Alaska Airlines and Icelandair have announced a codeshare agreement and a reciprocal frequent flyer partnership designed to simplify travel between the United States and Europe. The collaboration will provide passengers with smoother connections and more opportunities to earn and redeem frequent flyer benefits across both carriers.
The codeshare arrangement, which is scheduled to take effect Nov. 1 pending government approval, will streamline reservations and ticketing for customers traveling on either airline. Passengers can expect one-stop check-in where available, baggage checked through to the final destination, coordinated schedules to reduce connection times, the ability to earn miles or points on the partner carrier, and aligned customer service standards across both airlines.
Frequent flyer elites will also benefit from reciprocal lounge access. Members at elite tiers in each carrier’s loyalty program will receive comparable lounge privileges when traveling on the partner airline.
Icelandair operates flights from 16 North American cities to Iceland with onward connections to more than 20 European destinations, including Amsterdam, Brussels, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London and Paris. The airline also offers a popular stopover option that allows travelers to visit Reykjavík and explore Iceland for up to seven nights without paying extra for the airfare.
As part of the partnership rollout, certain lounge access benefits will begin early. Starting Oct. 1, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan MVP Gold and Gold 75K members will receive complimentary access to Icelandair’s Saga Lounge at Keflavik International Airport in Reykjavík. Likewise, Icelandair Saga Gold and Saga Silver members will gain complimentary access to Alaska’s Board Room lounges in Seattle (SEA), Portland (PDX), Anchorage (ANC) and Los Angeles (LAX).
Members of Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan can begin earning miles on Icelandair flights beginning Oct. 1. To promote the new earning opportunity, Alaska is offering double miles for qualifying travel through Dec. 15; terms and restrictions apply. Miles credited from Icelandair flights will count toward elite status within Alaska’s Mileage Plan. Conversely, members of Icelandair’s Saga Club will be able to earn Saga Points for flights on Alaska starting Oct. 1, and award redemptions on the partner airline will be made available later in the year.