Cheap Flights from London to Reykjavik: Fares from £49 (2026)

Cheap Flights from London to Reykjavik: What Nobody Tells You

I booked the wrong month on purpose. Everyone said go in summer, chase the midnight sun, do the Golden Circle in a T-shirt. Instead I flew in January on a £55 Play ticket, landed at Keflavík in the dark, stepped off the Flybus into a city lit up like a film set, and soaked in a geothermal pool under a sky that turned green and then white and then green again. The Northern Lights are not guaranteed — every guide says that — but nobody mentioned that a cheap January fare is half the reason they’re worth chasing.

Here’s the fast answer. Cheap flights from London to Reykjavik start around £49 one-way on the budget carriers, and the cheapest months are January, February and November. You can pay considerably more if you insist on peak summer — but the two best reasons to visit Iceland (the Northern Lights and the empty landscapes) both happen when the fares are at their lowest.

Four airlines compete for this route today. Below: a month-by-month price table, an airline comparison, the Flybus logistics no one explains clearly enough, and the Icelandair trick that can turn a London–Reykjavik fare into a North America trip with Iceland added for free.

Check live prices for your exact dates first, then read on to find the best airline and time of year.

Best Time to Fly from London to Reykjavik

Iceland has two faces. In summer (June to August) the days are endless, every tour is fully booked, and the landscape glows. In winter the roads go dark by 4pm, and the sky does things with light that no summer photograph comes close to. The price gap between these two seasons is dramatic — and which you pick is less about budget and more about what you’re actually coming for.

The honest take: if you’re chasing the Northern Lights, January or February gives you the lowest fares and the best statistical chance of a clear dark sky. If you want to hike, swim in geothermal rivers and drive the Ring Road in daylight, June or July is worth the premium — but budget for it. September and October hit a rare sweet spot where fares are falling and the aurora is returning.

London to Reykjavik Airlines Compared

Four carriers fly this route, each with a different philosophy — budget no-frills, premium with perks, or the genuinely unusual stopover deal.

easyJet

easyJet is often the first result in UK searches for cheap flights from London to Reykjavik, and for good reason — base fares from Gatwick can sit in the £49–£65 range in off-peak months. The standard carry-on bag costs extra, so if you’re travelling for more than a long weekend, add that fee before comparing. A small backpack that fits under the seat is included and saves you £20 or more each way.

Play

Play is Iceland’s own low-cost airline and it genuinely rivals easyJet on price, sometimes beating it. The no-frills model is identical — you pay for bags, meals and seat selection — but Play has run some impressive promotional fares. I booked Play for that January trip: efficient ground crew, basic but clean cabin, and the flight arrived early. For pure price, Play and easyJet trade blows depending on the week.

Wizz Air

Wizz Air flies from Luton, which suits northern and central London travellers who find Luton easier than Gatwick. Base fares match easyJet, and Wizz Air’s membership club can bring regular flyers additional savings. As with any ultra-low-cost carrier, check the full bag fee structure before celebrating the headline price.

Icelandair

Icelandair is a different proposition. Fares are higher, but a carry-on bag is included, the service is notably more comfortable, and the airline does two things the budget carriers don’t. First, it flies from Heathrow, which is dramatically more convenient for central and west London. Second — and this is the deal worth knowing — Icelandair’s free stopover programme lets you break a transatlantic journey in Reykjavik for up to seven nights at no extra airfare cost. If you’re planning a North America trip and Iceland is on the list, this can effectively be a free add-on destination.

Book once you’ve compared live fares — the calendar often shows cheap midweek dips that the headline price doesn’t advertise.

Getting from Keflavík Airport to Reykjavik

This is the logistical detail most first-timers miss — and it matters, because the airport is not close. Keflavík International Airport (KEF) sits on the Reykjanes Peninsula, around 50 kilometres southwest of Reykjavik. There is no rail link.

Flybus is the standard and smartest option for most visitors. The coach meets every arriving flight, runs to the BSÍ bus terminal in central Reykjavik (about 45 to 50 minutes), and costs around £22 one-way. You can pay a little more for a hotel drop-off service. Book online ahead of time to guarantee a seat on a busy arrival, especially in summer.

A taxi or private transfer from KEF costs around £80 to £100 one-way — fast and convenient if you’re in a group of four splitting the cost, but for one or two people the Flybus is an easy call.

Hiring a car at the airport makes sense if you’re planning to drive the Ring Road or explore the highlands — rental desks are right in arrivals and the road into Reykjavik is well-signed. Just note that Icelandic roads in winter require an appropriate vehicle and some care. The Flybus is far simpler for a city-only trip.

My arrival: I walked out of KEF at 9pm, joined the Flybus queue, paid at the kiosk, and was in the centre of Reykjavik an hour later — straight to a bowl of lamb soup at a café on Laugavegur and then out into a cold, clear night.

Use the Price Calendar

Green dates are cheapest. The midweek dips are where the savings are — scan the whole month before locking in a date.

