Discount carrier Icelandair will launch seasonal service between Philadelphia International Airport and Reykjavik beginning May 30, 2017.
Icelandair will become the first new foreign flag carrier to offer flights at the airport in two years and Reykjavik will be the 37th international non-stop destination from Philadelphia.
As US Airways, now American, expanded international service, overseas carriers stayed away, with Air France leaving the airport.
“The airport is a potent economic engine to our city and the region, and convenient air service, particularly to international destinations, is essential in a global marketplace,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “We are very excited about Icelandair’s arrival in Philadelphia, and we are eager to build and strengthen a partnership between our city and the amazing city of Reykjavik.”
Reykjavik,” said Airport CEO Chellie Cameron. “This capital city is a gateway to a beautiful country and to its Scandinavian neighbors. We are proud to increase our non-stop international destinations and open a new market to our travelers.”
Icelandair will operate four weekly non-stop flights from PHL using its fleet of B-757 aircraft with a capacity of 185 seats.
Icelandair will depart from Philadelphia on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, arriving non-stop to Icelandair’s hub at Keflavik International Airport the following morning.
Total flight time is approximately five hours and 30 minutes, in time for connections to more than 25 destinations in Europe, including Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London and Paris.
Philadelphia will become Icelandair’s 18th destination in North America. The airline also serves more than 25 destinations in Europe.
Reykjavik is a popular destination for tourists, thanks to its northern location and unique features.
Icelandair will become the first foreign flag carrier to introduce service at Phildelphia since Qatar in 2014. The other foreign flag carriers are Air Canada, British Airways, and Lufthansa.
Philadelphia International Airport is owned and operated by the City of Philadelphia.
“Philadelphia will further strengthen Icelandair’s presence in the Mid-Atlantic and better serve our passengers with faster travel times to Europe and easy connections through the City of Brotherly Love,” said Birkir Holm Gudnason, CEO of Icelandair. “Philadelphians will now have a refreshing alternative when traveling to Iceland and beyond, and Icelanders and Europeans will have direct access to the historic city of Philadelphia boasting the fifth largest population in the United States. This is an exciting and significant moment for Icelandair and we look forward to welcoming Philadelphia aboard.”
