Visiting Iceland
Travel is our passion – and that’s why we continue to do it. Through travel we connect people and places, and connections are more important now than ever.
We at Icelandair can't wait to welcome you back when you're ready. Before you book your ticket to Iceland, here's a snapshot of current travel restrictions and entry requirements.
New entry requirements
From August 19, all passengers arriving in Iceland must choose a 14-day quarantine OR a double COVID-testing procedure along with quarantine for 5-6 days.
The first COVID test is at the border on arrival and the second by the primary healthcare service 5-6 days later. In between the 2 tests, arrivals must go into quarantine. More details are below.
Travel restrictions
From Europe: Restrictions were lifted on June 15 to visitors holding passports (or valid residency) from EU/EFTA countries and UK.
From Canada: Travel restrictions were lifted from July 15 for holders of Canadian passports.
From USA: Travel restrictions remain in place until further notice for holders of US passports.
Here's what you need to know about visiting Iceland.
From Europe: Restrictions were lifted on June 15 to visitors from within the Schengen area and the UK.
From USA: The EU has delayed the opening of external Schengen borders until further notice, therefore we are currently unable to welcome US passport-holders.
From Canada: Restrictions were lifted from July 15.
From other countries: Restrictions were lifted from July 15 for residents of 12 non-EEA and Schengen countries.
The 12 countries are:
- Algeria
- Australia
- Canada
- Georgia
- Japan
- Morocco
- New Zealand
- Rwanda
- South Korea
- Thailand
- Tunisia
- Uruguay
As countries open up again, travel restrictions and entry requirements are fast-changing.
Travelers should look into the entry requirements that apply to them for the destination they wish to visit (for example, requirements for a COVID test or possible quarantine, what documentation is required), and also for rules that apply to their return trip (for example, the need to quarantine after returning home).
Iceland travel restrictions
From Europe: Restrictions were lifted on June 15 to visitors holding passports (or valid residency) from EU/EFTA countries and UK.
From Canada: Travel restrictions were lifted from July 15 for holders of Canadian passports.
From USA: Travel restrictions remain in place until further notice for holders of US passports.
Official resources
Covid.is - Tourists travelling to Iceland
Keflavik airport - measures related to COVID-19 at Keflavik airport
IATA’s Interactive Coronavirus (Covid-19) Travel Regulations Map
From August 19, all passengers arriving in Iceland must choose a 14-day quarantine OR a double COVID-testing procedure along with quarantine for 5-6 days. The first COVID test is at the border on arrival and the second by the primary healthcare service 5-6 days later. In between the 2 tests, arrivals must go into quarantine.
All travelers to Iceland are required to fill out a pre-registration form before their arrival in the country.
Detailed, up-to-date information on the entry requirements can be found at the official COVID-19 site published by the Icelandic authorities.
Testing cost
If you pay for your airport test in advance while completing your pre-registration, it costs 9,000 ISK, but 11,000 ISK if paid on arrival. There is no charge for the second test.
Testing exemptions
Note: there is not an option to bring a test result from your home country to be exempt from testing upon arrival in Iceland.
Children born 2005 or later are exempt from the screening and quarantine requirements.
Transit passengers who do not leave the terminal facilities are not required to undergo screening or quarantine.
People who have been certified by the Icelandic health authorities, following a PCR test, as having previously been infected with COVID-19 and have completed a period of isolation, or if they have been shown by antibody measurements to have recovered from COVID-19 are exempt from the screening and quarantine requirements.
Quarantine information
Detailed rules for quarantine are outlined in a document from the Icelandic Directorate of Health. See the question below for more information.
Icelandair information
If you're affected by this new requirement and wish to change your booking, please visit the Change booking section of our website. If you wish to cancel your booking and apply for travel credit, you can do so online.
See the question above for the requirements for arrivals to Iceland regarding COVID testing and quarantine.
The detailed rules for quarantine are outlined in a document from the Icelandic Directorate of Health.
A list of accommodations that welcome guests in quarantine is available from the website of the Icelandic Tourist Board.
Key points for travelers to Iceland:
- A person under quarantine should stay in their base of quarantine and have contact with as few people as possible.
- Quarantined individual must not leave their base of quarantine unless necessary, e.g. to seek necessary health care services, after consulting with a primary care clinic,
- Quarantined individuals must not themselves go out for supplies, i.e. to the pharmacy, the grocery store etc. This must be considered when choosing accommodations and the location where quarantine is based.
- Quarantined individuals can go for a walk but need to keep at least 2 m distance from other pedestrians and must not visit national monuments, museums and other popular tourist destinations and popular public outdoor areas, including city and town centres.
