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Stopovers are one of my favorite parts of flying. They provide an easy and affordable way to explore a new destination. If Iceland has been on your bucket list for a long time, then you're in luck. Icelandair offers a free stopover for up to 21 nights, giving you plenty of time to explore the beautiful country.
Here's everything you know about booking an Icelandair stopover.
Page Contents
What Is a Stopover?
A stopover is essentially an extended layover. Rather than spending an hour or two sitting in the airport when you connect through a city, you spend up to a few days exploring the connecting city before continuing on to your final destination. Booking a stopover is generally cheaper than booking two one-way flights.
If an airline doesn't offer stopovers, you could book two one-way tickets. Say you live in Chicago and want to visit Istanbul. You could break up the journey by booking a flight from Chicago to Paris, then Paris to Istanbul. But booking two one-way flights can be a lot more expensive than if you had just booked a flight from Chicago to Istanbul.
A stopover would allow you to spend a few days in Paris for the same price as if you booked one ticket.
Related: Layover vs. Stopover: What's the Difference?
Icelandair Stopovers: The Basics
Icelandair allows you to book a stopover in Iceland on any flight across the Atlantic. So, if you are traveling from the United to Europe, or vice versa, you can add a stopover. Icelandair has impressive connectivity between the U.S. and Europe, so odds are you could find an option that works for you.
Stopover conditions
- If you book an Economy Light fare (Icelandair's cheapest fare), you can only book a one, two, or three night stopover.
- If you book any other fare, you can book a stopover up to seven nights.
- If you book an Economy Flex or Saga Premium Flex ticket, you can book a stopover up to 21 nights.
- Stopovers between eight and 21 nights cannot be booked online. You must contact the service center.
- You can add a stopover on an existing reservation by contacting the service center.
For the most part, there aren't many restrictions associated with booking a stopover. You can even book a stopover on both directions if you feel you need more time to experience Iceland. This is a notable difference compared to booking a stopover with Singapore Airlines, which only allows one stopover per round-trip ticket, and you can only book a stopover using miles.
Related: Beginner's Guide: What is a Stopover & What is an Open-Jaw?
How to Book an Icelandair Stopover
Here's how it works in practice. When you visit the Icelandair website, you can begin searching for your flight. Be sure that “stopover in Iceland” is selected at the top. Enter your departure and arrival airports, departure date, and the number of nights you'd like to spend in Iceland.
Once you search, you'll see your flight options. It's displayed as if you were booking a flight with a layover. For instance, on the flight from Boston (BOS) to Paris (CDG) with a stopover in Iceland, it shows a “2d 9h 50m” layover to indicate a layover of 2 days, 9 hours, and 50 minutes.
Other airlines will show you stopover options as if you were booking two one-way flights. Icelandair showing it as a layover makes scheduling a lot easier.
In this example, a one-way flight from Boston to Paris with a three-day stopover in Iceland is just $569 in economy standard. To see your savings, try to book two one-way flights: Boston to Reykjavík and Reykjavík to Paris. You'd spend $426 on the first leg and $326 on the second leg, for a total of $752. In other words, you'd spend an additional $183 by booking a stopover vs. two one-way flights.
If you didn't add a stopover, your one-way flight from Boston to Paris with a short layover in Reykjavík would cost $551. The additional ~$18 to add a stopover is simply due to fluctuating prices on the second flight since it's on a different day. Still, paying a few extra dollars to explore a new country is worth it.
You can get an even better value when booking a round-trip ticket. In this example, I can fly from Raleigh (RDU) to Rome (FCO) in March with a one-night stopover in Reykjavík on the return for just $579 total in economy light.
You can add a stopover on either leg of your trip, although it is often cheaper to do so on the return to the U.S.
Related: Guide to Southwest's Icelandair Partnership: How to Book, Earn Points, and Add a Stopover
Best Cards to Book Icelandair Flights
Since Icelandair stopovers are only available on cash bookings, you’ll want to use a credit card that earns strong rewards for airfare purchases. Most stopovers must be booked directly through Icelandair, so the best cards are those that reward purchases made directly with airlines, not through travel portals.
American Express Platinum Card®
- Earn: 5x Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines (or through AmexTravel.com), up to $500,000 per calendar year.
