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Keflavík Airport continues to be one of the main sponsors of Ljósanótt in Reykjanesbær, supporting the creation of a diverse cultural and family festival for the local community.

Keflavík Airport continues to be one of the main sponsors of Ljósanótt in Reykjanesbær and is one of nine sponsors, known as Ljósberar (Light Bearers), supporting this year’s festival. Sveinbjörn Indriðason, CEO of Isavia, signed the sponsorship agreement between Keflavík Airport (KEF) and Reykjanesbær on behalf of KEF at a ceremony held at Hljómahöll.Ljósanótt will take place from 3–6 September and is one of the largest town festivals in Iceland. The festival brings together local residents, community organizations, artists and businesses through a diverse programme of cultural and family events.

KEF is committed to playing an active role in the community on the Reykjanes Peninsula and supporting initiatives that strengthen culture, community life and society. Its support for Ljósanótt is part of this commitment.Ljósanótt is a good example of what can be achieved when a community comes together. More than 50 companies are supporting the festival this year through financial contributions, services and various forms of collaboration. The support of the local business community plays an important role in making the festival’s extensive and diverse programme possible.

Supporting the Community

Ljósanótt brings people of all ages together and gives local residents, community organizations, artists and businesses the opportunity to take part in creating the festival. This sense of togetherness is reflected in the festival’s motto, “Together with Light in Our Hearts.”This year, there are nine Ljósberar (Light Bearers) supporting Ljósanótt: Landsbankinn, Skólamatur, KEF Keflavík Airport, BUS4U, Blue Car Rental, Nettó, GTS, JeEs arkitektar and Reykjanes Investment.Keflavík Airport is proud to continue as a Ljósberi (Light Bearer) and contribute to Ljósanótt and the local community on the Reykjanes Peninsula.Ljósanótt will take place from 3–6 September. The festival programme can be found at <a href="https://www.ljosanott.is/">ljosanott.is</a>.

Together with Light in Our Hearts

Keflavík Airport to Continue Supporting Ljósanótt Cultural Festival

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Daily Philadelphia service in summer 2027

American Airlines today announced a new scheduled route between Keflavík Airport (KEF) and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), launching on 27 May 2027. The airline will operate daily flights throughout the summer season using an Airbus A321neo aircraft with seating for 196 passengers.The new service marks American Airlines' return to Iceland after an absence of a few years. The carrier launched flights between KEF and Dallas-Fort Worth in 2018 and had planned to add Philadelphia as a destination in 2020. However, those plans were halted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which also led to the suspension of the airline's Iceland-Dallas service. 
"We are delighted to welcome American Airlines back to Keflavík Airport and strongly support this decision," said Ómar Svavarsson, Chief Commercial Officer at KEF.

Ómar Svavarsson

It is great to see the airline rejoin our airport community. This new route further strengthens our connectivity with North America and demonstrates the confidence that this major international carrier has in Iceland as a destination.

“We are excited to be returning to the shores of Iceland with our brand-new route from Philadelphia,” said José A. Freig, Vice President – International and Business Partner Operations at American Airlines.

José A. Freig

With this route, our customers in Iceland and the surrounding Nordics will also have access to one of our fastest growing U.S. hubs in Philadelphia, from where they can explore more than 100 destinations in the U.S and beyond.

American Airlines returns to Iceland

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Air China has officially announced the launch of scheduled services between China and Iceland, with operations set to begin in late October. The airline will operate three weekly flights between Beijing and Keflavík Airport (KEF), with a stopover in Copenhagen in both directions.

Grétar Már Garðarsson

This new route marks an important milestone in the continued development of Keflavík Airport's international route network and supports our goal of connecting the world through Iceland. The connection creates new opportunities for Icelandic tourism, business, and cultural exchange between the two countries. We at KEF look forward to welcoming Air China passengers to Iceland.

New Air China Service

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Possibility of longer than usual wait times at KEF security screening 

A significant number of passengers are expected to be at Keflavík Airport in the coming days. Many of the visitors who have travelled to Iceland in recent weeks for the August 12 total solar eclipse are departing the country. As a result, passengers may during some parts of the days experience longer-than-usual wait times at security screening. All security screening lanes at the airport will be open, and our staff will be on hand to assist passengers as much as possible.

Longer security waits expected

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Possibility of longer-than-usual wait times at KEF security screening on Friday, August 14

A significant number of passengers are expected to be at Keflavík Airport on the morning of Friday, August 14. Many of the visitors who have travelled to Iceland in recent weeks for the August 12 total solar eclipse are expected to be departing the country that day. As a result, passengers may experience longer-than-usual wait times at security screening. All security screening lanes at the airport will be open, and our staff will be on hand to assist passengers as much as possible.

Busier security screening on August 14

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We welcomed 917,261 guests at Keflavík Airport (KEF) in July 2026.

