Icelandair
Iceland · ICEAIR · Active
Airline Identity
History
Icelandair's lineage dates to Flugfélag Akureyrar, founded in 1937, which became Flugfélag Íslands in 1940; a 1973 merger with rival carrier Loftleiðir created the combined airline that was officially renamed Icelandair in 1979. The carrier built its identity around a transatlantic hub-and-spoke model connecting North America and Europe via Iceland, entering the jet age with Boeing 727s in the late 1960s and later moving its main hub to Keflavík International Airport in 2001. It also managed high-profile operational disruptions such as the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcanic ash crisis.
Current Operations
Icelandair operates roughly 45–50 aircraft — a growing fleet of Boeing 737 MAX narrowbodies and Airbus A321LR long-range narrowbodies alongside remaining 757s and 767s, which it is phasing out as it consolidates around the 737 MAX/A321LR combination. Flights are routed through its Keflavík hub, connecting Europe and North America via Iceland alongside domestic and short-haul services, and the airline relocated its corporate headquarters to Hafnarfjörður in 2024. Icelandair is not a member of any of the three major global alliances, instead relying on bilateral partnerships with carriers including Alaska Airlines and JetBlue.
Last verified 2026-09-02· Source: airline public disclosures, company press releases & aviation-industry reporting.