Iceland is a sought-after travel spot for those interested in chilly weather and adventurous experiences. Although a number of airlines offer seasonal flights there during the summer months, services for the remaining parts of the year are not as plentiful, with Icelandair being the main airline.
Though Icelandair might not be the most thrilling airline in existence, it possesses an extensive network in North America and Europe and frequently offers competitive fares. Additionally, the airline features an excellent stopover program for Iceland, allowing travelers to explore Iceland as part of a more extensive trip.
I understand that individuals often question the possibilities for redeeming miles and points for flights to Iceland, so in this article, I’ll examine the options available for redeeming on Icelandair. Regrettably, the choices are not particularly favorable, so let’s discuss what is offered.
In this article:
Icelandair’s Saga Club program lacks substantial value
Icelandair has its own Saga Club loyalty program, but for nearly all OMAAT readers, there’s not an abundance of worthwhile opportunities. For starters, there are limited ways to accumulate Saga Club points, as the program does not partner with any prominent transferable points currencies.
Moreover, Saga Club simply does not provide excellent redemption values. The program utilizes dynamic award pricing, and generally, each point fetches around 0.5 cents toward the fare of a ticket. So unless you reside in Iceland and solely fly Icelandair, this program is not worth the effort (and even for regular Icelandair flyers, I believe you would be better off accruing points with Alaska Atmos Rewards).
Redeeming partner miles and points on Icelandair
If you wish to redeem partner points for flights on Icelandair, two programs are particularly noteworthy — Alaska Atmos Rewards and JetBlue TrueBlue. Let’s explore both…
Redeeming Alaska Atmos Rewards points on Icelandair
I have a strong appreciation for the Alaska Atmos Rewards program, particularly because Alaska collaborates with unique airline partners, such as Icelandair.
Redemptions on Icelandair adhere to the standard Atmos Rewards award chart for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, regardless of whether you are traveling to North America or Europe. You can see that chart below.
Please note that Icelandair Saga Class (the airline’s top-tier cabin) is technically classified as premium economy instead of business class according to this award chart. Hence, one-way awards would be priced as follows, based on the total distance traveled:
– An itinerary of up to 1,500 miles would commence at 7,500 points in economy, or 10,000 points in premium economy
– An itinerary of 1,501-3,500 miles would start at 22,500 points for one way, or 30,000 points in premium economy
– An itinerary of 3,501-5,000 miles would initiate at 27,500 points for one way, or 35,000 points in premium economy
In theory, this seems like it might offer a reasonable deal, especially considering that free stopovers are permitted on Atmos Rewards awards, enabling you to travel between a destination in Europe and one in the United States with a stopover in Iceland. Unfortunately, this is where complications arise, making this opportunity considerably less appealing:
– Alaska Atmos Rewards imposes carrier surcharges on Icelandair awards; they typically range from $100-150 one way, which isn’t catastrophic, but when evaluated alongside the carrier’s competitive fare prices, it diminishes the overall value
– Alaska Atmos Rewards currently lacks access to Saga Class (premium economy) awards, and can only tap into economy award availability; maybe this will change eventually, but that is the prevailing situation
– Even the economy award availability reflects only the “starting at” price, and you may frequently observe that the actual pricing is much higher than the stated amounts; for instance, for a one-way journey from the United States to Iceland, costs often reach 40,000 points rather than 22,500 points
Redeeming JetBlue TrueBlue points on Icelandair
The JetBlue TrueBlue program allows members to use points for flights on Icelandair. The good news is that with JetBlue points, you can redeem them for both cabins on Icelandair, including Saga Class.
There is no award chart available when redeeming JetBlue points for Icelandair travel, and pricing appears to be based on a combination of zone and distance considerations, with prices accumulating.
For instance, on certain dates I checked, you could travel from New York to Keflavik for 17,000 points in economy or 69,900 points in Saga Class.
Conversely, you might travel from Boston to Copenhagen via Keflavik for 31,700 points in economy or 108,900 points in Saga Class.