In July 2026, 917,261, passengers travelled through Keflavík Airport (KEF), representing a 7.6% decrease compared with July 2025. 

During the month, 25 airlines operated flight from Keflavík Airport to 76 destinations. The most popular destinations were Copenhagen, London, New York and Paris. The airport's busiest day was 26 July, when 31,738 passengers passed through KEF. Departures of international visitors from Keflavík Airport totalled approximately 293,000 in July. According to the <a href="https://www.ferdamalastofa.is/en/news/293-thousand-departures-of-foreign-passengers-in-july" target="_self">Icelandic Tourist Board</a> the number of departing foreign visitors was 3.1% lower than in the same month in 2025. 

Departures of Icelandic residents totalled approximately 67,000 in July, representing an increase of 1.8% compared with the same month last year. Americans were the largest group of foreign passengers departing Iceland in July. Around 101,000 Americans left the country during the month, accounting for approximately 34.5% of all foreign passenger departures. This was broadly similar to July 2025, although departures by American travellers decreased by 1.1%.Germans were the second-largest group, numbering around 25,000, or approximately 8.6% of all foreign passenger departures. This represents an increase of 14.9% compared with the same month last year. British travellers were the third-largest group, with approximately 22,000 departures, accounting for 7.4% of the total. Departures by British travellers increased by 25.2% compared with July 2025.From the beginning of the year, approximately 1.25 million international passengers have departed Iceland via Keflavík International Airport. This figure is broadly unchanged compared with the same period in 2025, although a slight decline of 1.4% has been recorded.Icelandic residents have made approximately 384,000 trips abroad since the start of the year. This represents a 10.4% decrease compared with the first seven months of last year.

July 2026

917 thousand guests in July

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Saga Giftstore will open a new gift shop at Keflavík Airport in early August. The store will offer a carefully curated selection of Icelandic design, handicrafts, wool products and souvenirs in the airport’s main shopping and dining area.

A new gift shop, Saga Giftstore, will open at Keflavík Airport in early August. Located in the airport’s main shopping and dining area, the store will offer travellers a wide range of gifts, handicrafts and design products with a strong connection to Iceland. 
The shop’s selection will include Icelandic wool products, hand-knitted Icelandic wool sweaters, Icelandic handicrafts, souvenirs and Nordic design items. Customers will also find a curated range of design and lifestyle products from Epal.

Saga Giftstore opens gift shop at Keflavík Airport

Sigrún Edda Elíasdóttir

We are extremely proud to offer products from some of Iceland’s leading designers and manufacturers, including Hekla Ísland, Ugla Handverk, Farmers Market, Bjarni Viðar and Sign, alongside a selection of hand-knitted Icelandic wool sweaters. Our goal is to ensure that both Icelanders and international visitors can find beautiful, high-quality gifts and design products

The store will be operated by Drífa ehf., which recently secured the concession to run the gift shop following a competitive tender process at Keflavík Airport. Drífa ehf. is an Icelandic company with decades of experience in retail operations and retail solution development. The company owns and operates Icewear, one of Iceland’s best-known brands in the fields of wool apparel and outdoor products.

Þórunn Marinósdóttir

We warmly welcome the new operator to Keflavík Airport and are very excited about the opening of Saga Giftstore.he opening of Saga Giftstore forms part of the continued development of Keflavík Airport’s retail and service offering, with the aim of enhancing the passenger experience while showcasing Icelandic design, culture and craftsmanship to visitors from around the world.

Saga Giftstore Opens Gift Shop

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We welcomed 790.007 guests at Keflavík Airport (KEF) in June 2026.

In June 2026, 790.007 passengers travelled through Keflavík Airport (KEF). That’s 8.9% fewer travellers than in June last year. In June, 25 airlines operated flights to 72 destinations. The most popular destinations Copenhagen, London, New York, Paris and Oslo. The busiest day at the airport was 28th of June, when 30.837 passengers passed through KEF.<a href="https://www.ferdamalastofa.is/en/news/223-thousand-departures-of-foreign-travellers-in-june" target="_blank">Departures of foreign visitors</a> from KEF totalled approximately 223.000 in June, represents a 4.5% decrease compared to June 2025.Around 78.000 Americans departed the country in June, corresponding to one third of all departures. This represents an 20% decrease compared with the same month last year. During the first half of the year (January–June), approximately 957,000 foreign visitors departed from Iceland, almost the same number as during the corresponding period last year, representing a slight decrease of 0.9%.Departures of Icelandic residents totalled around 316.000 since the beginning of the year, representing a decrease of 12.7% compared to the same period last year.

