Flying to Europe? This Airline Perk Can Turn One Vacation Into Two

I have taken over 35 flights this year, so I consider myself an expert flight booker.  Normally, I try to book direct flights, or flights with the shortest connection possible.  But, on my recent trip to Norway, I did the opposite.  I had a connecting flight in Iceland, and instead of rushing through the airport, I grabbed my luggage and stayed for 3 days. 

Icelandair’s Stopover program lets travelers flying between North America and Europe spend up to a week in Iceland without adding to the airfare. Instead of treating Reykjavík as the place where I changed planes, I got three days of waterfalls, geysers, incredible food and some of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen.

I chose Norway, but that’s just one possibility. Icelandair’s current European network includes destinations such as Bergen, Rome, Paris, Prague, Lisbon, Edinburgh and Copenhagen, along with newer routes including Venice, Gdansk and Tromsø. Pick where you want to go in Europe, add Iceland on the way there or back, and suddenly one vacation can feel like two.

Mine certainly did. 

Two Unique and Beautiful Countries

I flew to Bergen, then spent several days making my way through western Norway. I traveled from Bergen into Sognefjord by express boat, took a RIB boat to Feigefossen waterfall and the UNESCO-listed Urnes Stave Church, rode the Flåm Railway, took a gondola above Voss and continued through Hardanger before eventually returning to Bergen for my flight to Keflavik International Airport. 

When I flew back to Iceland it felt like I had started an entirely new vacation.

From Keflavík, we drove across the Reykjanes Peninsula toward Reykjavík, passing through lava fields and near the recently active volcanic area around Grindavík. 

Patches of vibrant red vegetation cut through the black volcanic rock, a combination that made an already unusual landscape even more striking. Iceland looked nothing like the green mountains and deep fjords I had just left behind in Norway. That contrast was one of the things I loved most about pairing the two countries.

What can you actually do on an Iceland stopover?

My stopover was only three days. It worked, but after being there, I would choose five to seven days next time.  

With three days, I was able to experience Reykjavík and devote a full day to the Golden Circle. However, five to seven days would have given me a chance to go farther and see more of the landscapes that make Iceland such an extraordinary destination.

For a first visit, I’d keep arrival day fairly easy and spend it in Reykjavík.

Walk along the waterfront, browse the shops and cafés and visit Hallgrímskirkja, the striking church that rises above the city and is nearly impossible to miss as you explore. Reykjavík is compact and walkable, so there is no need to turn the first day into a race from one attraction to another.

And make dinner part of the experience.

Sumac was my favorite restaurant in Iceland and one of my favorite meals of the entire trip. The restaurant combines Icelandic seasonal ingredients with flavors inspired by North Africa, Lebanon and Morocco.The space has a cool, energetic vibe, the cocktails are fun, and the food is excellent. Fans of Netflix’s “Somebody Feed Phil” may recognize it from the show’s Iceland episode.

On our second day, I left Reykjavík to explore the Golden Circle, visiting Þingvellir National Park, Friðheimar, Gullfoss waterfall and the Geysir geothermal area.  I ate lunch at the incredible Friðheimar, a greenhouse labor of love where you can eat, surrounded by vegetables as they grow before they make their way to your plate. 

Why I’d stay longer next time

Three days gave me a taste of Iceland, but I wish I had more.  There was so much more I wanted to see and experience.  Five to seven days feels like the sweet spot to me, especially for a first visit.

I’d use the extra time to get beyond Reykjavík and the Golden Circle. Iceland’s South Coast would be high on my list, with waterfalls, glaciers and black-sand beaches stretching toward Jökulsárlón. Icelandair suggests the South Coast as a three-day itinerary of its own and notes that Reykjavík to Jökulsárlón is roughly 236 miles. 

Another option is the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, with black beaches, sea cliffs, mountains and small coastal communities. 

What I wouldn’t do is try to see the entire country in a week. Iceland is bigger than it looks on a map, and weather can change plans quickly. Five to seven days gives you enough time to experience Reykjavík, see the Golden Circle and choose another part of the country to explore.

How the Icelandair Stopover works

Icelandair uses Keflavík International Airport as the hub connecting its North American and European networks. When booking a transatlantic trip on Icelandair, travelers can select the Stopover option and spend from one night to one week in Iceland without additional airfare for adding the stop. 

And the possibilities extend well beyond my Norway itinerary. Icelandair currently flies to more than 60 destinations, and its network continues to evolve. For 2026, the airline added Venice, Faro, Gdansk and Tromsø to its destination list, while its North American network includes cities such as Seattle, Portland, Denver, Nashville, Miami, New York and Boston. 

For me, the biggest surprise of the experience was how simple it was to use the program. By the time I flew home, it felt like I had taken two trips.

Copy My Itinerary

If you want to recreate my Norway-and-Iceland trip, this is the route I followed. 

5 days in Norway

Bergen, Norway: Fly into Bergen and stay at Charmante Skostredet Hotel.  Spend time exploring the city, the UNESCO World Heritage waterfront, then take the Fløibanen funicular to Mount Fløyen and have dinner at Fløirestauranten. 

Sognefjord and Solvorn: Take the express boat from Bergen into Sognefjord, the deepest and longest Fjord in Norway and continue to Walaker Hotel (the oldest hotel in Norway) in Solvorn. From there, I took a RIB tour to Feigefossen waterfall and Urnes Stave Church.

Flåm and Voss: Travel to Flåm for lunch and a beer tasting at Ægir, then ride the Flåm Railway toward Myrdal and continue to Voss. Take the gondola up Mount Hangur, visit Bordalsgjelet Gorge and spend the night at Elva Hotel. 

Hardanger and Tysnes: Continue into Hardanger, including the ferry to Utne, the Hardanger Folk Museum and lunch at Utne Hotel. From there, travel toward Tysnes for dinner and an overnight at Haaheim Gaard.  

Return to Bergen. 

Reykjavík, Iceland: Fly from Bergen to Keflavík and travel across the Reykjanes Peninsula to Reykjavík. Stay at The Reykjavík EDITION and have dinner at Sumac. Spend time walking Reykjavík’s waterfront and downtown, browsing the shops and cafés and visiting Hallgrímskirkja. 

Golden Circle: Give yourself a full day for Þingvellir National Park, Friðheimar, Gullfoss and the Geysir geothermal area.  Eat dinner at Tides inside the EDITION. 

Why You Should Go

For travelers already crossing the Atlantic, Icelandair’s Stopover program is the perfect excuse to add another destination into your plans. You aren’t trying to squeeze Iceland into an already crowded European itinerary or planning an entirely separate vacation to get there. You’re taking a connection that was already part of the journey and turning it into somewhere you actually get to experience.