to Iceland

If you want to fly direct to Iceland, you’ll have to be travelling from North America or Europe. For those flying from Australia, Africa, Asia or South America, you’ll be looking at one or two stops as a minimum.

Can I fly to Iceland right now?

The global travel situation is constantly evolving. Until it becomes more stable, your best bet would be to check your local government advice and regulations on travel abroad. US citizens can click here to find their embassy advice.

Can you fly from Iceland to Greenland?

You can fly to Nuuk in Greenland directly from Keflavik airport near Reykjavik. The journey takes about 3 hours and 20 minutes. The majority of Greenland is covered in ice, and the country doesn’t have a rail system or extensive road system. It’s a special place with rich culture and spectacular wildlife, but make sure you do your planning!

How to fly to Iceland cheaply?

The best way to fly cheaply to Iceland would be to take advantage of Iceland air’s free stopover scheme. You can stop in Iceland without paying any extra airfares when flying over the Atlantic. Once you get to Iceland, a self-drive tour is probably your best option, especially if you want to explore independently outside of the city.

Final Thoughts

We hope you found this article about flying to Iceland helpful! If you’d like some more support planning your vacation in the land of fire and ice, don’t hesitate to check out the rest of our travel guides. (If you’re overwhelmed by choice, you can check out our hand-picked tours!) We look forward to welcoming you soon!