June 2026

790 thousand guests in June

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Nearly 2.6 million passengers are expected to pass through Keflavík Airport during the peak summer months of June, July and August. A total of 28 airlines will operate through KEF, serving 79 destinations. There will be 16,880 arriving and departing flights, 8.1% fewer than during the same period last year, largely due to the withdrawal of PLAY. Nearly three million airline seats will be available from June through August, 8.9% fewer than last year.

2.6 million Passengers

The most frequently served destinations this summer are Copenhagen, Oslo, London, New York and Seattle. Several new destinations are being added, and new airlines have joined the airport community at KEF. Alaska Airlines and Air Transat have begun service to KEF. Alaska Airlines operates daily flights to Seattle, while Air Transat flies between KEF and Montréal. In addition, Icelandair has added Faro in Portugal, Venice and Málaga. Wizz Air has launched Vilnius in Lithuania and Wrocław in Poland. United Airlines has begun flights to Washington Dulles, and easyJet has added Lyon in France. WestJet has also expanded its schedule with flights to Edmonton and Winnipeg in Canada.

New Destinations and Airlines

This summer Icelandair offers service to 54 destinations from Keflavík Airport: 37 in Europe, 14 in the United States and three in Canada. The airline recently announced a cooperation agreement with WestJet and a memorandum of understanding with Aegean Airlines, Greece’s largest airline. These agreements create new connections between the carriers’ route networks.  
Icelandair will account for 64% of total seat capacity to and from Keflavík Airport this summer. The main change to its network is the addition of Faro, Venice and Málaga.

Icelandair the Largest

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The impact of PLAY’s departure on air service is undeniable. In summer 2025, the airline offered more than 413,000 seats and served 31 destinations. Of those destinations, 21 are still served this summer, while 10 are no longer available as direct flights from KEF. Those ten destinations represented only 8.7% of PLAY’s capacity, demonstrating that the airline’s largest destinations remain available from KEF.

The PLAY Effect

The foreign airlines operating at KEF, which together account for 36% of total seat capacity, have expanded their schedules for the current summer season. SAS has added 170 flights and 30,000 seats, a 36% increase. The largest increase is from Copenhagen, now served twice daily. Additional flights have also been added from Oslo, and Stockholm service operates during the peak summer period. Finnair now operates twelve weekly flights from Helsinki. Wizz Air adds 37,000 seats and two new destinations: Vilnius twice weekly and Wrocław three times weekly. The airline is also increasing flights from Katowice while continuing service from Budapest, Gdańsk and Warsaw. United Airlines has added daily service between KEF and Washington, increasing capacity by 33,000 seats or 59%. Chicago and New York/Newark service continues. Delta continues to serve New York, Detroit, and Minneapolis. Detroit is now served daily instead of five times per week, and the Minneapolis season has been extended. Air Canada has extended its Montréal and Toronto seasons. WestJet continues serving Calgary and has added Winnipeg and Edmonton, each with weekly summer flights. Capacity has increased by 26% year over year. British Airways has added 4,000 seats to and from London Heathrow, an increase of about 14%. easyJet has increased capacity to Keflavík by 39%. Service from Paris has moved from Orly to Charles de Gaulle, and one additional weekly flight has been added. Lyon joins the network with a twice-weekly summer service. Milan flights have doubled to eight weekly departures. Lufthansa will operate nine weekly flights from Frankfurt, increasing capacity by 17%. Vueling has significantly expanded Barcelona service with approximately 5,000 additional seats, representing growth of about 117%. LOT has added an additional weekly Warsaw flight and now operates five weekly frequencies, increasing capacity by nearly 39%. Transavia France has extended its Paris-Orly season to cover the entire summer with one to three flights per week. Transavia maintains the same Amsterdam schedule, but larger aircraft increase seat capacity by more than 5%. Austrian will operate daily service from Vienna, increasing capacity by 20%. Discover, Norwegian, Jet2.com, Atlantic Airways and Edelweiss will operate largely unchanged schedules. Air Baltic will serve only Riga this summer, reducing its capacity by 29%. Eurowings will operate only one weekly Düsseldorf flight during peak summer, reducing capacity. Iberia has reduced Madrid service to twice weekly. Air Greenland will no longer operate the Billund route.

Foreign Airlines Expand

Although total seat capacity has declined following PLAY’s departure, travelers’ options remain extensive. Passengers traveling through KEF can connect onward through Riga, Vienna, London Heathrow, Munich, Helsinki, Frankfurt, Warsaw and Copenhagen. To the west, connections are available through Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Delta, United and WestJet. Icelandair’s numerous partnership agreements also allow passengers to reach a vast range of destinations worldwide on a single ticket with one or more connections. Summer is a season of opportunity, and from KEF it is possible to travel virtually anywhere in the world.

Many Connections with International Airlines

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Travel Anywhere from KEF This Summer

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We welcomed 654,281 passengers at Keflavík Airport (KEF) in May 2026.

