A stopover at KEF without a rant about the ridiculously high prices for food and beverages? Wouldn't have imagined that haha. Very entertaining video, regardless. I love all the little details you add, such as the infos about the American airports' glow up or the unborn baby category on Icelandair's website. Keep up the good work! :D
@@danielmosey6203 So you're saying all of his videos are irrelevant since he reviews many other airlines? Kind of agree with the other comment, you don't sound very intelligent.
We flew Icelandair from Washington Dulles to KEF on a 767 and a few days later flew KEF to Stockholm on their 757 in premium. We had a very positive experience. The service was friendly and going through Customs at KEF was a breeze. We’d happily fly Icelandair again.
We flew with them from BWI last winter for a northern lights trip. Found them to be a great value overall and the cabin crews on both flights were great as well. You can thank the flight lengths on a 737 for the extra seat room in economy. They could not max out seating and make a flight that long due to weight. Would consider KEF transit to save money on a flight to Europe. We got a great deal on a similar set up on Aer Lingus this fall stopping in Dublin which has the added benefit of US pre-clearance on the way home.
FYI Saga Premium is not considered nor sold as a "business class" model. It's simply "Premium Class" which some might just call "Premium Economy". Therefor you can't compare it to other business classes.
Icelandair Saga Prem. may not have lie flat beds, but the service is better IMO than Prem economy on Lufthansa or United, I loved flying it from Reykjavik to Denver daytime, very attentive personal service. On the way over I flew their economy class
Great video as always david! BTW, icelandair also has a three course icelandic meal to pre-order. I havnt had it but it looks tasty if you want to shake things up a bit
I flew from PDX to FRA via KEF with Iceland last October, and back in November. It was my first time making a trans-Atlantic flight. Really enjoyed it. Service on both legs of the flight was excellent and I was impressed with the efficiency of the customs process at KEF. Iceland have a partnership with Alaska Airlines, I was able to use my Alaska miles to pay for the flight. I'll definitely be considering Iceland Airlines again next time I go to Europe.
I use them all the time and my trick is to do my best to give myself at least 3-4hrs. The 330neo is a nightmare, they have really rammed seats into that tube turning it into a city bus. The airplane itself is amazing, so quiet. Interestingly for an old design airplane its actually more expensive than a Dreamliner! My guess is CebPac went with it to minimize flight crew training as they only use Airbus.
8:12, Same when I flew Indigo, Boeing 777-300ER with more than 500 economy class seats in a tight 3-4-3 configuration from Istanbul to Mumbai, flight is almost full, flight is good and okay, 7 hours, but the cabin is a little dry and warm because there is no air vent.
A word of warning about those tight Keflavik connection times. On the morning of our Munich to MSP flight we were notified that because of delays my wife and I were rebooked on Lufthansa where we got (you guessed it) 2 middle seats as replacement for our Saga class seating. (Icelandair did eventually refund the cost difference). In addition the Icelandair gates are at the far end of the terminal a minor inconvenience unless you’re making a connection.
WOW air was better than one would expect. These feel like similar routes. In fact at the very end there once they lost their A330s WOW ran them on standard A320s and had a fueling stop in Canada!
I fly Icelandair when I travel from Baltimore to Stockholm to visit family. I really like the change of planes in Iceland - to get out of the plane and walk around a little.
I flew EDDF-BIKF and back on Icelandair some years back, and all I can remember is the bad time I had in Frankfurt, that we had to wait with unboarding at Keflavík because winds were so strong they couldn't put stairs on the plane, and that BIKF is a really nice airport. The flight just happened smoothly and without fanfare, just as it should be.
Orlando's new Concourse C actually reminds me of Incheon Airport's Terminal 2, in terms of the gate numbering, as they use 3 digit gate numbers, starting with the number 2. I actually went to Orlando's Concourse C in 2023 and Incheon Airport Terminal 2 in 2024, but one of them has to be better than the other.
I was looking at Saga Premium, but honestly - economy seems fine on the one checked bag fare. Those food prices when ordered online are less than inflight I noticed, but I’d be hard pressed to buy a ham and cheese baguette for less than $9 anywhere these days. Only downside - Pepsi 😣 I still have to watch the premium video, but I’m pretty much sold on this already. The overnight in KEF option they have is a really nice touch!
I’m sick right now, but watching your videos is so relaxing and making me feel better, just sitting in bed enjoying your content. I have subscribed and liked as well.
Yea I am surprised that given he is an international traveler he wouldn’t have worked that out long ago. And I know that as an Australian that’s never been there. Plus not only is it a huge holiday destination, it’s also a big pre and post cruise stop over.
