AwardWallet receives compensation from advertising partners for links on the blog. The opinions expressed here are our own and have not been reviewed, provided, or approved by any bank advertiser. Here's our complete list of Advertisers.
Southwest Airlines has stood out for decades by doing things differently: No assigned seating, no change fees, and two free checked bags. These policies set the airline apart and earned it a loyal following. But times are changing. With assigned seating coming in 2026 and even checked bag fees on the horizon, Southwest is evolving to stay both competitive and cash-flow positive.
In that same spirit of change, Southwest is entering a new era by partnering with Icelandair. Here’s how this now-live partnership works and what it means for Southwest loyalists.
Page Contents
- How Southwest's Partnership With Icelandair Benefits Travelers
- You Can Now Book Southwest and Icelandair Joint Itineraries
- Icelandair Offers Free Stopovers Even if You’re Flying Southwest, Too
- Can You Use Rapid Rewards Points for Icelandair Flights?
- What’s Next for the Southwest-Icelandair Partnership
- Final Thoughts
How Southwest's Partnership With Icelandair Benefits Travelers
If one thing is for sure, Southwest's partnership with Icelandair makes traveling to Iceland easier. You can book your entire trip through Southwest’s website, check your bags at your home airport, and not worry about them again until you arrive in Reykjavík — or potentially beyond. And if you care about earning Rapid Rewards points or A-List elite status credits, this partnership will help you with that, too.
You Can Now Book Southwest and Icelandair Joint Itineraries
As of March 2025, it is possible to book Southwest flights that connect through Baltimore/Washington (BWI) and onward to Keflavik (KEF), the international airport just outside Reykjavík. Here is an example of a one-stop flight from St. Louis for $697 in Economy Standard:
Economy Standard is the lowest class of travel available when booking an itinerary operated by both carriers. This fare includes one free checked bag. In contrast, Economy Light — Icelandair's cheapest fare — does not include any free checked bags. However, you cannot book Economy Light if at least one leg of your journey is operated by Southwest.
And if you credit your travels to the Rapid Rewards program, members can earn points on Southwest-operated flights booked through Icelandair as follows:
- 1-1000 miles flown: 500 points
- 1,001-1,800 miles flown: 1,000 points
- 1,801+ miles flown: 1,500 points
In addition to being redeemable Rapid Rewards points, these points will count as tier-qualifying points toward A-List status and Companion Pass-qualifying points. However, it's unclear if, when, and how members can earn points on the Icelandair-operated portion of itineraries.
Icelandair Offers Free Stopovers Even if You’re Flying Southwest, Too
One nice benefit of this partnership is the ability to tie a Southwest flight into your itinerary to Iceland while also taking advantage of Icelandair's free stopover program. This allows you to stay and visit Iceland for up to a week on your way to/from Europe. For example, you could fly from St. Louis (STL) to Iceland (KEF), stop over for 4 days, and then continue to Amsterdam (AMS) on the same ticket.
Can You Use Rapid Rewards Points for Icelandair Flights?
Bookings are live when booked through Icelandair, but what about redeeming Rapid Rewards points? According to a press release from September 2024, Southwest plans to let members earn and redeem points for Icelandair flights. The release states:
“Eventually, Rapid Rewards Members also will have more opportunities to earn and redeem points for longer-haul international destinations with development of its airline partnerships and the evolution of its Getaways by Southwest product.”
While point earnings details have been shared, the redemption rates have not. So it’s unclear at this time exactly how Icelandair flights will fit into the program, how flexible these redemptions will be, or what kind of value you can expect to get for your Rapid Rewards points.
What’s Next for the Southwest-Icelandair Partnership
Both airlines put the pen to paper on January 16, 2025, to finalize the partnership. Sales began on February 13, 2025, with travel starting from Baltimore (BWI).
Two more cities — Nashville (BNA) and Denver (DEN) — are slated to join the partnership this summer 2025. If all goes smoothly, Southwest could announce additional cities by the end of the year, but much of this depends on the success of the initial launch.
Final Thoughts
Southwest’s partnership with Icelandair is a major milestone for the airline. While it's in the process of coming to fruition, this tie-up signals a bold step forward for Southwest as it works to stay competitive in a tough industry.
In other exciting news, the September 2024 announcement also hinted at another airline partnership coming later in 2025. But until then, our eyes are on the Southwest-Icelandair partnership to see how it unfolds — and how it benefits A-List elite members and Rapid Rewards collectors alike.
The comments on this page are not provided, reviewed, or otherwise approved by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