A total of 654,281 passengers travelled through Keflavík Airport (KEF) during the month, representing a 6.8% decrease compared with May 2025. In total, 24 airlines operated flights to 63 destinations. The most popular destinations were Copenhagen, Paris, London, and New York. The busiest day of the month was 31 May, when 25,632 passengers travelled through KEF.<a href="https://www.ferdamalastofa.is/en/news/163-thousand-departures-of-foreign-passengers-in-may" target="_blank">According to figures from the Icelandic Tourist Board</a>, there were approximately 163,000 departures of foreign passengers from KEF in May, 0.4% fewer than in May 2025. Around 52,000 U.S. travellers departed Iceland during the month, accounting for 31.8% of all foreign passenger departures. Their numbers remained broadly stable compared with the same month last year, declining only 1.8%.Since the beginning of the year, Icelandic residents have made approximately 248,000 trips abroad, representing a 14.5% decrease compared with the same period last year.

May 2026

654 Thousand Passengers in May

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Daily summer flights between Keflavík and Seattle

Alaska Airlines has launched direct service between Keflavík Airport (KEF) and Seattle, with the inaugural flight arriving on May 29. This marks the airline’s first-ever service to Iceland and makes KEF one of Alaska Airlines’ first destinations in Europe.The route will operate daily throughout the summer, connecting KEF with the airline’s home hub at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA). Seattle is a key gateway for the U.S. West Coast and offers extensive onward connections across the United States and Canada.The first Alaska Airlines aircraft to arrive at KEF was welcomed with a traditional water cannon salute on the runway. Passengers departing on the inaugural flight from KEF were offered light refreshments ahead of boarding, marking the occasion.

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Alaska Airlines arrives at KEF

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KEF airport and airBaltic celebrate the 10th anniversary of the route between KEF and ariBaltic‘s home base in Riga, Latvia this summer. 

The Latvian airline started flying this route back in May 2016. Up until 2021 the KEF-Riga route was only available during the summertime, but airBaltic now offers up to four flights a week – all year round. Since the inaugural flight back in May 2016, airBaltic has carried more than 200.000 passengers on this route and operated around 2.000 flights.

Our partnership with airBaltic has built an important connection between Iceland and the Baltic States, one that has been well received over the past decade.

"It has not only made travel between Iceland and Latvia easier, but also opened the door to a wide range of connections across Europe and beyond. It’s a pleasure to look back on these ten years of successful cooperation, which has become firmly established at Keflavik Airport. We're grateful for the partnership and look forward to building on this strong foundation in the years ahead," Grétar added.airBaltic is the largest airline in the Baltics, operating one of Europe’s youngest fleets with modern Airbus A220-300 aircraft. The airline offers customers convenient and flexible travel options, connecting the Baltic States to 80 destinations across Europe, and beyond.Mantas Vrubliauskas, VP Network Management at airBaltic: “Over the past decade, the Reykjavík–Riga route has played an important role in strengthening ties between Iceland and Latvia, providing travelers from Iceland with the opportunity to visit one of Northern Europe’s largest cities and experience Latvia’s rich culture and beautiful nature. The route has also served as an important gateway to the Baltic States, Finland, and wider Europe through airBaltic’s extensive route network.”

Mantas Vrubliauskas

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our long-term partners, Reykjavík Airport and RIX Riga Airport, for their continued cooperation and support of airBaltic’s growth.

Later this summer a fourth flight will be added to the schedule, but as of now airBaltic flies between the two destinations three times a week. Arrival at KEF is scheduled 23:55 on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and departures at 00:45 on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

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Ten years of cooperation with airBaltic

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United Airlines Launches New Nonstop Service Between Reykjavik and Washington D.C.

United Airlines launched direct flights between Keflavík Airport and Washington, D.C. today. To mark the occasion, passengers were given a warm welcome upon their arrival to KEF. This summer, United Airlines will operate daily flights between KEF and Dulles International Airport, expanding options for passengers in terms of both comfort and flight connections.

Bjarni Páll Tryggvason

We are delighted to welcome the first United Airlines passengers arriving from Washington to Keflavík Airport.

“United Airlines is a highly valued partner, and we are excited to see our strong collaboration continue to grow in the years ahead. The addition of Washington alongside New York/Newark and Chicago further reflects United Airlines’ confidence in Iceland as a vibrant, world-class destination and highlights the growing demand for travel to and from the country.”, says Bjarni.United Airlines has been flying to KEF Airport since 2018, and this summer their selection of flights from KEF grows to three destinations. In addition to Washington D.C., United also offer daily flights to Newark/New York and Chicago O‘hare.

Amit Badiani

We are excited to launch our first-ever service between Reykjavik and Washington D.C., further underlining the importance of Iceland within United’s global network.