I have flown Icelandair a lot over the last two years between the US and Iceland, and I like the airline a lot. I've flown regular economy and Saga class and I think both services are great-- everything you need out of a flight and nothing you don't. Baggage allowances are reasonable (as are the fees for additional bags if you need them) compared to US airlines who often have no inclusions even for more premium fares and big fees if you need to add a bag. Airline representatives / cabin crew have always been pleasant and helpful. Basically flying Icelandair is like flying a US mainline carrier from twenty years ago before all these more predatory capitalist practices enshitified US domestic air travel-- you buy a regular ticket and you can just show up at the airport, check your bag, get on and have a timely and simple flight to somewhere. Economy flex tickets include at least one checked bag and it's relatively easy to amend your itinerary if you need to, without change fees (I don't think I ever paid more than an ~$80 fare difference to change dates for an Icelandair flight). The one caveat I would warn people about (and the only area where I've had an unpleasant experience with Icelandair) is that if you're doing a combined itinerary with one of Iceair's US domestic partner airlines (in my case, Alaska) you may face absolutely extortionate fees for itinerary changes-- I once had a flex ticket booked through Icelandair that included a leg from SEA to JAC on Alaska Airlines, and when I needed to change the travel date I needed to pay almost the entire cost of a second ticket (IIRC it was $900 or something) to rebook on a different day-- not due to Icelandair but because Alaska Airlines was charging a fortune to change the domestic leg. I highly recommend avoiding combined itineraries (book your international Icelandair leg separately), or if you do want to book a combined itinerary you should at least save yourself some money and just book the non-flex fare, since it can be so cost-prohibitive to change dates anyway when the US airlines are involved. You're right about Icelandair's website as well-- it's much clearer and better-organized than any US carrier's site that I've experienced. The customer support is also pretty helpful, if you need it. Overall I really like Icelandair-- the only thing that makes me sad is the phasing-out of the old 757s, as I really loved flying on those old aircraft. The 737s (and the A321s soon, I'm sure) provide functionally the same experience, but the 757 is such a good-looking (esp in Icelandair's old livery) and high-performance aircraft-- there's a really huge difference in takeoff roll and climb performance, and the 757's higher seating capacity meant there were more flights running partially-full (at least in the off-seasons) which I guess was bad for the earth but nice as a passenger. The 737s seem to be almost completely full even in low season and they're a big sluggish getting off the ground and up to cruise altitude. The 757's are absolute rocket ships, so if you get the chance to fly one before Icelandair retire them all, enjoy the steep climbs and cool sounds.
Icelandair's winglet design represents such an in-touch view of modern branding and marketing. It's so common for people to post pictures from vacations on social media that include the wing of the plane. I'll never understand airlines that don't include their logo on the winglet and just leave it white. It's a free billboard that your customers put up themselves, and is way less intrusive or obnoxious than normal social media ads.
The Brightline train currently terminates at Orlando airport as well. It's worth checking prices to see if the cost is better to fly into Orlando then take the train from there to Ft Lauderdale or Miami if cruising as the stations are near the ports.
Flown Icelandair many times from Iceland (my country) to Europe. One can always ask for a pillow and a blanket, even though it's not provided beforehand at the seat.
May I know where do you usually get information on what specific seats are used for each cabin on each airline? Truly interesting to know, thanks for including that info in every brutally honest video! :D
That's a whole lot of research. I still unfortunately get it wrong from time to time, but I try my best by staying up-to-date, attending aircraft interiors conferences, and I have a massive table where I noted all the confirmed seat types on different airlines so I can compare photos to find out if on a new flight I am sitting in a seat I have encountered somewhere else before. :)
My last narrow body trans-Atlantic flight was when I was 7 years old. My family flew aboard a TWA 707 from JFK-ZRH in July 1974. I sat next to my mother on the left hand side two rows behind First Class. My two sisters sat in the row right behind us.
I live in Baltimore, Iceland air flies daily and that is something I would never consider. It's fine if you want to go to Iceland, but number one, websites market it is Business Class when in fact, it's nothing more than a premium economy seat. Number two it's a very short five hour flight from Baltimore to Iceland. It departs here at 7:30 PM gets there at "5 AM local time"which is four hours ahead. Basically in the middle of the night you then have to transfer over to get your connecting flight to London, Germany, or wherever.
I haven’t been flying out of Orlando since I moved further south in Florida. When they open a nearby Brightline train station, probably another year and a half, I might start using MCO again.
In July we flew from Iceland to Seattle on their Iceland Air’s 757. That airport was an absolute train wreck with no organization which caused over half of our plane’s passengers ✈️ to be late by 45 mins. Terrible on board customer service and we missed our connecting flight ✈️ in Seattle and there wasn’t any weather or maintenance issues.
Btw some people say Keflavík but it has evolved to keplavík but if your more north iceland they say f. But this is also thing w pylsa and pulsa but u can go down that rabbit hole yourself
I am flying Icelandair ORD to KEF for a one week vacation to Iceland in October. I think I got a really good deal and thanks to your video, I have a better idea of what to expect of the flights. Thank you.
there's another company that I think sits in the middle segment between ultra low costs (or low costs) and the legacy carriers - HiSky. they do not provide any complimentary meals except for their New York flights from Bucharest, but they have much better legroom, their planes are cleaner than those of Ryanair or Wizzair, they do not have a predatory behavior as far as cabin luggage is concerned and their fares are relatively decent.
all my flights with them have been epic. For what they cost, their service is kinda stellar. even tried their 757's and those seats were soft and nice too.
Departing Terminal C at MCO is great! Arriving internationally is HELL! It's a carpet ramp going to the top floors, and then the length of that long terminal with carpeted hall.