Five Ways to Pay Less for London to Reykjavik Flights

1. Fly in January, February or November. The fares are at their lowest, the Northern Lights are at their most active, and the tourist crowds are gone. The cold is real but the payoff is considerable.
2. Compare all four carriers for your exact dates. easyJet, Play and Wizz Air frequently swap position at the top of the price table, and the difference can be £30 or more on the same day.
3. Travel carry-on only. A hold bag adds £20 to £40 each way on the budget carriers — on a return trip that’s up to £80 gone. Iceland’s geothermal facilities provide robes and towels, so your bag can be smaller than you’d expect.
4. Check the Icelandair stopover if you’re also planning a trip to North America — the free Reykjavik stopover is one of the genuine anomalies of commercial aviation.
5. Set price alerts. Flash sales on this route can cut fares by 30 to 50 percent and last only 24 to 48 hours. Alerts mean you catch them without checking every day.

What to do in Reykjavik

Iceland sells itself on outdoor drama, and it delivers — the question is knowing which experiences are worth the effort and which are tourist-trap versions of the real thing.

The Blue Lagoon is the geothermal pool everyone visits, and despite the crowds it earns the hype — the silica-blue water sits at a steady 37–39°C and on a cold winter morning with steam rising around you it’s genuinely extraordinary. Book well ahead, especially in summer; it sells out days in advance.

The Golden Circle covers the three marquee inland sites: Þingvellir National Park (where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet and you can walk between them), Geysir (the hot spring that gave the word “geyser” to every language), and Gullfoss waterfall. A day tour from Reykjavik does all three, or rent a car and take your time.

The Northern Lights require clear skies, minimal light pollution, and some patience. The aurora is visible from Reykjavik itself on a clear night, but driving 30 minutes out of the city dramatically improves your chances. Download a reliable aurora-forecast app before you fly.

Reykjavik’s café culture is worth a slow morning — the city runs on good coffee and the cinnamon buns (snúðar) you find in every bakery are something else. Laugavegur, the main street, is lined with cafés and independent shops. The hot-dog stand at Bæjarlind — a Reykjavik institution — does an exceptional pylsur for under £4.

Waterfalls and coastal hikes along the Reykjanes Peninsula are reachable from the airport road and make a natural car-hire stop. Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss are further east on the south coast and worth a full day.

Stay connected from the moment you land

The Flybus gets you to Reykjavik, but having maps, aurora forecasts and weather apps working the second you land is what makes the difference between a smooth first evening and a confused one. A travel eSIM for Iceland is cheap to set up before you leave London.

Planning where to stay? Check our hotel guides for well-located places that keep the total trip cost under control once the cheap flight is booked.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest month to fly from London to Reykjavik?

January, February and November are the cheapest months, with one-way fares often £49 to £79. Iceland sees far fewer visitors in deep winter, so airlines drop prices sharply. The trade-off is cold, dark days — but the Northern Lights are at their best precisely then, making this the sweet spot for price-plus-experience.

How long is the flight from London to Reykjavik?

A direct flight from London to Keflavík International Airport (KEF) takes around 2 hours 50 minutes to 3 hours. Multiple airlines operate the route daily or several times a week, so you’re rarely tied to a single inconvenient departure time.

Which airlines fly from London to Reykjavik?

easyJet, Icelandair, Play and Wizz Air all serve the London–Reykjavik route. easyJet and Wizz Air typically offer the lowest base fares; Icelandair is worth checking for its free stopover programme; Play is Iceland’s own budget carrier and frequently matches easyJet on price.

Is Keflavík airport far from Reykjavik city centre?

Yes — Keflavík International Airport (KEF) is around 50 km from Reykjavik. There is no train link. The Flybus coach meets every flight and reaches central Reykjavik in about 45 to 50 minutes for around £22; a taxi costs around £80 to £100 one-way, so most visitors take the coach.

When should I book London to Reykjavik flights?

Book six to ten weeks ahead for the best combination of price and seat choice. For summer departures in June to August, push that to three months ahead. Set price alerts, as flash sales on this route can cut fares by 30 to 50 percent for a short window.

What is Icelandair’s free stopover programme?

Icelandair lets transatlantic passengers stop over in Reykjavik for up to seven nights at no extra airfare cost when booking a flight that continues to North America. For London travellers this means you can add a full Iceland trip onto a US or Canada booking — the stopover is free, you just pay for accommodation.

Book Your London to Reykjavik Flight Now

The January fare was the best decision I made on that trip. Cold, dark, occasionally sideways sleet — and the sky put on a show that no summer photograph can touch. Iceland rewards the traveller who doesn’t wait for the obvious season, and the airlines price it accordingly. Fly in the quiet months, pack light, take the Flybus, and spend what you’ve saved on a soak at the Blue Lagoon. Browse all flights from London to find the right connection, and lock in the price before summer demand pushes it back up.