“For summer 2026, our customers in Iceland can enjoy even greater travel choice and the possibility to connect seamlessly via our Washington D.C. hub to over 50 destinations across the Americas, whilst U.S. travellers can benefit from more ways to connect to Iceland and experience the country’s natural beauty, such as the world-famous Blue Lagoon, Midnight Sun, black sand beaches and more.”, Mr. Badiani added.United Airlines will operate daily flights to and from Keflavik Airport (KEF) to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) up until September 23rd. According to the flight schedule, the arrival time is 8:30 and departure time is 11:30.Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is one of the most important connection-hub airports on the U.S. East Coast and a key gateway for international travel. United Airlines is the largest carrier at the airport and flies to over 50 destinations across the Americas.

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United Airlines New Nonstop Service

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We welcomed 571.570 guests at Keflavík Airport (KEF) in April 2026.

In April 2026, 571.570 passengers travelled through Keflavík Airport (KEF). That’s 12.5% fewer travellers than in April last year. In April, 20 airlines operated flights to 65 destinations. The most popular destinations London, Copenhagen, New York, Paris and Amsterdam. The busiest day at the airport was 5th of April, when 23.191 passengers passed through KEF.<a href="https://www.ferdamalastofa.is/en/news/149-thousand-departures-of-foreign-passengers-in-april" target="_blank">Departures of foreign visitors</a> from KEF totalled approximately 149,000 in April, represents a 0.15% decrease compared to April 2025.Around 38,000 Americans departed the country in April, corresponding to just over one quarter of all departures. This represents an 11% increase compared with the same month last year.Departures of Icelandic residents totalled around 189.000 since the beginning of the year, representing a decrease of 15.5% compared to the same period last year.

April 2026

571 thousand guests in April

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We welcomed 454,806 guests at Keflavík Airport (KEF) in February 2026. A total of 899,298 passengers have travelled through Keflavík Airport during the first two months of the year.

In February, 19 airlines operated flights to 58 destinations. The most popular destinations were London, Copenhagen, Manchester, Paris, and Amsterdam.The busiest day at the airport was 22 February, when 20,822 passengers passed through KEF.Departures of foreign visitors from KEF totalled approximately 147,000 in February, <a href="https://www.ferdamalastofa.is/en/news/147-thousand-departures-of-foreign-passengers-in-february-1" target="_blank">according to measurements by the Icelandic Tourist Board</a>. This represents a 0.9% decrease compared to February 2025. Approximately two out of every five departures were travelers from the United Kingdom and United States.Departures of Icelandic residents totalled around 36,000 in February, a decrease of 11.4% compared to the same month last year.

19 airlines and 58 destinations

454 thousand guests in February

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We welcomed 443,492 guests at Keflavík Airport (KEF) in January 2026.

In January 2026, 443,492 passengers travelled through Keflavík Airport (KEF). That’s 5.5% fewer travellers than in January last year. 16 airlines operated flights to 56 destinations this monthTop destinations were still London, Copenhagen, Manchester, New York and Paris.The busiest day was 4 January, with around 20,313 passengers passing through the airport.According to the Icelandic Tourist Board around 119 thousand foreign travelers departed from KEF in January, a 1.8% decrease from January 2025. Nearly one-fifth were US and British travellers. Departures of Icelandic residents were about 43 thousand in January, marking a 7.6% decrease compared to January 2024.Most departures, about 24 thousand, were from travellers from the United States (about 20% of the total). A 27.4% fewer than in the same month last year. Britons were the second largest group, with around 21 thousand departures (17.6% of the total), a 12% increase from last year. Chinese travellers ranked third, with around 9 thousand departures (7.9% of the total), down 7.9% from the previous year.

443 thousand guests in January

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66° North

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66°North, a proud partner of the National Olympic and Sports Association of Iceland, will once again dress the Icelandic delegation for the Winter Olympics—this time for the 2026 Games taking place in Italy this February. 

The Icelandic team will step into the Opening Ceremony wearing specially designed Hornstrandir jackets and pants, showcasing premium Icelandic design on the world stage.To mark 66°North’s 100th anniversary, Keflavík Airport is now hosting a unique display of entrance outfits worn by Icelandic Olympic teams over the years. Travellers can explore ceremonial outfits from Lillehammer 1994, Nagano 1998, Vancouver 2010, as well as the brand‑new Hornstrandir edition that Icelandic athletes will wear at the Opening Ceremony in Cortina on 6 February 2026.The long-standing partnership between 66°North and the Icelandic Olympic movement extends beyond ceremonial wear. For the upcoming Games, the brand will also provide training and leisure apparel for the athletes throughout the event.Visitors interested in Olympic-inspired pieces can find items from the 66°North x National Olympic and Sports Association of Iceland collaboration at the <a href='/shopping/66-north'>66°North store</a> inside Keflavík Airport.We wish the Icelandic athletes the very best of luck and look forward to cheering them on in Cortina!Outfits on display at Keflavík Airport come from these Winter Olympic Games:<ul><li>1994 – Lillehammer, Norway</li><li>1998 – Nagano, Japan</li><li>2010 – Vancouver, Canada</li><li>2026 – Cortina, Italy</li></ul>

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Winter Olympics Entrance Outfits from 66°North Now on Display

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Significant renovations are underway in the arrivals area of Keflavík Airport. 