Good video though. I've been flying with Icelandair many times and they are one of the best airlines (this is my opinion though). I really love the cold noodle meal.
i flew out of balitmore to norway at the end of oct 2024. the air vent barely blew air which meant 5 hours of being very hot! i was actually red faced for the entire trip. and it was not much better on the return trip! Also, the video screen was so close that i had to use my reading glass to view it (and i paid for a seat upgrade)!! ps. KEF airport was horrible. overcrowded, in a state of disrepair, gate areas were basically in the hall ways, electrical outlets not working, and the toilets were a horror!
Big thanks for this review. Just in time for me as I am taking Keflavik - Vancouver flight with Icelandair in a month. Appreciate the fact I can see the latest service and comfort available on board. Additionally to my ticket I preordered the Three course Icelandic meal and a Falafel salad - will see how those turn out to be.
This was around the 21st of february, but the only thing I notice that has changed since then is the wipes presented during boarding (available upon request) and they have updated the in-flight menu. There was even a new volcanic eruption two days ago, so it looks like it was recorded today, apart from the snow.
I absolutely love your videos. The best frankly as you mostly review economy class products unlike certain other vloggers who only ever fly business / first class these days. Can I ask, do you still have a promotion with Holzkern? I wish to buy a couple of things but would gladly use your discount code if it is still available...
If the coupon code does not work anymore (you can still find it in the Air Canada and Lufthansa A380 videos), I hope the promo will be back this fall! :) Thank you so much for your kind words and support!
I had flown lots, going around the world twice, and would certainly prefer to buy my airlines food (if reasonably priced) , though usually carry my own. Though never travel on Icelandair, the plane and the food selection looks nice. Trully better than so call main airlines, and not just in the US. Great video.
speaking of these 737 max aircrafts from different airlines, they all impressed me with the leg room of seats! especially those who operate 737 NG series and max series, you will hope you fly with max... of course only on comfortability meaning tho
Speaking of new terminals, Nashville is going through a huge renovation with the brand new Concourse T, International arrivals Facility, Concourse D, and the midfield concourse C. Next to be rebuilt is concourse A which is scheduled for demolition next year.
I wonder how the partnership with Southwest Airlines and Iceland air will be? Still deciding whether Iceland air or play airlines is a better option 🙏🏾 thanks for this amazing video
I was surprised by that too and don’t have a definitive explanation for it. Perhaps the inner panel of the winglet was changed during maintenance and is still missing the decals?
Did you mentioned the Gol’s flight from Orlando to Brasilia (Brazil). I flew with Gol in the past year from Brasilia to Miami, during 7 hours in a 737 Max. GOL is a Low Cost, but offer all the beverage and meals for free. You make choose a chicken or pasta for the dinner or lunch, and they offer for free before landing a hot sandwich and a delicious muffin and a milk pudding, all this for free. They don’t have IFE on a screen, but offer free WiFi for messages and movies with a WiFi entertainment. The offer a pillow and blanket too. It was a amazing flight on a 737 MAX-8. Could you try this flight too!
Interesting that the right side of the aircraft's winglet lacks any branding that the left side had. I wonder what the story is about that? Excellent review, as always!
It all depends where you're going and where you're coming from. I fly to Scandinavia annually from the DC area. Much prefer direct flights to CPH for only a few $ more on SAS from IAD. Not really worth the red-eye stopover. If you get an amazing fare, maybe, but for me it's just not worth the time and inconvenience. They used to only fly out of BWI, but they've been flying from IAD for many years now. Public transit to IAD is long but easy and drama free, and for me that just rules out BWI entirely. Still, SAS is better deal.
I love these videos so much!!! If you ever find it in your schedule, please try Lufthansa 747 premium economy from San Francisco to Frankfurt, as it is my Dream flight.
David, pls review Singapore Airlines's 737-800 NG (the old ones from SilkAir), can be found on SIN-PEN. or, you can do BOTH 737-800NG and the newer 737-MAX 8, possible itinerary is PEN-SIN-SGN (First on the NG, then on the MAX 8)
@@l4zr_boyit's not a brutally honest but a tripreport But yeah, theres a trip report on Singapore Airlines Boeing 737-800, while the Boeing 737 MAx would be similar towards the Boeing 737-800
Oof. I'm glad someone had a good experience with Icelandair, because our experience was just miserable. The cabin crew was so focused on selling food that they kept the lights on and the noise level up nearly the entire flight. Even with earplugs, noise cancelling headphones, and an eye mask it was just far, far, far too loud to get sleep. Not any one passenger in particular, just the whole cabin. As soon as they turned the lights down, it got quiet. But they only had them down for about 45 minutes the entire flight. Basically kiss the idea of getting any sleep goodbye.
As a US resident, I can't imagine enjoying a flight like this much. You basically have no time to sleep since you're stopping in Iceland right in the middle of when most people on a US to Continental Europe flight would be out cold. Not for me.
I'm surprised there aren't more middle ("mid-service") acomodation airline companies than both of the others... Just seems it would make sense that most companies in about any industry would be somewhere in the middle, whether by design or circumstance.
