Private jet to Iceland

Iceland sits alone in the North Atlantic, about 1,300 km from Aberdeen and 1,900 km from London, with a ring road of about 1,300 km around a coast where most sights lie far from the capital. Private flyers come for the northern lights between September and March, for salmon rivers and the highlands in summer, for a ski day on the slopes above Akureyri, and on stopovers between Europe and North America; Greenland lies within light jet range further west. A business jet shortens the sea crossing to two to four hours and, more usefully, can land in the north or the east instead of leaving the group with a five-hour drive.

Four airports take international private flights: Keflavík near Reykjavik, the city airport inside the capital, Akureyri in the north and Egilsstaðir in the east. Only Keflavík is open around the clock and takes every aircraft; the other three work roughly from 07:00 to 23:00 and need customs ordered in advance. The country is in Schengen but not in the EU, so there is no passport check from Paris or Oslo, yet every arrival passes customs. As a broker, we compare aircraft from operators across Europe and choose the airport by where the group will sleep.

Tell us in the form where you plan to stay, in Reykjavik, the north or the east, and how much equipment travels with you, and we reply with the airport and aircraft options.

What a private jet changes on an island trip

Flight times to the four airports

Times from the price tables below, Phenom 300 from the hubs and Citation CJ3 from the British Isles and Norway:

• Scotland and the Faroes: Aberdeen - Keflavík 2:21 h, Edinburgh - Reykjavik City 2:24 h, Vágar - Reykjavik City 1:34 h
• Norway and Denmark: Bergen - Egilsstaðir 2:05 h, Oslo - Akureyri 2:36 h, Copenhagen - Egilsstaðir 2:55 h
• London, Benelux and Germany: London Farnborough - Keflavík 3:02 h, Hamburg - Egilsstaðir 3:00 h, Amsterdam - Reykjavik City 3:11 h, Frankfurt - Akureyri 3:35 h
• France, the Alps, Italy and Spain: Paris - Keflavík 3:29 h, Zurich - Akureyri 3:55 h, Geneva 4:02 h, Milan 4:18 h, Madrid 4:21 h, Nice 4:25 h

Egilsstaðir and Akureyri are the closest airports to Scandinavia and northern Germany, so a group bound for the east fjords or Lake Mývatn saves both the drive and some flight time. Almost the whole route lies over open sea, and the operator carries fuel for an alternate on every leg. Westbound flights often meet a headwind and take longer than the return. From Milan, Vienna, Madrid and Nice the light jet flies close to its range; with six passengers and winter luggage a midsize jet or a fuel stop is the safer plan.

What a private flight to Iceland costs

Each price is for the whole aircraft, one way, with the aircraft based near the departure airport; handling, airport charges, de-icing and passenger taxes are added in the quote. The flight time belongs to the first aircraft in each row. The rows end at different Icelandic airports, so the table shows Keflavík, the city airport, Akureyri and Egilsstaðir side by side.

From the European hubs

From London a Phenom 300 costs EUR 17,000 to Keflavík and the same to Reykjavik City, so the choice depends on the hour and the aircraft, not on the price. Oslo - Akureyri is the cheapest row at EUR 15,500. From Larnaca, almost 5,000 km away, only the Challenger 350 flies the sector in one leg, for EUR 48,000.

From the British Isles, Scandinavia and the Faroes

A Citation CJ3 covers every row here without a stop. Bergen - Egilsstaðir at EUR 12,000 is the shortest crossing from mainland Europe, and from the Faroe Islands the city airport is 1:34 h away.

From North America and the Gulf

From the east coast of North America even the Challenger 350 flies non-stop. From Dubai the two Challengers stop once on the way, and the Falcon 7X flies the 6,943 km direct in 8:29 h.

Domestic hops

Inside the country a turboprop is often the right tool: Reykjavik City - Akureyri takes 1:01 h in a Pilatus PC-12 for EUR 7,000. Iceland applies the EEA aviation rules, so these legs are flown by an operator from the EU or the EEA; a British or other non-EEA operator cannot carry passengers between two Icelandic airports.

The price is mostly flight time plus a fixed share for positioning the aircraft and crew. Handling is mandatory at all four airports and costs more than on the continent; from October to April de-icing is a regular line, and opening Akureyri or Egilsstaðir after 23:00 adds a surcharge. Passenger taxes depend on the departure country: from Paris or Nice about EUR 420 per passenger on a jet and about half on a turboprop, from Milan EUR 200 because every Italian route to Iceland is longer than 1,500 km, from Vienna EUR 12. The United Kingdom charges Air Passenger Duty: none on aircraft under 5.7 t, the standard rate of the distance band on most jets and the higher rate on jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats. Germany, Norway and Denmark have their own departure taxes, the Netherlands taxes aircraft from 5.7 t, and Sweden charges nothing. Every amount is listed in the quote.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

Three trips with the extras counted

Price per passenger

The aircraft is hired as a whole, so each extra traveller lowers the share per seat; passenger taxes are added per person:

Calculator

For a domestic leg, a return or a stopover, the calculator sends an estimate by e-mail within seconds:

Airports and business aviation handling

Iceland has four aerodromes that accept a first landing from abroad. Other fields, such as Ísafjörður, Höfn, Húsavík and the Westman Islands, have runways of about 1,200-1,600 m for turboprops and domestic traffic and are reached after customs at one of the four.