Last week, construction began on new and upgraded service counters for car rental companies in the terminal building, and shortly before that, work had begun in the customs corridor. Construction has also recently been completed on a new convenience store, which opened in the arrivals hall of the terminal before Christmas, and in parallel, work is underway to expand the terminal entrance on the arrivals side. All of this is being done with the aim of improving flow and increasing comfort for airport passengers as well as for those who work at the airport.The area in question is largely one of the oldest unchanged areas of the airport. It has remained unchanged for decades, but the ever-growing activity of the airport now calls for changes to be made. Emphasis is placed on ensuring that the construction has as little impact as possible on guests and airport operations, although some temporary disruption is to a certain extent unavoidable.While construction of improved facilities for car rental companies is ongoing, their service has been moved to temporary facilities just outside the terminal. It is expected that this work will be completed in the spring, when the new service counters will be brought into use. At the same time, the number of car rental companies with facilities inside the terminal will increase from three to four.The planned completion of other construction projects is also in the spring.Further information on the update of the arrivals area can be <a href="https://www.kefplus.is/verkefni/breytingar-a-komusv%C3%A6%C3%B0i" target="_blank">found here</a>.

Improved arrivals area coming this spring

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The year 2025 was KEF's fourth biggest year ever, with the airport community welcoming 8.1 million visitors in total, a 2% decrease from the previous year. 

A Total of 28 airlines flew from Keflavík Airport to 100 destinations, with London being the most popular destination city. The most popular airport, however, was Kastrup in Copenhagen.

28 airlines and 100 destinations

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The bankruptcy of the airline Play affected the number of visitors who passed through KEF last year, as the original passenger forecast for 2025 expected 8.4 million passengers. However, it is interesting that if the forecast for 2025 is compared with the actual figures for the year, but Play is excluded, there is a 5.3% increase in passenger numbers between years. Foreign tourists were almost 2.3 million last year, which is a 0.4% decrease from the previous year and 0.8% lower than expected in the passenger forecast. However, more than 700 thousand Icelandic passengers passed through the airport, which is an 18% increase from the previous year and 18.6% more than the forecast projected.

Play's fall impacted travel 

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Connecting passengers, i.e. passengers who use KEF as a connecting point without staying in Iceland, totalled 2.2 million, or 27% of the total number of passengers. This is a 14% decrease in connecting passengers from the previous year, when connecting passengers were 31% of the total number of airport visitors.

Considerable decrease in connecting passengers 

A total of 28 airlines flew to 100 destinations in 2025. London and Copenhagen were by far the most popular destinations last year, as in previous years. London is unique in that there are flights from KEF to four airports in the city, Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton. Six airlines flew between London and KEF: British Airways, easyJet, Icelandair, Jet2.com, Play and TUI. The airport with the most flights to and from KEF was Kastrup Airport in Copenhagen. A total of three airlines flew between the two airports: Icelandair, Play and SAS. Sixteen new destinations were added during the year, and two new airlines began flights to and from KEF.

The most popular destinations in 2025 

The busiest day of the year at the airport in 2025 was on August 3rd, when KEF welcomed 36,694 guests. However, most flights passed through the airport a few days later, on 7 August, with 220 passenger flights. The beginning of August is clearly the time of year when most people are on the move, because in 2024, August 4th was the busiest day of the year at KEF.

Most flights in August 

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<a href="https://www.ferdamalastofa.is/en/moya/news/225-million-departures-of-foreign-passengers-in-2025" target="_blank">According to the Icelandic Tourist Board</a>, 2.25 million foreign tourists passed through Keflavík Airport last year, which is a 0.4% decrease from the previous year. For the past three years, this number has hardly moved, staying at around 2.2 million each year. This is similar to 2017 but slightly less than the record year of 2018, when departures were over 2.3 million. The vast majority of departures by foreign passengers were in August, or 311 thousand, while in the same month the previous year, they were 281 thousand. Americans were the most numerous foreign visitors, with a total of 654 thousand departures, or 29% of all departures. The number of US visitors increased by 33 thousand from the previous year. Next came departures of British passengers, which were 233 thousand, or 10.3% of the total. Departures of British tourists decreased by 33 thousand between the two years.

Most visitors come from the US and UK 

Departures by Icelanders were 709 thousand in 2025, which is an 18% increase from 2024. Most departures were in April, when about 81 thousand Icelanders travelled abroad. This is the largest year for Icelanders in terms of international travel, as it broke the previous record from 2018, when departures were measured at 668 thousand.

