Icelandair has announced a new year-round service from Tampa International Airport (TPA) in Florida, and seasonal flights from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). Philadelphia is the fifth largest city in the United States
Flights from Philadelphia will begin 30 May 2017, with four weekly non-stop flights to Iceland, and from Tampa Bay, Florida, on 7 September, with two weekly flights.
“Tampa Bay and Philadelphia will further strengthen Icelandair’s presence in the eastern United States by better serving our passengers with faster travel times to more than 25 destinations in Europe,” said Birkir Holm Guðnason, CEO of Icelandair in a press release.
Icelandair has been in operation since 1937 and has a long history of providing connecting flights between the United States and Europe. The airline’s business strategy is based on the geographical position of Iceland, midway between North Europe and the USA.
Icelandair flight FI884 will depart from Tampa International Airport on Mondays and Thursdays at 18.55 (6.55pm) EST, arriving non-stop to Icelandair’s hub at Keflavik International Airport (KEF) the following morning at 6.10am GMT. Total flight time is just over seven hours, in time for connections to more than 25 destinations in Europe, including Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London and Paris. Return service departs Keflavik on Icelandair FI885 at 17.10 (5.10pm) on Sundays and Wednesdays, with same-day arrival in Tampa Bay at 21.00 (9.00pm).
Icelandair flight FI828 will depart from Philadelphia on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 20.35 (8.35pm) EST, arriving at Keflavik International Airport (KEF) the following morning at 6.10 (6.10am) GMT. Total flight time is approximately five hours and 30 minutes. Return service departs Keflavik on Icelandair flight FI829 at 17.00 (5.00pm), with same-day arrival in Philadelphia at 19.15 (7.15pm).
18 North America gateways
Philadelphia and Tampa will be Icelandair’s 18th North American gateways. The airline offers a year-round service from Boston, Chicago-ORD, Denver, Edmonton, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Newark, New York-JFK, Seattle, Toronto, and Washington, D.C., and a seasonal service from Anchorage, Halifax, Montreal, Orlando, Portland, OR and Vancouver.
Connections through Icelandair’s hub at Keflavik International Airport are available to more than 25 destinations in Scandinavia, the U.K. and Continental Europe. Only Icelandair allows passengers to take an Icelandair Stopover for up to seven nights at no additional airfare.
The route network of Icelandair has more than tripled since 2009, prior to the current expansion of the tourism industry in Iceland began. In 2009 Icelandair carried 1.3 million passengers, which is just about a third, 37% of the expected passenger number in 2016, which is expected to be 3.5 million.
Iceland Magazine
Icelandair adds Tampa and Philadelphia to its growing network
