As with most airlines, the key is knowing what you're getting into. How does the underseat storage compare to spirit airline? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. On our way home from eight days exploring the Ring Road in a camper van, we got a better feel for the Reykjavik (KEF) airport. I flew both planes and found the 737 MAX to outshine the larger 767 in five specific areas, at the very least. Your seat is one thing, that you can chose to a degree. Find the best seat wiht our Icelandair Boeing 737 MAX (7M8) seating chart. Economy Comfort is 2 - 3 - 2, three rows, # 6, 7 and 8, 33" pitch. When comparing Sunday flight prices to Friday, Expedia found that travelers save 5% on domestic flights and 15% . more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. With the first ordered drink, they brought around these cheese crisps, too. On the 737 and 757 planes, the economy cabin. Helps with jet lag. I loved the hospitable touch of a bottle of water upon boarding. The standard European plugs were accompanied by USB ports at every single seat in the house except for the dining tables near the food. Blue Lagoon has been closed for quite some time due to Covid. I chose one of these tan seats, as they were the most private and offered some views of the tarmac. Get alerts like this one sent to your inbox with Thrifty Traveler Premium! At the top, you turn left and there you'll see the front desk. Despite being machine-made, these robotic baristas whipped up some lovely drinks. A choice of a seat selection is offered when booking a ticket. Check out everything streaming onboard Icelandair flights. The seating and ambiance are exceptional. Search and find deals on business class flights to Iceland. And you're going to arrive very early am. This flight was on a Boeing 757-200, which has some of the most spacious seats in Icelandair's fleet. On Qatar Airways, you can only get 15 minutes or 10 MB of free Wi-Fi via a sponsor. I flew both planes and found the 737 MAX to outshine the larger 767 in five specific areas, at the very least. Icelandair flies to these 15 North American cities, connecting travelers to 29 cities across Europe. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-109673559', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');airlines you might consider, check the equipment type, and then have a look on Seatguru. $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. Cons of the Iceland Air. Each bid is per passenger. In exchange for the annual fee, you'll unlock access to the Amex Membership Rewards program that let you access airline and hotel transfer partners, along with new lifestyle and travel credits. Bidding closes three days before your flight departs. Find business class flights to Amsterdam on Icelandair, JetBlue and more. No special amenities here for Saga Premium Class passengers. It means the seats are wider than you'll find on most airlines flying to Europe from Norwegian to even the major carriers like Delta or American. We were all comfortable, even my . The breakfast spread was made up of typical European fare like yogurts, oatmeals, meats and cheeses, pancakes, and much more. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Get our daily email for the latest in travel, flight deals, and how My dad & I had been preparing for months for our trip to Iceland to visit our only family. For the right price, I'd gladly fly Icelandair Saga Premium again. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of food included in the Tapas Box: Serrano ham, mini breadsticks, mini fuet cheese, bruschetta dip, and Iberico cheese. Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. The Icelandair Saga Lounge in Reykjavik (KEF) might just be the best part of the whole Saga Premium experience. Just last year, we found this fantastic deal on roundtrip Saga Premium fares from a number of U.S. gateways to all over Europe! The Saga seats themselves are similar to what you'll find in domestic first class not a lie-flat business class seat. The challenge we experienced this time though is with seating. Icelandair offers seat-back entertainment, but the selection can be a bit lacking. Icelandair flies to these 15 North American cities, connecting travelers to 29 cities across Europe. As Iceland's flagship airline, Icelandair give its Premium members a dedicated check-in area and a fast security lane to get you to your gate or the Saga Lounge faster and with fewer headaches. If flying back to the states, pick a seat on the right side for views of the mountains of Greenland. Every row in Icelandair business class had at least one window while row 2, where I sat, had two windows. Finally, we were given the food menu, which came with a designated starter and dessert, but gave each traveler the choice between two main courses. On the evening flight to Reykjavik it was actually a newer version -757-256 with new and large screens for the entertainment. My opinion on trans atlantic (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? But what interested me more were the Iceland videos that Icelandair offered. But there's also an Icelandair business class seat and while it's far from the biggest or most luxurious business class seat, it's still a great way to cross the Atlantic. 1. Not sure how that would work in managing jet lag! Credit: wp. I opted for the xtra leg room, and was very glad I did. You're barely going to have time to sleep on the plane anyway, so even if you sleep like a baby, it'll only be for a few hours. The 757 is part of Icelandair's old fleet and is being phased out with the induction of the new 737 MAX aircraft. