While IcelandAir has continued to grow very nicely, and WOW Air has grown at an explosive rate, North American carriers haven’t taken much interest in Iceland. Delta operates 2x weekly flights between New York and Keflavik year round, and more frequencies during peak summer dates, though up until now that has been it.
Well, it looks like another airline is giving Iceland a shot. Air Canada will launch daily flights to Iceland this summer. The service will operate 4x weekly out of Toronto, and 3x weekly out of Montreal between June 21 and October 9, 2017.
The flight will operate with the following schedule Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays:
AC1970 Toronto to Keflavik departing 9:00PM arriving 6:50AM (+1 day)
Then the return will operate Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays:
AC1971 Keflavik to Toronto departing 8:30AM arriving 10:20AM
Out of Montreal the flight will operate Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays:
AC1972 Montreal to Keflavik departing 9:35PM arriving 6:50AM (+1 day)
Then the return will operate Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays:
AC1973 Keflavik to Montreal departing 8:30AM arriving 9:45AM
This flight will be operated by an Air Canada Rouge Airbus A319, featuring 136 seats. The plane features 124 economy seats, and 12 premium economy seats (which are similar to domestic first class within the U.S., or domestic business class within Canada).
While award availability is wide open on the flight in economy, I don’t see much space in premium economy.
Revenue fares start at ~530USD roundtrip, which is pretty good for summer travel to Europe.
You may have seen WOW Air advertise $99+ one-way fares lately, though keep in mind those typically aren’t available over the summer months, and also don’t include carry-ons, seat assignments. Not that Air Canada Rouge is a full service operation by any stretch of the imagination, but they’re not as bare bones as WOW Air.
It’s great to see more options to Iceland.
Anyone considering taking Air Canada to Iceland this summer?
I flew with Icelandair, from Toronto Iceland, then from Iceland to JFK on my way to Alaska, and I had a free upgrade to first class and use of the lounge, and have no complaints. Next year, I going back with an addition of Norway. And I will be damned if I will fly with Air Canada, as I do not consider them an airline. I compare Air Canada to that of only the TTC, and I don't think one can get worse than that.
@Charlie McMillan: Icelandair's "Saga Class" is a recliner, not an angled-flat seat. It's more Premium Economy than Business.
If you want a cheap business product from Canada to Europe, try LOT Polish. It runs about C$2,500 to most of their European destinations if you buy at least two weeks in advance. Flat beds, decent food, and you earn Star Alliance miles (if that's something you care about). I'm in Europe on a LOT ticket right...
@Charlie McMillan: Icelandair's "Saga Class" is a recliner, not an angled-flat seat. It's more Premium Economy than Business.
If you want a cheap business product from Canada to Europe, try LOT Polish. It runs about C$2,500 to most of their European destinations if you buy at least two weeks in advance. Flat beds, decent food, and you earn Star Alliance miles (if that's something you care about). I'm in Europe on a LOT ticket right now, as it happens.
Fair warning - LOT only flies to Toronto, so you may have to find your way to YYZ if that's not your home city. Some of the OTAs will sell you a ticket with connecting flights on Air Canada, but the price is essentially the same as buying the flights separately. The only advantage is if you misconnect on the Air Canada leg you'd presumably be protected as it's all one ticket.
My comment is about connecting in Iceland to get to Europe. Iceland Air has by far the cheapest business class fares from Canada to Europe if you are willing to take an angled business class seat and connect in Iceland in the middle of the night. It's over CDN $1000.00 cheaper than a direct flight on standard carriers like AC or Lufthansa. I'm thinking of doing it for a vacation trip to Germany, unless AC...
My comment is about connecting in Iceland to get to Europe. Iceland Air has by far the cheapest business class fares from Canada to Europe if you are willing to take an angled business class seat and connect in Iceland in the middle of the night. It's over CDN $1000.00 cheaper than a direct flight on standard carriers like AC or Lufthansa. I'm thinking of doing it for a vacation trip to Germany, unless AC has a business class sale like they did last year when I went to Paris.
Lucky, better do your homework next time: FYI, Delta flies JFK-KEF year round (in fact double-daily on Saturday in the summer) and operates MSP-KEF seasonally...hardly "not taking much interest"
I think the goal here is to simply hurt Wow air a bit as I think they have been doing quite well and this might take away some of their market share - note for example that they will fly both from Toronto and Montreal which would otherwise normally not happen, usually new routes start from one but not both of these cities. Wow air flies to both.
Just adding that Delta not only flew from New York but also from Minneapolis in 2016.
@Carl - ageee with the previous commenter that Iceland is a very expensive destination and will not appeal to budget travellers at all. Other than seeing the northern lights the climate also makes it very unpleasant for 6+ months every year.
Norwegian Air is exploding in the US but its not making Scandinavia a budget destination because scando remains very expensive
@Carl, you have obviously NOT been to Iceland because your comment 'their nation becoming the budget destination of choice for international riffraff' is far from reality. The country is EXPENSIVE! To put is simply, I stayed in a B&B last summer that had FOUR guest rooms sharing a bathroom at a price point that was the SAME PRICE as staying in Kuala Lumpur's Shangri-La hotel (Club Floor).
Regards.
I wonder if U.S. carriers are hesitant to move in, due to the low prices of WOW Air and IcelandAir..
Air Canada Rouge not bare bones? Unless flying premium rouge (like we both have, Lucky), you get no seat selection ($), no bags ($) and no in-flight entertainment ($ or bring your tablet) or probably meals ($ or bring your own).
Even if this is a Europe flight, right now on similar routes in length to Central America (SJO...) they don't offer meals and make you pay for everything mentioned above.
530 US is...
Air Canada Rouge not bare bones? Unless flying premium rouge (like we both have, Lucky), you get no seat selection ($), no bags ($) and no in-flight entertainment ($ or bring your tablet) or probably meals ($ or bring your own).
Even if this is a Europe flight, right now on similar routes in length to Central America (SJO...) they don't offer meals and make you pay for everything mentioned above.
530 US is roughly 690 CAD today, which, to be honest, is comparable to some Air Transat fares to as far as FCO and ATH. Apples to apples, seems like a lot for Rouge, to KEF...
$410 CAD fuel surcharge in economy class. Not a good use of miles.
@anon, it doesn't come cheap. I looked at GF and found that DL flies lie-flats from JFK in the summer for ~3k. For such a short distance, I don't think it's worth it.
The tourism explosion in Iceland has made the exchange rate ridiculous.
are there any flat beds from anywhere to KEF?
That airport is well over capacity in Summer (or that's what I thought last August).
Seems odd that they'd try to compete head to head on a leisure route with WOW and Icelandair. Doesn't seem like a very profitable venture!
I wonder how the Icelandic people about their nation becoming the budget destination of choice for international riffraff.