Icelandair stands out as a premier airline for travelers heading to Iceland, operating primarily from Keflavik Airport (KEF), conveniently located near Reykjavik. Known for competitive fares, Icelandair is a popular choice for transatlantic routes, often enticing passengers with the prospect of an Iceland stopover.
However, those versed in travel rewards might find navigating points and miles with Icelandair a bit different. Unlike many major carriers, Icelandair isn’t part of a large airline alliance. While they do have partnerships and codeshare agreements with airlines like Emirates, Turkish Airlines, and JetBlue, these collaborations don’t currently extend to reciprocal point redemptions for Icelandair flights within these partner loyalty programs.
Essentially, directly using points from major airline alliances to book Icelandair flights isn’t widely available.
But don’t let that deter you! There are still effective strategies to leverage points and miles for your Icelandair journeys. Let’s explore your options.
Related: Icelandair Showdown: Business Class vs. Economy – Which is Best?
Leveraging Icelandair Saga Club Points
Icelandair’s own loyalty program, Saga Club, offers a direct route to reward flights. The challenge for many U.S.-based travelers is that Saga Club doesn’t partner with major transferable point programs like Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards. While you can accrue Saga Points through Expedia bookings, JetBlue or Alaska Airlines flights, Hertz car rentals, and other avenues, building a substantial Saga Points balance can be difficult for those not frequently flying Icelandair.
The upside is Saga Club’s flexibility. You can utilize any amount of Saga Points you have towards any available seat on any scheduled Icelandair flight. This even includes using points to offset taxes and fees.
Consider this example: a sample round-trip flight priced at $593.50. Icelandair’s point slider tool demonstrates redemption possibilities:
You could redeem approximately 137,337 Saga Points to cover the entire cost, valuing each point at around 0.43 cents.
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Alternatively, you could choose to redeem a portion, such as 57,781 points, and cover the remaining $343.80 of the $593.50 fare in cash.
While Saga Points may not offer sky-high redemption values, their flexibility in partial redemptions and application to taxes and fees provides a useful option if you have some points and want to reduce your out-of-pocket expenses.
Related: Your Guide to Iceland on Points and Miles: Flights and More
Redeeming Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles for Icelandair
Another valuable avenue for booking Icelandair flights using points is through Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. Icelandair is a partner airline with Alaska Mileage Plan, offering award flight redemption opportunities. However, it’s important to note that according to Alaska’s partner page for Icelandair, business class award bookings are currently suspended due to technical issues. Since Icelandair no longer offers premium economy, economy class is the sole cabin option for Alaska Mileage Plan redemptions on Icelandair.
While Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan maintains an award chart for partner airlines, these rates are generally starting points for nonstop flights.
However, in practice, award prices for nonstop Icelandair flights often align with these starting rates. For instance, a one-way flight from Seattle to Reykjavik could be booked for 27,500 Alaska miles plus $137 in taxes and fees. The distance between Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Keflavik (KEF) is approximately 3,622 miles.
If you’re flexible with your itinerary, connecting through Portland, Oregon (PDX), a few days earlier might reduce the mileage cost to 22,500 miles while keeping the taxes and fees at $137 for the same route to Reykjavik.
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Flights from the East Coast, such as Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) to KEF, covering a distance of 2,413 miles, also price at 22,500 miles plus $137 in fees.
Interestingly, you might be able to add a connecting flight onward to Dublin (DUB) without incurring additional miles. However, taxes and fees would increase to $192 for this one-stop award itinerary.
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Furthermore, Mileage Plan’s generous stopover policy allows you to incorporate a stopover of several days in Iceland for the same mileage price. Taxes and fees might slightly increase with a stopover.
Earning Alaska miles can be more concentrated as the primary transferable point partners are Marriott Bonvoy and Bilt Rewards. However, keep an eye out for attractive welcome bonuses on the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card or the Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card, which offer opportunities to earn Alaska miles on everyday spending.
Related: Best Time to Visit Iceland: Your Seasonal Guide
Booking Icelandair Through Credit Card Travel Portals
Another option to consider is utilizing credit card travel portals associated with major transferable points programs. These portals, such as Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel or Amex Travel, often allow you to redeem points for flights. However, the typical redemption value through these portals is around 1 cent per point, which might not represent the highest value for your points compared to transfer partners.
A potential exception for increased value within credit card portals is:
If you hold the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, you can strategically purchase Icelandair flights directly with your card. This earns you miles on the purchase. Then, within 90 days, you can redeem Capital One miles for travel purchases to offset the flight cost at a rate of 1 cent per point. While still 1 cent per point, this strategy allows you to earn miles on the flight purchase itself, adding a bit of value.
Related: Iceland Hotel Points Guide: Maximize Your Hotel Rewards
Final Thoughts on Icelandair Partners
While Icelandair’s lack of membership in a major airline alliance might initially seem limiting for points and miles enthusiasts, effective redemption options exist. The most valuable strategies typically involve using Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles or leveraging credit card travel portals, particularly Chase Ultimate Rewards for potentially better redemption rates, or Capital One for the earn-and-redeem strategy.
Considering Icelandair’s often-attractive cash fares, especially for transatlantic routes and Iceland stopovers, sometimes paying cash and saving your valuable points for other high-value redemptions like premium cabin flights or luxury hotels might be the most strategic approach.
