Icelandair is making some cuts to its lounge access policy, though I don’t necessarily view these changes as being that huge of a deal (thanks to YHBU for flagging this).
In this post:
Icelandair reduces business class lounge access
Icelandair’s premium cabin is named Saga Premium, and it’s somewhere between premium economy and business class. In terms of the seat as such, it’s more like what you might be used to in premium economy on a long haul flight. But if you search flights online through comparison sites, it generally shows up as business class.
Up until now, all Saga Premium fares have included lounge access. This includes access to the Icelandair Saga Lounge at Keflavik Airport (KEF), and access to contract lounges at most outstations. That policy will be changing. As of April 1, 2025:
- All Saga Premium customers will continue to receive access to the carrier’s Saga Lounge in Keflavik
- However, only passengers traveling on the most expensive Saga Premium Flex fares will receive outstation lounge access, while those on the more affordable Saga Premium fares won’t receive outstation lounge access
Below you can find a chart comparing the various types of fares, and inclusions.
I don’t consider this change to be unreasonable
Of course I don’t like to see an airline cutting perks without adding anything or lowering ticket prices. However, as far as negative changes go, I wouldn’t consider this to be a huge deal:
- Most of the contract lounges that Icelandair sends customers to also belong to other lounge networks (like Priority Pass), and I imagine many Saga Premium customers have those memberships, so aren’t losing a whole lot
- Unlike other airlines that are introducing basic business class and cutting all lounge access, at least these tickets continue to offer lounge access at the Keflavik hub, where it’s most valuable
- Icelandair’s Saga Premium pricing is arguably more in line with premium economy than business class, and most airlines don’t offer lounge access in premium economy
Bottom line
As of April 2025, Icelandair is cutting lounge access for select Saga Premium customers. While all eligible passengers will continue to get access to the Keflavik hub lounge, access to contract lounges at outstations will be more limited. It’ll only be offered to those on Saga Premium Flex fares, and not to those on the more basic Saga Premium fares.
What do you make of these Icelandair lounge access changes?
According to the Icelandair website, this new rule applies to tickets purchased after April 1st. Tickets which have been purchased before April 1st still get lounge access.
I have a Premium fare in May from Stockholm to MSP. It would have been nice to have received a more advanced warning rather than a few days before the change takes place.
IANAL TINLA but it at least seems to me that if someone wanted to cancel their ticket as a result (say, to book on another carrier where they have lounge access at all stops), this would be worthy of a dispute (Icelandair sold you a ticket that they said included access as part of the ticket, and now suddenly it doesn't). I don't think lounge access is (reasonably) one of those things they could say...
IANAL TINLA but it at least seems to me that if someone wanted to cancel their ticket as a result (say, to book on another carrier where they have lounge access at all stops), this would be worthy of a dispute (Icelandair sold you a ticket that they said included access as part of the ticket, and now suddenly it doesn't). I don't think lounge access is (reasonably) one of those things they could say is subject to a change at their whim.
Whether that's worthy of such a fight is an exercise for the reader.
And those of us who have already purchased our tickets based partly on full lounge access are SOL, I guess. Hardly seems reasonable to be changing the rules after they've taken our money, but I guess it's another case of screw you, customer.
Bugger - booked Saga Premium from NCE to KEF yesterday. I would have added Flex had I known this.
Flex is consistently 300€ more expensive. You can just buy lounge access for that price.
Fly Icelandair on a regular basis from JFK in Saga Class….very disappointed to read this.
I’m disappointed that with my upcoming trip next week that I will not be able to go to the lounge at JFK. When I look at current bookings, it states lounge access. Very frustrated and I look forward to switching loyalties to another airline.
Icleandair?
A bit annoying, we fly in about 10 days from ORD/KEF, then KEF/HEL taking advantage of a 5 night layover. Return CPH/KEF/DEN. Booked Saga Premium (not flex) last September and was promised lounge access at both O'hare and Copenhagen. Not too happy to see the change. I flew Iceland Air about 10 years ago and swore never again, yet here I am.
„and I imagine many Saga Premium customers have those memberships“: I am not sure if that is the case, especially in Europe where it’s less easy to gain access via a credit card.
And while I have a PP, my kids and partner don’t have it…
These will normally be leisure travellers who don't fly intercontinentally more than once a year and will likely be in family/friend groups. They have no reason to buy any lounge membership for their European flights. An intercontinental 'business class' ticket without lounge access isn't 'reasonable', FI aren't a low cost carrier and the tickets from/to (as opposed to via) Iceland aren't exactly cheap either- MAN-KEF is only 2.5 hours but a C return goes for...
These will normally be leisure travellers who don't fly intercontinentally more than once a year and will likely be in family/friend groups. They have no reason to buy any lounge membership for their European flights. An intercontinental 'business class' ticket without lounge access isn't 'reasonable', FI aren't a low cost carrier and the tickets from/to (as opposed to via) Iceland aren't exactly cheap either- MAN-KEF is only 2.5 hours but a C return goes for over £600.
YHBU takes a much more appropriate tone criticizing Icelandair for this approach, which actually reduces their premium selling attractiveness of Icelandait’s offering.
Lucky, stop taking the side of airlines and hotels repeatedly. I’ve been reading your blog for many years and I have noticed a recent trend where you increasingly often say “this isn’t unreasonable” to cut this service or that perk. But in this case, this is definitely taking away from an advertised feature and moving toward worse and worse a la carte premium fares.
Aside from your weirdly apologist reaction to this cutback, for...
Lucky, stop taking the side of airlines and hotels repeatedly. I’ve been reading your blog for many years and I have noticed a recent trend where you increasingly often say “this isn’t unreasonable” to cut this service or that perk. But in this case, this is definitely taking away from an advertised feature and moving toward worse and worse a la carte premium fares.
Aside from your weirdly apologist reaction to this cutback, for flyers from JFK to KEF, there is no priority pass option at T7. For BOS, FI uses the BA lounge, which is not accessible via priority pass.
So call this out for what it is, a nakedly profit-oriented and anti-consumer move by Icelandair.
Concur that this is a largely meaningless change for most in that cabin. It is still a bit cheap of them, and in my experience, that tracks.
I was denied Saga Lounge access at Keflavik despite holding a Saga Premium Flex ticket because the second leg of my journey to Greenland was on a single-class prop plane – even though my entire journey was booked as Saga Premium Flex.
That might fit into...
Concur that this is a largely meaningless change for most in that cabin. It is still a bit cheap of them, and in my experience, that tracks.
I was denied Saga Lounge access at Keflavik despite holding a Saga Premium Flex ticket because the second leg of my journey to Greenland was on a single-class prop plane – even though my entire journey was booked as Saga Premium Flex.
That might fit into the narrowest reading of the regs, but reasonable parties would include that lounge access as I booked a Saga Premium Flex journey and had no control over the second plane being single-class.