- Perks: Travel protections like trip delay coverage, plus access to a slew of lounges through the American Express Global Lounge Collection®
- Why it’s great for Icelandair: Top-tier 5x earnings on paid flights while also offering coverage for flight delays or cancellations.
- You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount - all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Get more for your travels with 5X Membership Rewards® points on all flights and prepaid hotel bookings through American Express Travel®, including Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings. You earn 5X points on flights purchased directly from airlines or through American Express Travel® on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
- More Value! With over 1,550 airport lounges - more than any other credit card company on the market* - enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection®, over $850 of annual value, with access to Centurion Lounges, 10 complimentary Delta Sky Club® visits when flying on an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations), Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required), and other select partner lounges. * As of 07/2025.
- More Value! $200 Uber Cash + $120 Uber One Credit: With the Platinum Card® you can receive $15 in Uber Cash each month plus a bonus $20 in December when you add your Platinum Card® to your Uber account to use on rides and orders in the U.S when you select an Amex Card for your transaction. Plus, when you use the Platinum Card® to pay for an auto-renewing Uber One membership, you can get up to $120 in statement credits each calendar year. Terms apply.
- More Value! $300 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $25 in statement credits each month after you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at participating partners. Enrollment required.
- More Value! $600 Hotel Credit: Get up to $300 in statement credits semi-annually on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection* bookings through American Express Travel® using the Platinum Card®. *The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- New! $400 Resy Credit + Platinum Nights by Resy: When you use the Platinum Card® to pay at U.S. Resy restaurants and to make other eligible purchases through Resy, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each quarter with the $400 Resy Credit benefit. Plus, with Platinum Nights by Resy, you can get special access to reservations on select nights at participating in demand Resy restaurants with the Platinum Card®. Simply add your eligible Card to your Resy profile to book and discover Platinum Nights reservations near you, enrollment required.
- More Value! $209 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. You can cover the cost of a CLEAR Plus Membership* with up to $209 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for CLEAR Plus with the Platinum Card®. *Excluding any applicable taxes and fees. Subject to auto-renewal.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to the Platinum Card® Account*. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- Start your vacation sooner, and keep it going longer. When you book Fine Hotels + Resorts® through American Express Travel®, enjoy noon check-in upon arrival, when available, and guaranteed 4PM check-out.
- New! $300 lululemon Credit: Enjoy up to $75 in statement credits each quarter when you use the Platinum Card® for eligible purchases at U.S. lululemon retail stores (excluding outlets) and lululemon.com. That's up to $300 in statement credits each calendar year. Enrollment required.
- $155 Walmart+ Credit: Receive a statement credit* for one monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with the Platinum Card®. *Up to $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Ups not eligible.
- $100 Saks Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com on the Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits from January through June and up to $50 in statement credits from July through December. No minimum purchase required. Enrollment required.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- $895 annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- Earn 5X points on Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Earn: 4x Ultimate Rewards® points on airfare booked directly with airlines.
- Perks: Top-tier travel protections, primary rental car coverage (since a rental car in Iceland is practically a must), and airport lounge access.
- Why it’s great for Icelandair: Less restrictive travel protections than Amex with a solid 4x earning rate.
- Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 5X points on Lyft rides through September 2027
- 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on dining at restaurants worldwide
- 3X points on eligible streaming services
- 3X points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs)
- 2X points on all other travel
- 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Citi Strata Premier® Card
- Earn: 3x ThankYou Points on air travel
- Perks: Utilize the card's $100 annual hotel benefit to help reduce your out-of-pocket cost of a hotel stay in Iceland.
- Why it’s great for Icelandair: Solid earning rate for a card with a much more reasonable annual fee.
- Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
- $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases.
- 10X on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Restaurants
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Supermarkets
- 3X – Earn 3 Points per $1 spent on Gas and EV Charging Stations
- 1X – Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
Final Thoughts
Booking an Icelandair stopover is easy and affordable. If you are traveling to Europe and you want to check off multiple countries during one trip, you now have an excellent way to do so.
The best part is that you can pay cash for your Icelandair stopover — most airlines only allow stopovers on award redemptions. If this were the case with Icelandair, you'd be out of luck, considering that Icelandair only partners with Southwest and JetBlue.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: American Express Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates & Fees), and Citi Strata Premier® Card (Rates & Fees)
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