Travel
Arriving in the Land of Fire and Ice
Flying to Iceland from the East Coast
I’m here to write about a transformational travel experience, as part of a series. This article is the first part. I’ll cover how we got there, what we did, what we ate, and how I felt. I’ll cover budgeting tips and why I intend to visit this magical destination again, and again.
I really want to thank my readers for being patient and hope that I can offer some value through my chronicles.
We hadn’t taken a break in a while and life was wearing us down. We had planned to drive up to Ottawa and try some cold-weather activities in February during the mid-winter school break. Alas, that plan had been ruined due to a car issue. You can read about it here.
Fortunately, we were given an extra long spring break due to the timing of Passover and Easter, so we had to take full advantage of that! One night, we simply stared at Google Maps on our phones, trying to find the perfect destination.
We wanted something not too far, not too expensive, and within approximately 5 hours of air travel. We didn’t want an all-inclusive beach vacation. We wanted something active, in a city, and something slightly different.
We definitely wanted something different.
As we stared long and hard at our screens, we hit a Eureka moment. I seemed oddly attracted to a little island next to mighty Greenland. I knew there were direct overnight flights to this mystical destination. Where active volcanoes, magnificent glaciers, and geothermal springs coexisted with peaceful and friendly locals. We looked no further.
We chose Iceland.
We scoured deals on Expedia and read reviews on Tripadvisor. Iceland seemed to really fit our wants. April wasn’t considered a peak month as the weather was unpredictable and the days were gradually becoming longer after a long period of darkness. In fact, the ‘Midnight Sun’ in Iceland occurs during summer, when Iceland receives 24 hours of sunlight!
After a lot of research on prices, availability and location, we found our perfect flight and hotel package.
Icelandic Prices
While the prices were lower compared to the summer, we began to realize that Iceland was definitely an expensive country. So we would certainly have to manage our budget. More about that later.
We flew overnight from the East Coast in economy seats. They weren’t ideal, but we figured that it wouldn’t be too much of a hassle given it was a short(ish) flight.
First Class?
Icelandair has a first-class service called Saga Premium. It’s reputed to be one of the best premium services at a price point lower than its other European counterparts. You can actually bid for the seats online. In all honesty, we did bid on these (at the lower end of the minimum) but were unsuccessful. Oh well! At least we tried! More about this in a future article.
I was expecting the worst, given the mixed reviews I’d read about Icelandair. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the new aircraft model, with its large TV screen and streamlined design.
While soft drinks and tea/coffee were complimentary, there was no free food on the flight. We knew this already, so had eaten dinner in the airport terminal (not the best, but served its purpose). To sweeten the travel experience, my husband and I decided to splurge a little and purchase Icelandic gin and tonics!
I really wish I had taken a photo of the gin menu of IcelandAir! There were at least six different gins featured in the brochure, all of which hailed from Iceland. Above is a photo of the gin and tonic I enjoyed. It was fantastic! Rich in botanical aromas such as juniper, this hit the spot and set the tone for my Nordic adventure.
My eyelids were starting to droop as we neared 1 am Eastern time. Curious, I raised the window and was greeted by purple and pink hues on the horizon. We were flying east where the sun would be rising soon. I had to get a photo of the aircraft’s elegant tail, gliding effortlessly in the stunning sky.
We landed in Keflavik Airport around 5:30 am local time, 1:30 Eastern. The flight was smooth and spirits were high. My first time in a Nordic country! I felt energized and excited for what was to come.
Traveling to Reykjavik
This can get tricky. The city is about 45 minutes away from the airport. Like all things in Iceland, transport is also expensive. There is a bus service called Flybus which is around $30 each way but it takes a while to get to the city center. You can find various transportation options at varying price points via a quick Google search.
Since we were a family with multiple pieces of luggage, we thought it best to take a private taxi. We had done some prior research, and had read that it was best to get a ballpark cost from the driver before the ride. There are plenty of taxis outside the airport waiting in an organized line.
Our cab driver was a pleasant, middle-aged Icelander called Steini. He was friendly, courteous, and gave us a price of around $120, which I thought was fair, given the distance, traffic, and level of service.
Steini exceeded our expectations. As we sped across the clean highway, he told us about his country and pointed out various natural wonders. His English was flawless. He informed me that all schoolchildren in Iceland had to study English, which explained the fluency.
The landscape
Again, I wish I had taken more photos! While I was a little groggy given the time difference, the main reason I hadn’t taken photos during this journey was that I was far too busy being stunned by the natural beauty around me!
Virtually everything around us was volcanic rock. The land by the road was dark and gravely, but the horizon was dotted with icy mountains and volcanoes. I felt like I was cruising through an alien moonscape.
We arrived at our hotel around 7 am, a modern and distinctive establishment called Reykjavik Marina, by the bay. However, check-in time was around 3 pm. Exhausted yet excited, we collapsed in one of their many beautiful and functional lounges designed for weary travelers. God only knows what the hotel guests walking by thought of us sprawled across the sofas!
The hotel has massive amounts of communal space, almost the span of half a NYC avenue! There are multiple decorated bathrooms, a cinema(!), rooms with comfy and stylish couches and seats, a working space with large tables, an espresso machine and a sandwich bar. It was impressive.
After a couple of hours lazing around and surfing online, we checked our luggage into ‘Left Luggage’, freshened up, and headed to the hotel restaurant, only to be told that it was closing in 20 minutes. However, the hostess gave us a recommendation for a cafe, not too far from the hotel.
I’ll talk about the food there and in Iceland in general, in another post.
To summarize
- Spend time on Expedia and TripAdvisor finding an Icelandic package that is affordable for you
- Google transportation options to and from Keflavik Airport to find the best option for you
- Even though the taxis are metered, ask the driver about a ballpark price in order to avoid a nasty surprise.
Are you planning to visit Iceland? Or have you visited already? What are some of your recommendations regarding traveling to and from the airport? Let me know in the comments!
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