Record year in travel by Icelanders 

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Over 7.5 million passengers will travel through Keflavík Airport (KEF) in 2026, of which 2.24 million will be foreign tourists, according to the airport's passenger forecast for the year. <a href="https://www.kefairport.com/news/forecast-for-2026" target="_blank">The forecast</a> therefore assumes that the total number of passengers will decline year on year, which is mainly reflected in the decrease in connecting passengers and fewer international trips by Icelanders during the year. On the other hand, the number of foreign tourists visiting Iceland is expected to remain almost unchanged and be comparable to recent years.

Forecast for passenger numbers this year 

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KEF welcomed 8.1 million visitors in 2025

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507,799 guests passed through Keflavík Airport (KEF) in December.

Keflavík Airport (KEF) welcomed 507,799 guests in December 2025. This represents an 8.1% decrease compared with December of the previous year.During the month, 17 airlines flew directly from KEF to 56 destinations, with London, Copenhagen, Manchester, New York and Paris among the most popular routes. The airport’s busiest day was 21 December, when more than 21,400 guests passed through the airport.

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According to the <a href="https://www.ferdamalastofa.is/en/moya/news/225-million-departures-of-foreign-passengers-in-2025" target="_self">Icelandic Tourist Board</a>, around 54,000 departures by Icelanders were recorded in December, representing a 16% increase compared with the same month last year.In total, Icelanders made around 709,000 departures in 2025, an 18% increase compared with 2024 (601,000). The highest number of departures occurred in April, when about 81,000 Icelanders travelled abroad. This marks the largest travel year on record for Icelanders in terms of overseas travel, surpassing the previous record from 2018, when departures totalled approximately 668,000.Departures by international guests in December totalled around 120,000, a reduction of approximately 22,000 compared with December 2024. This corresponds to a year-on-year decline of 16%.American guests accounted for the largest share of international departures in December, with around 27,000 departures, or 23% of the total. They were followed by guests from the United Kingdom (19,000), China (12,000), Poland (5,000) and France (4,000).For the full year, departures by international guests via Keflavík Airport reached approximately 2.25 million, around 8,000 fewer than in 2024, representing a marginal decline of 0.4%. August was the busiest month for international departures, with around 311,000 guests, an increase of roughly 30,000 compared with August the previous year.

508 thousand guests in December

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Það verður töluverð umferð um Keflavíkurflugvöll yfir jól og áramót. Þetta er töluverð breyting frá því sem áður var þegar lítið var um flugumferð á þessum dögum.

Á Þorláksmessu eru á dagskrá 60 komur til Keflavíkur og 54 brottfarir.Á Aðfangadag verða 40 komur og 34 brottfarir. Það dregur svo aðeins úr umferð á Jóladag en þá eru skráðar 28 komur og 28 brottfarir.Strax á annan í jólum fjölgar aftur og verða komur þá 51 og brottfarir 58.Á gamlársdag verða 39 komur og 34 brottfarir og á Nýjársdag koma 50 flug til Keflavíkurflugvallar og 64 fljúga á brott.Það er því mikið að gera á Keflavíkurflugvelli næstu vikuna og mikilvægt að hafa á að skipa öflugu og reyndu starfsfólki svo allt gangi vel og allir komist ferða sinna.

Flugdagskrá yfir jól og áramót

Það hefur orðið nokkur aukning á umferð flugvéla um Keflavíkurflugvöll eftir heimsfaraldurinn, þ.e. frá og með jólunum 2022. Það virðist vera að þá hafi flugfélög áttað sig á því að það sé stór hluti fólks sem jafnvel heldur ekki upp á jólin, sem er með frídaga um jól og áramót og vill bara ferðast.

„Það voru um 160 ferðir jóladagana 2019 og 2022 fer þetta upp í 225 ferðir. Það þýðir að það er í raun ekki svo mikill munur á venjulegum vikudegi og jóladögum hjá okkur á Keflavíkurflugvelli. Vissulega er örlítil fækkun á ferðum núna yfir hátíðarnar miðað við sama tíma í fyrra en það skýrist af því að Play hefur hætt starfsemi. En ef við tökum Play út fyrir sviga þá er um 17% aukning í sætaframboði jóladagana í ár frá því í fyrra. Það er farið úr um 70 þúsund sætum í um 81.500. Þetta er allt liður í að veita betri þjónustu. Keflavíkurflugvöllur er opinn alla daga ársins allan sólarhringinn og getur tekið við vélum hvenær sem er gerist þess þörf, og ef flugfélög vilja koma til okkar á jóladögum þá tökum við vel á móti þeim og farþegum þeirra“, segir Grétar Már.

