A record number of visitors from the United States was expected to visit Iceland in 2016, and in response Delta Air Lines launched a daily service between Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport and Reykjavik’s Keflavik International Airport. This route became Delta’s second daily connection between the United States and Iceland; the carrier had already operated a Keflavik–New York (JFK) flight for five years and moved that route to year‑round status. Combined, Delta offered 15 weekly flights between the United States and Iceland that summer.
“Adding a new daily flight to a second Delta hub responds to the rise in demand for travel between Iceland and the United States,” said Nat Pieper, senior vice president for the EMEA region at Delta Air Lines. He noted that the Minneapolis service provided customers with convenient connections to 84 onward destinations via the Minneapolis and New York–JFK gateways, expanding travel options to cities such as Denver and San Francisco.
Delta steadily increased passenger volumes on its Iceland routes over the previous five years. In 2011 the airline carried 21,000 passengers to Iceland, rising to 51,000 in the most recent year. Visitors from the United States also made a significant economic contribution, spending 14 billion ISK in Iceland during that period.
“With attractions such as Gullfoss and the Golden Circle, there is much to draw visitors to this beautiful country,” Pieper added. “With year‑round flights from New York, travelers can enjoy the best of both Iceland and the U.S. in any season.”