A BRIEF GUIDE TO ICELANDAIR'S DOMESTIC NETWORK

Before discussing domestic flights within Iceland, one must learn why a country in the middle of the North Atlantic has become such a popular travel destination. Linked culturally with Europe, Iceland is a Nordic nation of just 380,000 people, of which 36,000 live in the capital city of Reykjavík.

Despite being located just south of the Arctic Circle, Iceland has a temperate climate thanks to the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. A land of volcanoes, glaciers, and fjords, Iceland became a popular tourist spot following the collapse of the country's banks after the Great Recession of 2008. Before that, Iceland was prohibitively expensive to all but the wealthiest tourists.

Icelandic national flag carrier Icelandair took advantage of the situation and offered layovers on flights between North America and Europe. Icelandair also owns 22 hotels in the country, making it easy for people to have a hotel stay included in their airfare.

Travel to, from, and within Iceland

Most international flights to and from Iceland use Keflavík International Airport (KEF), located 30 miles southwest of the Icelandic capital Reykjavík. To fly domestically within Iceland, people must travel to Reykjavík Domestic Airport (RKV). Located just a mile and a quarter from the city center, Reykjavík Airport has a much shorter runway than Keflavík Airport, but because of its proximity to the capital, it is the airport of choice for short-haul domestic flights.

To get between the two airports, passengers should give themselves 90 minutes for a bus transfer or 60 minutes if traveling by private car or taxi.

Icelandair

Iceland's flag carrier operates a fleet of Boeing 757, 767, and 737 MAX aircraft for international flights while using three de Havilland Canada DHC-8-Q200s and three DHC-8-Q400s for its domestic network. Icelandair offers domestic flights within the country from Reykjavík Airport to the following airports:

• Akureyri Airport (AEY)
• Egilsstaðir Airport (EGS)
• Ísafjörður Airport (IFJ)

Icelandair domestic destinations

Akureyri

Nicknamed "The Capital of the North Akureyri," Iceland's second-largest city is home to 18,000 people. Situated at the end of the country's longest fjord, Akureyris' ice-free harbor has made it an important center for the nation's fishing industry. Tourists can take a 40-minute flight to Akureyri and use the town as a base to explore many of Iceland's natural wonders, including the Goðafoss waterfall.

Egilsstaðir

Located 400 miles from the capital Reykjavík beside the Lagarfljót River, Egilsstaðir is the largest town in Eastern Iceland, with around 2,500 inhabitants. Tourists visit the area for its vast network of hiking trails that offer amazing views and lead to lakes, waterfalls, canyons, caves, and inlets by the sea.

Ísafjörður

Ísafjörður is located in Iceland's northwest and has a population of around 2,600. Once a former Danish trading post, the town is famous for its 18th-century timber-framed houses. With a tundra climate, the area known as Westfjords is freezing in the winter and has the coolest summer temperatures in Iceland. Less frequented by tourists than other parts of Iceland, visitors can marvel at the spectacular scenery in relative solitude. One of the area's main attractions is the 328-foot-high Dynjandi waterfall.

Iceland's other domestic airlines

Besides Icelandair, the country has two other air carriers that offer domestic flights. The largest is Norlandair which operates out of Akureyri Airport and Reykjavík Airport.

With its fleet of de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters, Norlandair flies to the following destination airports:

• Grímsey Airport (GRY)
• Vopnafjörður Airport (VPN)
• Þórshöfn Airport (THO)
• Gjögur Airport (GJR)
• Bíldudalur Airport (BIU)
• Nerlerit Inaat Airport (CNP) in Greenland

Based at Reykjavík Domestic Airport (RKV), Eagle Air offers flight aboard its British Aerospace Jetstream 32 aircraft to the following destinations:

• Westman Islands
• Höfn in Hornafjördur (Vatnajökull Region)
• Húsavik (North)
• Bildudalur (West Fjords)
• Gjögur (West Fjords)

Sources: ch-aviation

2023-07-27T18:41:24Z dg43tfdfdgfd