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Flugumferð yfir jól og áramót

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We welcomed 500,074 guests in November 2025.

The year is nearly wrapped up, and November was an eventful month at the airport. A total of 500,074 guests made their way through the airport, which is a 5.5% decrease compared with November last year.During November, 15 airlines operated direct services from KEF to 57 destinations. The most popular destinations were London, Copenhagen, Manchester, Paris and New York.The busiest day of the month was 2 November, when approximately 20,653 guests travelled through the airport.

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According to <a href="https://www.ferdamalastofa.is/en/moya/news/141-thousand-departures-of-foreign-passengers-in-november" target="_self">figures from the Icelandic Tourist Board</a>, around 42,000 Icelanders departed from KEF in November, representing a 19.6% increase compared with the same month last year. From the beginning of the year (January–November), Icelanders have travelled abroad approximately 655,000 times, an increase of 18.1% year-on-year.Departures of international guests from Iceland via KEF totalled around 141,000 in November, a decrease of 13% compared with November last year. American guests accounted for the largest share, with around 32,000 departures, or 23% of all international departures, representing a decrease of more than 31% year-on-year. British guests followed, with approximately 24,000 departures (17% of the total), also a decline of over 31%.By contrast, departures of Chinese guests increased significantly, reaching around 9,000 in November (6% of the total), an increase of more than 57% compared with the same month last year. German guests accounted for just over 7,000 departures (5%), followed by Italian guests at just under 7,000 (5%).From January to November, approximately 2.1 million international guests departed from Iceland, representing a 0.7% increase compared with the same period last year.

More than 500 thousand guests in November

Over 7.5 million passengers are expected to travel through Keflavík Airport (KEF) in 2026, including 2.24 million foreign tourists, according to the airport’s newly published passenger forecast. 

The forecast assumes a year-on-year decline in total passenger numbers, driven mainly by fewer connecting passengers and reduced international travel by Icelanders. Meanwhile, the number of foreign tourists visiting Iceland is expected to remain virtually unchanged and in line with recent years.

It is clear that demand for visiting Iceland remains both strong and stable. This is reflected in the fact that we expect the same number of foreign visitors next year as we have welcomed in recent years. The withdrawal of Play from the market has, of course, affected flight availability, but through targeted efforts we have been able to limit the impact, especially when it comes to foreign visitors.

KEF’s forecast for 2026 projects 7.51 million passengers, compared to 8.12 million in 2025, a 7.4% decrease year-on-year. The decline is expected to be 8.1% during the summer months and 6.0% in winter. The largest change is among connecting passengers, who are forecast to decrease by 15.3%, while international travel by Icelanders is projected to fall by 13.2%. Departing and arriving passengers combined will decline more modestly, by 4.5%.“We have been working systematically to fill the gap left by Play, which was our second-largest carrier. Although the gap has not yet been fully closed, we see several positive signs. For instance, if we compare the forecast to actual 2025 figures excluding Play, we see a 5.3% year-on-year increase in total passengers. This shows that other airlines are doing well in taking over the capacity,” says Grétar Már.

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The tourist forecast includes both foreign tourists arriving in Iceland and Icelanders travelling abroad via KEF. An estimated 2.24 million foreign tourists will visit Iceland in 2026, compared to 2.27 million in 2025, a 1.2% change. However, international travel by Icelanders is expected to decline significantly next year, with 602,000 trips projected, down from 693,000 this year (a 13.2% decrease).“It is very encouraging that the number of foreign tourists remains almost unchanged. Their numbers have been remarkably stable in recent years, between 2.2 and 2.3 million annually since 2023,” says Grétar Már.

During the summer season, 27 airlines are scheduled to operate flights to 80 destinations, while 20 airlines will serve 65 destinations in winter. Two new carriers, Alaska Airlines and Air Transat, have already announced the launch of scheduled flights to KEF in the new year. In addition, five new North American connections and six new European connections will be added. The share of connecting passengers is estimated at 25%, a somewhat lower proportion than in recent years.

New airlines and new connections

The 2026 KEF Passenger Forecast is based on an analysis of factors influencing passenger demand for flights to and from the airport. The forecast relies on data about handling times secured by airlines, information from KEF Airport's systems, and updates on airline plans.Passenger numbers are categorized into three sections, including departing, arriving, and connecting passengers. Departing passengers are those departing from the airport after a stay in Iceland. Arriving passengers are those entering Iceland to stay, while connecting passengers use KEF as a transfer hub, changing to another flight without entering the country. Connecting passengers are counted both on arrival and departure.

About KEF’s Passenger Forecasts

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Stability in Foreign Tourist Numbers but a Decline in Total Passengers

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Guests at Keflavík Airport (KEF) wishing to exchange currency before departure are advised to do so at the Prosegur Change branch, located in the arrivals hall at the airport. 

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