Air Iceland Connect

Air Iceland Connect was the operating brand of Air Iceland, an Icelandair Group regional carrier. Its aviation heritage reached back to 1937, while the modern Air Iceland company was created in 1997 by combining Icelandair’s domestic operation with Norlandair. The airline adopted the Air Iceland Connect identity in 2017 to highlight connections between its regional flights and Icelandair’s wider network. It ceased operating under its own brand in 2021, when its services were integrated into Icelandair.

Reykjavík Airport was the carrier’s primary hub and the centre of a network comprising 12 routes to seven destinations across Iceland and Greenland. Akureyri, Neerlerit Inaat, Egilsstaðir and Nuuk were its other busiest departure points by number of routes. Destinations included Reykjavík, Akureyri, Egilsstaðir, Ísafjörður, Kulusuk, Neerlerit Inaat and Nuuk. The network provided important links between Iceland’s capital, regional communities and remote settlements on Greenland’s eastern and western coasts.

Aircraft associated with Air Iceland Connect included the De Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8 family and the Fokker 50. These turboprops were appropriate for short regional sectors, modest passenger volumes and airports where larger jets were impractical. Flights generally used a single economy-class cabin rather than separate business and economy sections. Passengers could expect less cabin and overhead-storage space than aboard a mainline jet, while service levels varied according to route length and operating conditions.

Air Iceland Connect did not independently belong to Star Alliance, SkyTeam or Oneworld. Through its ownership by Icelandair Group, the airline participated in Icelandair Saga Club and supported connections with Icelandair’s international services. Its Reykjavík Airport base was separate from Icelandair’s principal international gateway at Keflavík Airport, so journeys combining regional and overseas flights could require a ground transfer across the capital area. Current loyalty and connection arrangements are governed by Icelandair following the integration.

The airline’s main strength was its ability to connect isolated destinations where surface travel was difficult or impossible. Its seven-destination, two-country network served both domestic Icelandic communities and Greenland, with Nuuk to Reykjavík its longest nonstop route at about 1,431 km. A fair challenge was operational exposure to rapidly changing North Atlantic weather and the limitations of small regional airports. Travellers also needed to plan carefully when transferring between Reykjavík and Keflavík airports, particularly during winter or on tightly timed itineraries.