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Find the best airplanes seats, information on legroom, recline and in-flight entertainment using our detailed online seating charts. On each side of these wooden barriers there were seats, and there were three rows of them scattered throughout the lounge. The best part about flying first class with Icelandair is the view. You will see a big neon sign and the stairs and escalator going up. Icelandair's 767s have 259 seats, arranged 2-3-2 in Economy and 2-1-2 in Saga Premium. That left us penned in as the folks in front asserted their reclining privileges . According to a recent study by Expedia, the cheapest day to book flights is Sunday. While both economy class seats are laid out in a 3-3 configuration, meaning they are a similar width, the Play A321neo seats have a staggering 34 inches of legroom for all standard seats. Seat Map for IcelandAir. Read on for my full review. Air Canada has historically flown an Airbus fleet domestically within Canada, with the occasional entry into the Embraer market. As you can see, there was no shortage of comfortable seats available to travelers in the Saga Lounge, even at the busiest part of the morning. First, with Icelandair's frequent fare sales, you can score a round-trip ticket for around $1,000 comparable to premium-economy fares on other airlines, and far less than you'd pay for a lie-flat pod. Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. A juice, cereal, and toast bar sat beside it as well for someone looking for something lighter. You could watch short segments on each area in Iceland to prepare for your nearing trip, or reminisce on your way home. Unfortunately, the W-iFi was not speedy and cut out once for about 15 minutes during the journey, but it was more than enough to stay connected, browse the internet, and use email, Slack, and text message over the course of the flight. SAN-PDX is operated by Alaska (AS 1073) and PDX-KEF is operated by Icelandair (FI 664). Learn more. Each passenger also got a bottle of water. The lavatory was also as standard as they come. In some cases, you might even have a choice between the two aircraft New Yorkers can choose between the 737 MAX from Newark and the 767 from JFK, for example. Icelandair has made its name with cheap economy fares between the U.S. and Reykjavik (KEF) and onward throughout Europe. USB chargers, good variety of free movies and TV, nice music selection, standard earphone jacks so you can use your own. At Thrifty Traveler, we dont accept freebies. Around the corner behind the buffet area are the restrooms, which were not huge or fancy by any means, but were very clean and nice. Gunnar is a reporter and flight deal analyst at Thrifty Traveler who joined the team in July 2021. It's often around $10-$30 per seat per flight segment, so if you cave in and pay for that, it can add up quickly. Check out Thrifty Traveler Premium, our international flight deal notification service. Head down a narrow hallway that also serves as the boarding area for some Schengen zone flights departing from Iceland. Use seatguru.com to try to pick seats that don't have restricted leg room. Your email address will not be published. Back inside the cabin, the outer armrest stored the tray table for each Premium seat. Icelandair uses the mediocre Aspire Lounge at Zurich Airport. Beware if you have long legs - I did appreciate that there was enough width that we didn't have to sit half on top of each other. Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. Icelandair flies to Reykjavik (KEF) from 11 cities nationwide, from San Francisco (SFO) all the way down to Tampa (TPA). Always great to be able to go straight from the airport to a hotel where you room is waiting, Catch a few hours sleep , do some exploring of Reykjavik and get an early sleep. Mikhala joined the Thrifty Traveler team in 2018 after living in China and completing graduate school. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. I spent close to three hours there and I wish I had more time. The Amex Platinum comes with access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan out your next getaway. If you choose row 5 you are more likely to be transfered backwards into the aircraft than by choosing row 6 because the airline want's to make use of all seat rows - and not offer it until it's confirmed that they get to sell those seats as Saga Class seats. I am getting ready to travel to Iceland for the first time in April. What if the airline said "yes" to his $35 offer? Icelander flies 757s, so it's not the big jumbo jets you might be used to when crossing the water. Ultimately, Saga Class is a premium-economy seat with business-class amenities and service. Passengers can hold their moderate belongings on their knees. We werent aware of this until check in (Icelandair didnt alert us to the change), at which time there was no movement possible. Fantastic Wi-Fi. Icelandair offers the option to upgrade your regular economy seat, but with a novel twist: You can bid for an upgrade to Icelandair's business class, called Saga Class. Depending on the sale, you may find similar fares for flights connecting at KEF to destinations in Europe, and stopovers are generally free, letting you visit continental Europe and Iceland for the same price. The stow away tray used for the meals was a bitt too close. . It did not work at all for two of my 4 flights with Icelandair and the planes were boiling hot even though it was March. Best airline, best airplane best seat! Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card. No matter which airline you're flying on, don't ever pay to select a seat. The seats are plushier and more comfortable than the average budget airline seat, but if the passenger in front of you is fully reclined, space might be tight. I flew Icelandic Air in 80s from Chicago to Lux. There was no wait when I entered the lounge around 7 a.m. on a Sunday morning a lounge attendant quickly scanned my boarding pass, and the lounge was mine. Planning a trip for our family of 6 to Europe and trying to make it affordable but dont want the four of us who are 5 foo10-6 foot 2 to be to miserable! My husband is 5'9" and it was very uncomfortable on a 6 hour flight. Read on for a review of the entire Icelandair experience, from booking to arrival. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. J. But in economy, I've yet to find one that's much better than the rest. View airline, airport, seat, and lounge photos. The short ribs were cooked perfectly, too. Icelandair's 757-300 seats 225 passengers. While the seats may not be ideal for snoozing on a Europe-bound redeye, the airline's Saga fares are often competitive enough to justify a less-appealing product, and tickets include a number of other business amenities, like multi-course onboard meals, extra baggage and airport lounge access. There was a glut of seating options, both social and private. Full booking flexibility, including changes and cancellations. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-109676928', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');airlines, What does vary is leg room so look for best, Most seats on a flight are pretty much the same but those with the bulkhead/lavatories behind may not relcline as much as others. My suggestion would be to cough up the money for extra leg room. Will it fit normal size underseat luggages? Use airplane seat map to find which ones are more comfortable and which should be avoided. The automatic ticket scanner system was down when we boarded, so the boarding experience quickly became backed up and crowded. Loyal readers will recall our 2017 review of Saga Premium (which, at the the time, was called Saga Class) on Icelandair's venerable 757-200s.. 11 years ago Save I searched Google Flights for a reasonably priced fare from Minneapolis (MSP), and eventually pulled the trigger on a $479 fare for eight days in early May. They offered to fill up the water bottle rather than using a new glass and save on some waste. You bid separately for the departing and return flights, and pricing is one-way. I was delayed in getting there due to some extra security screening, but was still able to board with the other Premium passengers ahead of the rest of the plane. Related: How to fly Icelandair using points and miles. Saga Class passengers get the following benefits. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. You'll have one tired day but then a good nights sleep and you'll adjust to the new time zone a lot faster. With standard recliners instead of the far more common lie-flat pods, Icelandair's Saga Class is arguably the least comfortable business-class option for flights across the Atlantic. Benefits of flying Icelandair business class. After checking in through Sacramento International Airport, we boarded our flight to Seattle. It is not the bank advertisers responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. Bagging an exit row seat may provide the most comfort for you, but then maybe you won't like the arm rest that cannot be moved. When you arrive, get cleaned up, have some breakfast, and then go do something for the day. Use airplane seat map to find which ones are more comfortable and which should be avoided. Despite the long list of people who can get into the lounge, the lounge was not too crowded during my visit last month even during the morning rush. Also, I can't imagine there's a lot of airlines that have direct flights on your route so you probably won't have a lot of choices, either. The leg room was ample for me. That arrangement is typical of what you'll find on any Icelandair flight, though some other planes may have more Saga seats total. If you sleep when you arrive then you're going to wake up mid afternoon and won't be able to get to bed at a normal time and it'll take longer. USD$250 (to/from Iceland) / USD$250 (to/from Europe or Israel) Included. The cons to exit row are, Icelandair doesnt allow you to have ANYTHING on the floor beneath the seat in front of you. We chose standard seats. Icelandair also offered a soft drink menu and a selection of three beers, three liqueurs, and seven spirits. It's become so ubiquitous that travelers have come to expect a lie-flat pod in business class, but there's one notable exception to the flat-bed rule: Icelandair's Saga Class, flying between a handful of U.S. cities and the airline's capital in Reykjavik (KEF). 2023 Thrifty Traveler. With some of Icelandair's 767s approaching their 25th birthdays, walking into the cabin feels a bit like a step back in time. Reykjavik-Keflavik International (KEF) 4 September 2013 Saga Class. It's hardly a "make it or break it" amenity, but I love to look out the window during takeoff, landing and throughout the flight. View cabin seat layouts and choose your preferred seat. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Just for clarification, in 2022 Does anyone know if there are any reclining seats in economy? Baltimore (BWI) Boston (BOS) Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) Denver (DEN) Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) Montral (YUL) Newark (EWR) New York City (JFK) Orlando (MCO) Portland (PDX) Raleigh (RDU) Seattle (SEA) Toronto (YYZ) Vancouver (YVR) Based in London . Chase Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. The decor inside the Saga Lounge was very nordic and especially Icelandic. Then, it unfolded again into a full-sized tray table that was pretty spacious, covering the entire width of the seat. I typically pack my own food but decided to try out one of the Icelandair offerings from the four-page menu. is Editor-at-Large at TPG, with contributions ranging from articles digging deep on loyalty programs and credit cards to delivery flight coverage to drone photography and much more. All rights reserved. To find Saga Premium fares instead of Icelandair's economy product, select Business in your fare type drop-down menu. I have only ever been to Canada outside of the US. The food and drink service on Icelandair Saga Premium was fantastic. The middle seat is kept unoccupied in Economy Comfort. What is best for you? I was wondering why Iceland air prices were half the price I would pay for a Lufthansa Business Class seat but seeing the seats this is what Lufthansa has now as Premium Eco and needs of course a lot less space in the plane so this is the main reason for these cheaper prices. Paul (MSP) and Reykjavik (KEF) goes fast. Below the seat-back pocket were two pedal-style footrests, which were a nice touch to take advantage of the additional legroom.
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