Weather, alternates and out-of-hours flights

Wind matters more here than snow. The two runways at Keflavík cross at roughly right angles, which helps in a strong wind, but a departure can still move by hours, and the airport lists winter conditions from October to April. Crews plan Akureyri or Egilsstaðir as alternates for Keflavík, or an airport in Scotland or Norway. Akureyri and Egilsstaðir can stay open after 23:00 on request, with a surcharge and 30 minutes' notice, or 45 minutes at Akureyri from October to April. A private flight from a Chicago Convention state needs no landing permission: the flight plan, filed at least two hours before arrival, serves as notice.

Choosing the aircraft

On this route range comes before cabin size. A light jet carries six people from the UK, Norway or Denmark comfortably, while from central and southern Europe a midsize jet keeps a proper reserve over the sea. A smaller aircraft can even arrive sooner, because it may use the city airport, while the passengers of a heavy jet land at Keflavík and then drive 50 km. For legs inside the country, turboprops cost the least.

Not sure which airport your aircraft can use in winter or after 23:00? Leave your number and a consultant will call back.

The Icelandic year, month by month

The best months depend on the purpose: June to August for the highlands, the ring road and salmon, September to March for the northern lights, and from December, snow permitting, for skiing in the north. March and October combine dark skies with fewer visitors. Empty Legs are most frequent after aurora weekends from September to March, when British and Scandinavian jets fly home, and around transatlantic positioning in spring and autumn.

Empty Legs across the North Atlantic

An Empty Leg is a sector flown without passengers, to return to base or to position for the next booking, and sold at a reduced price. The corridor is thinner than to Paris or Milan, but the sectors are long, so a match saves a large amount.

The operator decides the date and hour, and over the Atlantic the weather can move a leg again, so Empty Legs suit an open return date. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and possible days, and we send matching flights as they appear.

Dogs and cats: some of the strictest rules in Europe

The country is free of rabies and treats an imported dog or cat as a regulated import. The usual European rules, microchip, rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel, pet passport, the animal in the cabin with the operator's approval, are only the starting point:

Entry, customs and permits

Before departure

• Passport or ID card for each passenger, a passport for anyone arriving from outside Schengen.
• Names, dates of birth and document numbers one day before the flight.
• The hotel or lodge address, which decides between Keflavík, the city airport, Akureyri and Egilsstaðir.
• Number of bags, rods, gun cases and camera cases, and winter clothing for the walk across the apron.
• A spare half day before any fixed appointment after the return flight.
• No pets unless an import permit and a quarantine place are confirmed in writing.
• Company name and VAT number for the invoice.

How to book a flight to Iceland

1. Send the departure airport, dates, passengers, luggage and the plan on the island: the capital, the lagoon, the north, the east fjords or a stopover.
2. We choose the airport by hours and runway, request the slot at Keflavík and order customs at Akureyri, Egilsstaðir or the city airport.
3. You receive 2-4 aircraft options with prices, flight times and taxes, and for a long stay a comparison of waiting against two one-way flights.
4. After the contract is signed and paid, we book handling, de-icing, the car or the domestic leg with an EEA operator.
5. The operator plans fuel and an alternate for the day's weather, and we confirm the final departure time the evening before.

Questions about private flights to Iceland

• • How much does a private jet to Iceland cost?

  • From EUR 10,500 one way for a Citation CJ3 from the Faroe Islands and EUR 13,000 from Aberdeen or Edinburgh, for the whole aircraft. From London a Phenom 300 costs EUR 17,000; handling, de-icing and taxes are added.

• • Which airport should I choose?

  • Keflavík for any hour and any aircraft, Reykjavik City for light jets landing between 07:00 and 23:00 close to the centre, Akureyri for the north and Egilsstaðir for the east fjords.

• • Can I fly straight to Akureyri from abroad?

  • Yes. Akureyri accepts international flights with customs ordered in advance. Oslo - Akureyri takes 2:36 h in a Phenom 300 and saves about five hours of driving from Reykjavik.

• • Is a night landing possible?

  • At Keflavík at any hour. The city airport closes at 23:00, and Akureyri and Egilsstaðir can stay open later on request with a surcharge.

• • Do I need a passport?

  • From a Schengen airport an ID card is enough for EU citizens, and there is no passport check. From the UK or North America passports are checked, and customs apply to everyone.

• • Can a light jet reach Iceland non-stop?

  • From the UK, Benelux, Germany and Scandinavia, yes. From Milan, Vienna, Madrid or Nice it flies close to its range, and a midsize jet keeps a better reserve over the sea.

• • Can I bring my dog?

  • Only with a MAST import permit, months of preparation and at least 14 days of quarantine, entering through Keflavík. For a short trip it is not practical.

• • Can a foreign jet fly me from Reykjavik to Akureyri?

  • Only an operator from the EU or the EEA. We usually book a turboprop: Reykjavik City - Akureyri takes 1:01 h in a PC-12 for EUR 7,000.

• • When are the northern lights best?

  • From September to March on clear nights away from city lights. March and October have dark skies and fewer visitors.

• • Are there Empty Legs to or from Iceland?

  • Yes, mostly Keflavík - London and Keflavík - Scandinavia after aurora weekends, and transatlantic positioning legs. Send your route and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

• • What if the weather is bad on the day?

  • The crew may hold the departure for a better window, and the aircraft always carries enough fuel to divert to a second airport in Iceland, Scotland or Norway. Leave half a day of margin around the return.