There are a lot of ‘middle’ Airlines. A lot of airlines have basic packages that include different things. Airlines like Southwest, AirBaltic and Westjet would be ‘middle’ in terms of service. And the fun thing is that Icelandair has better service than ‘full service’ competitors like Lufthansa and SAS, on their european routes.
Flew on it last year…amazing product. Saudia truly changed from the past years they even provide hot towels in economy and in my flight from jed-ist I was offered FOUR different meal choices…IN ECONOMY. Now that was impressive :)
Narrowbody aircraft appeares to become slightly more common nowadays 😅 Batik Air Malaysia uses the Boeing 737 MAX from Kuala Lumpur 🇲🇾 to Tokyo Narita 🇯🇵 which is a wopping 7 hours flight
I believe the feature may not be offered on UA-cam in some countries. :( I highly appreciate your support, and we’ll soon launch some merch, maybe there’ll be something for you! :)
737Max has tighter seating if you're taller. It seems like a good idea to use this plane to go to the US, but they need to be on Star or World alliance.
It was a good trip, except for the fact that I didn't forget the lasagna with a good Pepsi to eat and also enjoy, but the airline from Reykjavik in Iceland is to be congratulated and also that it was being tracked by Fligthradar 24.
Iceland is smack-dab in the middle between Europe and US. Makes sense to be smack-dab in the middle between low-cost and full-service carrier. A couple of airlines have tried to offer low-cost transatlantic flights but have failed. Icelandair however, could draw this off.
We actually tried to two months ago and had a flight booked from HKG to LHR, but because of a cancelled flight on a different airline we didn’t make it to HKG in time and had to fly back to Europe on a different airline. :(
The whole point I would like to know is comparing with wide body, do you feel more tired? How abt other pax? Typically there are some folks hanging around near exit door, is that suitable in narrow body plane? For most economy goers, they cant spend half a day to recover from airplane fatigue
A stopover at KEF without a rant about the ridiculously high prices for food and beverages? Wouldn't have imagined that haha. Very entertaining video, regardless. I love all the little details you add, such as the infos about the American airports' glow up or the unborn baby category on Icelandair's website. Keep up the good work! :D
@@danielmosey6203 How is it irrelevant if he still doesn't let the airline veto the video? 😂
@@danielmosey6203 you're not very intelligent are you?
He already rambled about the prices in a past video!
@@frederickvondinkerberg7721 most likely more than you. It’s very simple if you think about it. If you get something for free, there is a bias 😆🤪
@@danielmosey6203 So you're saying all of his videos are irrelevant since he reviews many other airlines? Kind of agree with the other comment, you don't sound very intelligent.
We flew Icelandair from Washington Dulles to KEF on a 767 and a few days later flew KEF to Stockholm on their 757 in premium. We had a very positive experience. The service was friendly and going through Customs at KEF was a breeze. We’d happily fly Icelandair again.
We flew with them from BWI last winter for a northern lights trip. Found them to be a great value overall and the cabin crews on both flights were great as well. You can thank the flight lengths on a 737 for the extra seat room in economy. They could not max out seating and make a flight that long due to weight. Would consider KEF transit to save money on a flight to Europe. We got a great deal on a similar set up on Aer Lingus this fall stopping in Dublin which has the added benefit of US pre-clearance on the way home.
And if Aer Lingus cancel the flight on you, you can fly next week at the earliest
FYI Saga Premium is not considered nor sold as a "business class" model. It's simply "Premium Class" which some might just call "Premium Economy". Therefor you can't compare it to other business classes.
Icelandair Saga Prem. may not have lie flat beds, but the service is better IMO than Prem economy on Lufthansa or United, I loved flying it from Reykjavik to Denver daytime, very attentive personal service. On the way over I flew their economy class
i have upgraded to Saga a few times - zero regrets. food and service was wonderful.
Simply Aviation, amazing content you deserve more subscribers
Great video as always david! BTW, icelandair also has a three course icelandic meal to pre-order. I havnt had it but it looks tasty if you want to shake things up a bit
I flew from PDX to FRA via KEF with Iceland last October, and back in November. It was my first time making a trans-Atlantic flight. Really enjoyed it. Service on both legs of the flight was excellent and I was impressed with the efficiency of the customs process at KEF. Iceland have a partnership with Alaska Airlines, I was able to use my Alaska miles to pay for the flight. I'll definitely be considering Iceland Airlines again next time I go to Europe.
The flashing beacon shot of the wing is super cool; great work and thank you for the comprehensive review!
Only at KEF would there be frequent disruptions from volcanic activity 😂 great video!
First to respond to ice711?!?! Don’t mind me
The goat of aviation art is here!
Hi ice711
hi ice
fr
I need to research the layover packages mentioned in the video. It seems ideal when you have a stop at a major city on your way somewhere else.
Attempting to do an international transfer with Cebu Pacific is hectic, seriously cannot wait to see the outcome 😊
Dude same! I really cannot wait for CEB's A330Neo Review!
i think he might use the same route from Dubai to Manila again or maybe Manila to Sydney.
Watch noel Phillips the plane is so packed
@@danle9673 It is.
