Residents of Iceland who live outside the capital area normally need to travel to Keflavík to go abroad, adding an often lengthy and costly leg to their travel itinerary. However, this summer will see a record number of international flights directly from Akureyri, North Iceland and even one international route from Egilsstaðir, East Iceland to Germany, RÚV reports. These flights will not only make it easier for residents of North and East Iceland to travel abroad, but they will also help spread out tourists across Iceland, who normally have to travel through the capital area.
This summer, three airlines – Niceair, Condor, and Edelweiss – will offer direct flights between Akureyri and Copenhagen, Dusseldorf, Tenerife, Alicante, Zurich, and Frankfurt. Direct flights between Frankfurt and Egilsstaðir, East Iceland, will be offered for the first time ever this summer.
Hjalti Páll Þórarinsson of Visit North Iceland says the flights provide new gateways to Iceland, and can help spread out tourists across various regions as well as more evenly throughout the year. Hjalti Páll says that although inflation must be impacting tourists in Iceland as it impacts locals, so far it does not seem to be leading to a drop in tourist numbers.
