Iceland Adventure Through Icelandair

Iceland is known as the land of fire and ice. It’s a land of extreme landscapes, unique experiences, friendly people and great food that you’ll remember for a lifetime.
Our Iceland Adventure started with a Travel Zoo deal through Icelandair. The country’s been at the top of my wish list for years. And this deal seemed perfect. It included round trip airfare from Chicago, three nights hotel, and a Golden Circle tour. We paid $599 a person, plus tax.

One of the reasons this seemed like the perfect time to head to Iceland is because Icelandair is expanding service across the U.S. That includes direct flights from Kansas City to Reykjavik starting May 25, 2018. It will be the only nonstop transatlantic flight offered in Kansas City, and the new service will make traveling from the midwest to Europe even easier!
I’d never flown Icelandair, so I wanted to check it out to let you know what to expect before you booked your own tickets. (And you’re going to have some competition. Some of the first flights out of KCI are already sold out!) I will say that Icelandair makes it extremely easy to travel to Iceland. The airline offers package deals that you can book right on the Icelandair website. The options include roundtrip flights, hotels, tours and even transportation to and from the airport.
Icelandair operates a little bit like a budget airline, but it does offer some perks that true budget airlines don’t.

PRO TIP: All tickets are not the same on Icelandair. You need to pay attention to what you book, or the extra charges can add up.

The airline technically offers five different classes. Each comes with different luggage options. I personally feel that it can get a little confusing, so if you’re really concerned about the luggage allowance, check out the Icelandair baggage policy page. For everyone else, know that you’ll be able to check at least one bag, have one carry-on, plus a personal item as long as you book a seat in Economy Standard or higher. Economy Light are the only seats that you have to pay to check luggage. But even in Economy Light, travelers are allowed a carry-on bag that weighs less than 22 pounds.
The only reason I think luggage will even come into play is because the temperatures in Iceland vary from about 30-degrees to 50-degrees YEAR ROUND. That means you’ll always need to pack heavier clothes and a coat, which are bulky.
The other thing you need to know before you board is that, unless you are flying in one of the higher class seats, you won’t be offered free snacks or meals on Icelandair flights. If you’d like something to eat, bring it with you, or buy it through the Icelandair website up to 48 hours before your flight. If you don’t plan ahead and decide you are hungry midflight, there are snacks and small meals for sale. Icelandair doesn’t accept cash onboard, so will need a debit or credit card, or use Saga points to make any purchases. Also plan to pay for any beer, wine or liquor you’d like during the flight. Icelandair lays it all out on their Saga Kitchen and Menu page. Juice, soda and water is free.

As we boarded our flight in Chicago, the Icelandair flight attendants were very friendly. They handed every passenger a bottle of Icelandic water as we moved toward our seats. They were also very “visible” during the flight.
When it comes to the seats, mine seemed to have a little more room and it was more comfortable than my recent flights on Delta to Ireland and China Eastern to Beijing. A pillow waited for me on my seat as I settled in for the five-hour flight from Chicago. Just like many other airlines, I found a USB port on the seatback in front of me. It allowed me to charge my phone and tablet. Icelandair offers free movies, TV and video games to watch and play during the flight, but make sure you bring your earphones. The airline charges $6.00 for a set once you are on board. If you need to stay connected, WI-FI is offered for $5-$12, depending on the flight.

We landed at the Keflavík International Airport outside of Reykjavik just after 6:00 a.m. I was surprised when we did not have a jetway available. We walked down the steps of the plane to the tarmac, where it was trying not to rain. From there a shuttle took us to the terminal. But once we reached it, navigating the airport was fairly easy. Just follow the pictures of the luggage to baggage claim.
At one point, we came across a large food court. Food and drinks at this point sounded like a great option, but we had to keep walking. This is a duty free area and is only for people on layovers or who are leaving Iceland. You have to actually show a valid boarding pass to buy anything here. We did find another food and shopping area after we left the secure terminal.
As you walk through the airport, it’s time to do a little planning. Alcohol is expensive in Iceland. Many people who call the country home say they drink at home before heading out to meet friends. BUT the only places you can buy alcohol is at restaurants, the airport, or one of the state-owned liquor stores in the country called Vínbúdin. The stuff you see at Icelandic grocery stores is near-beer, or beer that contains less than 2.25% alcohol. So, if you want to save a little money during your vacation, pick something up before you leave the airport.
We retrieved our luggage and headed toward the “Flybus” counter right next to the exit. I booked transfer tickets before leaving home. The international airport sits about 45 minutes outside of Reykjavik. If you rely on a taxi, it’ll cost over $100. The flybus option was $30-$40 bucks per person. (Since we planned to stop at The Blue Lagoon, we made sure to buy this ticket. It took us from the airport to The Blue Lagoon, and then The Blue Lagoon to our hotel.)
After checking in at the Flybus ticket counter, we got directions to the waiting area. We basically walked outside and down a ramp. From there we followed a covered walkway to a parking lot where we waited with a bunch of other people. This is the line for rental cars, tours and buses. Make sure you know what kind of bus you need to board.

We waited awhile for our bus to pull up, (it looked exactly like this) but once it arrived we didn’t have any issues. We connected to the free WI-FI offered on board and an attendant walked around and checked all of our tickets.
Then we were off!
Next up, a stop at The Blue Lagoon!!