I use them all the time and my trick is to do my best to give myself at least 3-4hrs. The 330neo is a nightmare, they have really rammed seats into that tube turning it into a city bus. The airplane itself is amazing, so quiet. Interestingly for an old design airplane its actually more expensive than a Dreamliner! My guess is CebPac went with it to minimize flight crew training as they only use Airbus.
8:12, Same when I flew Indigo, Boeing 777-300ER with more than 500 economy class seats in a tight 3-4-3 configuration from Istanbul to Mumbai, flight is almost full, flight is good and okay, 7 hours, but the cabin is a little dry and warm because there is no air vent.
A word of warning about those tight Keflavik connection times. On the morning of our Munich to MSP flight we were notified that because of delays my wife and I were rebooked on Lufthansa where we got (you guessed it) 2 middle seats as replacement for our Saga class seating. (Icelandair did eventually refund the cost difference). In addition the Icelandair gates are at the far end of the terminal a minor inconvenience unless you’re making a connection.
WOW air was better than one would expect. These feel like similar routes. In fact at the very end there once they lost their A330s WOW ran them on standard A320s and had a fueling stop in Canada!
I fly Icelandair when I travel from Baltimore to Stockholm to visit family. I really like the change of planes in Iceland - to get out of the plane and walk around a little.
YES! The facilities in KEF are nice.
I flew EDDF-BIKF and back on Icelandair some years back, and all I can remember is the bad time I had in Frankfurt, that we had to wait with unboarding at Keflavík because winds were so strong they couldn't put stairs on the plane, and that BIKF is a really nice airport. The flight just happened smoothly and without fanfare, just as it should be.
Orlando's new Concourse C actually reminds me of Incheon Airport's Terminal 2, in terms of the gate numbering, as they use 3 digit gate numbers, starting with the number 2. I actually went to Orlando's Concourse C in 2023 and Incheon Airport Terminal 2 in 2024, but one of them has to be better than the other.
I was looking at Saga Premium, but honestly - economy seems fine on the one checked bag fare. Those food prices when ordered online are less than inflight I noticed, but I’d be hard pressed to buy a ham and cheese baguette for less than $9 anywhere these days. Only downside - Pepsi 😣 I still have to watch the premium video, but I’m pretty much sold on this already. The overnight in KEF option they have is a really nice touch!
Great flight. Icelandair and Play know how to maximise their geographical position advantage.
I’m sick right now, but watching your videos is so relaxing and making me feel better, just sitting in bed enjoying your content. I have subscribed and liked as well.
Are you okay right now? 😢
@@Andrew-Wong yeah I am it was just a really bad cold
Orlando is a huge leisure market, with Walt Disney World and Sea World.
In addition to MCO, Allegiant has a large base at Orlando - Sanford (SFB).
Yea I am surprised that given he is an international traveler he wouldn’t have worked that out long ago. And I know that as an Australian that’s never been there. Plus not only is it a huge holiday destination, it’s also a big pre and post cruise stop over.
I have flown Icelandair a lot over the last two years between the US and Iceland, and I like the airline a lot. I've flown regular economy and Saga class and I think both services are great-- everything you need out of a flight and nothing you don't. Baggage allowances are reasonable (as are the fees for additional bags if you need them) compared to US airlines who often have no inclusions even for more premium fares and big fees if you need to add a bag. Airline representatives / cabin crew have always been pleasant and helpful.
Basically flying Icelandair is like flying a US mainline carrier from twenty years ago before all these more predatory capitalist practices enshitified US domestic air travel-- you buy a regular ticket and you can just show up at the airport, check your bag, get on and have a timely and simple flight to somewhere. Economy flex tickets include at least one checked bag and it's relatively easy to amend your itinerary if you need to, without change fees (I don't think I ever paid more than an ~$80 fare difference to change dates for an Icelandair flight). The one caveat I would warn people about (and the only area where I've had an unpleasant experience with Icelandair) is that if you're doing a combined itinerary with one of Iceair's US domestic partner airlines (in my case, Alaska) you may face absolutely extortionate fees for itinerary changes-- I once had a flex ticket booked through Icelandair that included a leg from SEA to JAC on Alaska Airlines, and when I needed to change the travel date I needed to pay almost the entire cost of a second ticket (IIRC it was $900 or something) to rebook on a different day-- not due to Icelandair but because Alaska Airlines was charging a fortune to change the domestic leg. I highly recommend avoiding combined itineraries (book your international Icelandair leg separately), or if you do want to book a combined itinerary you should at least save yourself some money and just book the non-flex fare, since it can be so cost-prohibitive to change dates anyway when the US airlines are involved.
You're right about Icelandair's website as well-- it's much clearer and better-organized than any US carrier's site that I've experienced. The customer support is also pretty helpful, if you need it.
Overall I really like Icelandair-- the only thing that makes me sad is the phasing-out of the old 757s, as I really loved flying on those old aircraft. The 737s (and the A321s soon, I'm sure) provide functionally the same experience, but the 757 is such a good-looking (esp in Icelandair's old livery) and high-performance aircraft-- there's a really huge difference in takeoff roll and climb performance, and the 757's higher seating capacity meant there were more flights running partially-full (at least in the off-seasons) which I guess was bad for the earth but nice as a passenger. The 737s seem to be almost completely full even in low season and they're a big sluggish getting off the ground and up to cruise altitude. The 757's are absolute rocket ships, so if you get the chance to fly one before Icelandair retire them all, enjoy the steep climbs and cool sounds.
