Don’t neglect Icelandair the next time you are looking for flights from North America to many points in Scandinavia and Western Europe. Icelandair is one of my favorite airlines, in terms of comfort and service plus the fact that they don’t charge extra for stopovers.
Flying Icelandair
Both planes I boarded in New York City bound for Copenhagen through Reykjavik a few weeks back had the most legroom I’ve ever experienced for an economy seat. The seats themselves were very comfortable and each was equipped with a touchscreen entertainment system that included an assortment of movies and games. The staff were very friendly and helpful, not to mention efficient in getting the plane in order before take off. The comfort of the plane was such that I wish they flew to more destinations – which is one of the drawbacks about Icelandair – they simply don’t fly from many destinations in the US and only 2 in Canada (Toronto and Halifax). Many of their destinations are also seasonal and not available year-round.
Stopovers
Meals
While the food is a decent blend of above-average airplane sandwiches, you’ll have to pay for them and any other meals on your flight. From the US east coast or points in Scandinavia the flights are short enough to make this bearable but I wouldn’t be too happy about paying for a meal on a longer haul flight from Seattle or Milan.
Checked Baggage
Overall Impressions
Icelandair is an exceptionally comfortable airline, something I wish more carriers offered in economy class. Perhaps the best part about Icelandair is the ability to stop over in Iceland. Tomorrow I’ll show you how to make the most out of your stopover in Iceland without breaking your budget as you travel across the Atlantic.