Icelandair's winglet design represents such an in-touch view of modern branding and marketing. It's so common for people to post pictures from vacations on social media that include the wing of the plane. I'll never understand airlines that don't include their logo on the winglet and just leave it white. It's a free billboard that your customers put up themselves, and is way less intrusive or obnoxious than normal social media ads.
4:29 that’s likely because Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach airports also service the Miami area which takes some traffic away from Miami airport.
The Brightline train currently terminates at Orlando airport as well. It's worth checking prices to see if the cost is better to fly into Orlando then take the train from there to Ft Lauderdale or Miami if cruising as the stations are near the ports.
Flown Icelandair many times from Iceland (my country) to Europe. One can always ask for a pillow and a blanket, even though it's not provided beforehand at the seat.
Great Video we are using Icelandic air in October to do 4 nights in Iceland and 5 nights in NYC so was looking for info on the flights.
This is great! I was wondering about how good the inflight experience was on Icelandair because they have great rates from the US to Europe!
May I know where do you usually get information on what specific seats are used for each cabin on each airline? Truly interesting to know, thanks for including that info in every brutally honest video! :D
That's a whole lot of research. I still unfortunately get it wrong from time to time, but I try my best by staying up-to-date, attending aircraft interiors conferences, and I have a massive table where I noted all the confirmed seat types on different airlines so I can compare photos to find out if on a new flight I am sitting in a seat I have encountered somewhere else before. :)
Aerolopa is good
@@simply_aviationif there's no problem with it, would please you consider disclosing that table noting seat models of different airlines?
Maybe try asking the airline directly may work may not
My last narrow body trans-Atlantic flight was when I was 7 years old. My family flew aboard a TWA 707 from JFK-ZRH in July 1974. I sat next to my mother on the left hand side two rows behind First Class. My two sisters sat in the row right behind us.
In the very same month I had my 1st TATL flight as a 9 year old. We were lucky enough to fly on Condor's 747 from FRA-ORD.
this has helped now, as flying Icelandair from Glasgow.
Wake up son, new Simply Aviation Brutally Honest episode just dropped
"But dad-"
But nothing, son
I live in Baltimore, Iceland air flies daily and that is something I would never consider. It's fine if you want to go to Iceland, but number one, websites market it is Business Class when in fact, it's nothing more than a premium economy seat. Number two it's a very short five hour flight from Baltimore to Iceland. It departs here at 7:30 PM gets there at "5 AM local time"which is four hours ahead. Basically in the middle of the night you then have to transfer over to get your connecting flight to London, Germany, or wherever.
You get to use a real bathroom after a few hours. It's a nice break.
I haven’t been flying out of Orlando since I moved further south in Florida. When they open a nearby Brightline train station, probably another year and a half, I might start using MCO again.
I'm going to fly AMS-KEF-MCO next summer. My 3th transatlantic and I'm hoping to have the same positive experience.
do they not give complimentary water as you enter the aircraft anymore?
In July we flew from Iceland to Seattle on their Iceland Air’s 757. That airport was an absolute train wreck with no organization which caused over half of our plane’s passengers ✈️ to be late by 45 mins. Terrible on board customer service and we missed our connecting flight ✈️ in Seattle and there wasn’t any weather or maintenance issues.
Now that you talked about Gol… could you please take that flight and show us?
Btw some people say Keflavík but it has evolved to keplavík but if your more north iceland they say f. But this is also thing w pylsa and pulsa but u can go down that rabbit hole yourself
But if you’re learning Icelandic then yeah he’s right. But welcome to the Icelandic language which no one gets it but just goes w it
I am flying Icelandair ORD to KEF for a one week vacation to Iceland in October. I think I got a really good deal and thanks to your video, I have a better idea of what to expect of the flights. Thank you.
You got a good deal because everybody goes in the summer lol. just make sure to bring a warm coat
there's another company that I think sits in the middle segment between ultra low costs (or low costs) and the legacy carriers - HiSky. they do not provide any complimentary meals except for their New York flights from Bucharest, but they have much better legroom, their planes are cleaner than those of Ryanair or Wizzair, they do not have a predatory behavior as far as cabin luggage is concerned and their fares are relatively decent.
Would you refer to them as a hybrid airline? Part budget and part full service?
Fantastic trip report David!😸
I love Icelandair.
all my flights with them have been epic. For what they cost, their service is kinda stellar. even tried their 757's and those seats were soft and nice too.
Departing Terminal C at MCO is great! Arriving internationally is HELL! It's a carpet ramp going to the top floors, and then the length of that long terminal with carpeted hall.
Good video though. I've been flying with Icelandair many times and they are one of the best airlines (this is my opinion though). I really love the cold noodle meal.
Yes! Another video! I love this channel!
Was in Iceland not too long ago... I was literally standing at the same place where you were at 15:56
Well, it's not a big airport. Once you've gone in and out a few times, it's all familiar 😊
Hi @Simply Aviation & David, as you are so good with all the infos on seats, do you know a trustworthy vendor of used ones in Austria?
i flew out of balitmore to norway at the end of oct 2024. the air vent barely blew air which meant 5 hours of being very hot! i was actually red faced for the entire trip. and it was not much better on the return trip! Also, the video screen was so close that i had to use my reading glass to view it (and i paid for a seat upgrade)!! ps. KEF airport was horrible. overcrowded, in a state of disrepair, gate areas were basically in the hall ways, electrical outlets not working, and the toilets were a horror!
Big thanks for this review. Just in time for me as I am taking Keflavik - Vancouver flight with Icelandair in a month. Appreciate the fact I can see the latest service and comfort available on board. Additionally to my ticket I preordered the Three course Icelandic meal and a Falafel salad - will see how those turn out to be.
This was around the 21st of february, but the only thing I notice that has changed since then is the wipes presented during boarding (available upon request) and they have updated the in-flight menu. There was even a new volcanic eruption two days ago, so it looks like it was recorded today, apart from the snow.
Do either a Brutally Honest or Tripreport onboard the new Air India Airbus A350 or the Starlux Airlines!
Yes we would love that
Also on a IndiGo Boeing 777
Starlux is coming up, if I remember correctly from their insta stories.
@@greyhound7148where? Can you send a link?
@@greyhound7148where? Which one is it? Can you send a link
I absolutely love your videos. The best frankly as you mostly review economy class products unlike certain other vloggers who only ever fly business / first class these days.
Can I ask, do you still have a promotion with Holzkern? I wish to buy a couple of things but would gladly use your discount code if it is still available...
If the coupon code does not work anymore (you can still find it in the Air Canada and Lufthansa A380 videos), I hope the promo will be back this fall! :) Thank you so much for your kind words and support!
The flight was relatively quite, and smooth. At least, that's what I noticed.
I had flown lots, going around the world twice, and would certainly prefer to buy my airlines food (if reasonably priced) , though usually carry my own. Though never travel on Icelandair, the plane and the food selection looks nice. Trully better than so call main airlines, and not just in the US. Great video.
❤ Thanks again
Condor is not a full service Airline though
speaking of these 737 max aircrafts from different airlines, they all impressed me with the leg room of seats! especially those who operate 737 NG series and max series, you will hope you fly with max... of course only on comfortability meaning tho
Speaking of new terminals, Nashville is going through a huge renovation with the brand new Concourse T, International arrivals Facility, Concourse D, and the midfield concourse C. Next to be rebuilt is concourse A which is scheduled for demolition next year.
I wonder how the partnership with Southwest Airlines and Iceland air will be? Still deciding whether Iceland air or play airlines is a better option 🙏🏾 thanks for this amazing video
David, are both flights the same aircraft? One winglet has the Icelandair decals, the other doesn’t. Was it meant to be? 16:26
I was surprised by that too and don’t have a definitive explanation for it. Perhaps the inner panel of the winglet was changed during maintenance and is still missing the decals?
Just curious: How can it be the same gate for your connecting flight if you have to change from the non-Schengen to the Schengen zone at the airport?
The terminal has two levels and you can board the plane from either, which enables planes to arrive from one region and depart to the other. :)
@@simply_aviation Interesting, I was wondering about this, too.
Did you mentioned the Gol’s flight from Orlando to Brasilia (Brazil). I flew with Gol in the past year from Brasilia to Miami, during 7 hours in a 737 Max. GOL is a Low Cost, but offer all the beverage and meals for free. You make choose a chicken or pasta for the dinner or lunch, and they offer for free before landing a hot sandwich and a delicious muffin and a milk pudding, all this for free. They don’t have IFE on a screen, but offer free WiFi for messages and movies with a WiFi entertainment. The offer a pillow and blanket too. It was a amazing flight on a 737 MAX-8. Could you try this flight too!
Interesting that the right side of the aircraft's winglet lacks any branding that the left side had. I wonder what the story is about that?
Excellent review, as always!
Now that Iceland Air is going to be code sharing with Southwest, it’s going to be a huge win for both companies
It all depends where you're going and where you're coming from. I fly to Scandinavia annually from the DC area. Much prefer direct flights to CPH for only a few $ more on SAS from IAD. Not really worth the red-eye stopover. If you get an amazing fare, maybe, but for me it's just not worth the time and inconvenience. They used to only fly out of BWI, but they've been flying from IAD for many years now. Public transit to IAD is long but easy and drama free, and for me that just rules out BWI entirely. Still, SAS is better deal.
the 3-course hot lasagna meal on Icelandair was one of the best meals I've ever had in an economy cabin - right up there with the Korean Air bibimbap.
Great new report.🎉
I love these videos so much!!! If you ever find it in your schedule, please try Lufthansa 747 premium economy from San Francisco to Frankfurt, as it is my Dream flight.
0:12 finally they’re coming back to Indonesia
No de-ice?
David, pls review Singapore Airlines's 737-800 NG (the old ones from SilkAir), can be found on SIN-PEN. or, you can do BOTH 737-800NG and the newer 737-MAX 8, possible itinerary is PEN-SIN-SGN (First on the NG, then on the MAX 8)
He did briefly review the ex-Silkair 737-800s from Phuket to Singapore in a Brutally Honest episode of Singapore Airlines.
@@l4zr_boyit's not a brutally honest but a tripreport
But yeah, theres a trip report on Singapore Airlines Boeing 737-800, while the Boeing 737 MAx would be similar towards the Boeing 737-800
@@Onlyaavfan That tripreport by itself is from a Brutally Honest Episode, specifically the one where he took the world's longest flight.
Oof. I'm glad someone had a good experience with Icelandair, because our experience was just miserable. The cabin crew was so focused on selling food that they kept the lights on and the noise level up nearly the entire flight. Even with earplugs, noise cancelling headphones, and an eye mask it was just far, far, far too loud to get sleep. Not any one passenger in particular, just the whole cabin. As soon as they turned the lights down, it got quiet. But they only had them down for about 45 minutes the entire flight. Basically kiss the idea of getting any sleep goodbye.
You should check out PDX's new terminal... It looks amazing!
As a US resident, I can't imagine enjoying a flight like this much. You basically have no time to sleep since you're stopping in Iceland right in the middle of when most people on a US to Continental Europe flight would be out cold. Not for me.
What a nice brutally honest video David 😊 ✈️! May i know which editor do you use for your Thumbnail videos?
The thumbnail photos are edited in Adobe Photoshop and then the graphics are done using Adobe Illustrator :)
😂🤦♂️
@@nichtraubenderhotzenplotz1293 what ?
@@simply_aviation Omg thank you 🙏🏻
I think the "F" in the logo derives more from the company's former name, Flugleiðir, which translates to Airline or Airways.
Well, since Flugleiðir was formed by the merger of Flugfélag Íslands and Loftleiðir back in the '70s ...
I'm surprised there aren't more middle ("mid-service") acomodation airline companies than both of the others... Just seems it would make sense that most companies in about any industry would be somewhere in the middle, whether by design or circumstance.
There are a lot of ‘middle’ Airlines. A lot of airlines have basic packages that include different things. Airlines like Southwest, AirBaltic and Westjet would be ‘middle’ in terms of service.
And the fun thing is that Icelandair has better service than ‘full service’ competitors like Lufthansa and SAS, on their european routes.
Nicely done mate 👌
I would fly Iceland Air..... it's Cool
Do A Trip Report On board Saudia New A321neo
Flew on it last year…amazing product. Saudia truly changed from the past years they even provide hot towels in economy and in my flight from jed-ist I was offered FOUR different meal choices…IN ECONOMY. Now that was impressive :)
Saudi Is Best
That intro was 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Narrowbody aircraft appeares to become slightly more common nowadays 😅 Batik Air Malaysia uses the Boeing 737 MAX from Kuala Lumpur 🇲🇾 to Tokyo Narita 🇯🇵 which is a wopping 7 hours flight
FOR REAL!!! pls review it
Virgin Australia also uses the MAX to fly from Cairns to Haneda, which can be over 8h
I cannot find any join button to join the channel as member?
I believe the feature may not be offered on UA-cam in some countries. :( I highly appreciate your support, and we’ll soon launch some merch, maybe there’ll be something for you! :)
737Max has tighter seating if you're taller. It seems like a good idea to use this plane to go to the US, but they need to be on Star or World alliance.
have you been to gatorland while you where there ? Its great xD
Nice review! I guess Iceland Air might have a business model similar to Fiji Airways. Both airlines are in the middle of an Ocean.😀
Nice video David!! Also, TPA is in progress of building its Airside D expected to finish arounf 2027/2028
How long would it take a non-EU passport holder to enter Schengen at KEF?
It was a good trip, except for the fact that I didn't forget the lasagna with a good Pepsi to eat and also enjoy, but the airline from Reykjavik in Iceland is to be congratulated and also that it was being tracked by Fligthradar 24.
Iceland is smack-dab in the middle between Europe and US. Makes sense to be smack-dab in the middle between low-cost and full-service carrier. A couple of airlines have tried to offer low-cost transatlantic flights but have failed. Icelandair however, could draw this off.
Long haul in a good cabin but the cabin size and aircraft type of Ryanair confuses me but I love it
gotta visit LGA...beautiful airport now
You should try out Cathay Pacific again, they have improved a lot after the pandemic :)
We actually tried to two months ago and had a flight booked from HKG to LHR, but because of a cancelled flight on a different airline we didn’t make it to HKG in time and had to fly back to Europe on a different airline. :(
@@simply_aviation aw that’s pretty unlucky, maybe you could try the new business class suites coming this year
Nice paint job on that plane ✈️
Interesting, thanks
Hopefully I can fly/review Iceland air 757 or 767 before they get rid of them. I wish more airlines would bring back the 757 and 767!
The whole point I would like to know is comparing with wide body, do you feel more tired? How abt other pax? Typically there are some folks hanging around near exit door, is that suitable in narrow body plane? For most economy goers, they cant spend half a day to recover from airplane fatigue
Nice 👌 Greetings from Helsinki