- Quarantined individuals must not visit restaurants, bars, fitness centers, swimming pools, theaters, cinemas, shopping malls, or other places where people come together.
- Quarantined individual can go for a drive using a private car but must not interact with others in close proximity, e.g. at drive-thru restaurants.
- Sight-seeing is not permitted and driving long distances (for example between towns) is not permitted except upon arrival, when it may be necessary to travel to a base of quarantine remote from the point of entry into Iceland. If quarantine duration is longer than the visit to Iceland, the same applies upon departure.
For information on official procedures if a test returns a positive result, see the covid.is website published by the Icelandic authorities.
At Icelandair, we want to provide extra peace of mind for passengers who might test positive for COVID-19 in Iceland.
We will rebook a passenger for their return home, free of charge, after they have served the mandatory self-isolation period. This applies if a positive result is returned for the COVID-19 test administered upon arrival at Keflavík airport, or the second test 4-6 days after arrival (where applicable).
Terms and conditions:
- Only passengers holding a round-trip ticket with Icelandair are eligible.
- The passenger must present Icelandair with a certificate of COVID-19 test results issued by the Icelandic health authorities.
- Other passengers in the same booking may also avail of the free rebooking upon request.
- In the case of group bookings with more than 9 passengers, only passengers who are diagnosed with COVID-19 and their immediate family members (children, parents, partner) may avail of the free rebooking policy and not other passengers.
Checklist: We have put together a ready to fly checklist for passengers.
Documents: The Icelandic government has published a helpful list of the documents you need to be allowed entry to Iceland.
Pre-register: If you're visiting Iceland, it is important to fill in a pre-registration form before you arrive. Here you will need to enter your personal details, contact information and travel plans. Please note, that this form cannot be submitted earlier than 72 hours before your arrival in Iceland.
Download app: Visitors are strongly encouraged to download and use the free, official COVID-19 tracing app Rakning C-19. The app contains important information on COVID-19 and how to contact the healthcare service in Iceland.
Iceland travel restrictions
From Europe: Restrictions eased on June 15 to visitors from within the Schengen area and the UK.
From Canada: Borders reopened on July 15 to visitors from Canada.
From USA: The EU has delayed the opening of external Schengen borders until further notice, except to residents of specified countries. Therefore we are currently unable to welcome US passport-holders.
Flight schedule
Icelandair has a schedule in place for September and October.
Europe: We offer regular flights to and from Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Munich, Oslo, Paris, Stockholm and Zurich.
North America: We offer flights to and from Boston. From October, we add New York (JFK), Seattle and Toronto to our schedule.
Our number one priority is the health and safety of our customers and crew. Read about our safety measures – at the airport and on board – on our Safe travels - shared responsibility page.
In an attempt to control the outbreak and minimize the strain on the healthcare system, Iceland implemented various testing and tracing measures, together with social gathering bans and social distancing measures.
The Icelandic approach in spring was hailed as a success. Due to the low number of new COVID-19 infections between May and July, gathering restrictions were eased, and most businesses reopened.
However, an increase in new COVID cases in July saw measures reintroduced. From September 7, the gathering limit is set at 200 people. Rules for hygiene and 1-meter social distancing are in effect.
We understand the need for reassurance, so we encourage you to read more about the current situation in Iceland:
- view the statistics for COVID-19 in Iceland in English at covid.is.
- Iceland's reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic in spring has been widely covered in the international media.
covid.is - all information, developments, and advice about Iceland and COVID-19 can be found at the official website maintained by Iceland's Directorate of Health and the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management.
Government.is - the Icelandic government posts news related to border restrictions and entry regulations
Icelandair.com - up-to-date information on our flight schedule, safety measures, and more.
New restrictions on gatherings at public events are in place, and from September 7 the gathering limit is set at 200 people.
Rules for hygiene and 1-meter social distancing are in effect, and preventative measures are followed regarding cleaning and sanitation. Read more at covid.is.
Face masks are required on board aircraft. In public spaces in Iceland, masks must be worn where the 1-meter rule cannot be respected, such as on domestic flights and ferries, on public transport such as buses, and in hair salons, massage parlors and other personal service establishments.
Read about the measures being introduced (or reintroduced) on the government.is website.
Iceland's wide open spaces and unspoiled nature are here waiting for you.
Tourist websites outline what is open (restaurants, museums, attractions), and the kinds of information you need to know. Facebook pages for local businesses are also very useful.
The opening hours of restaurants and shops have been limited due to the reduction in the number of flights.
In the main shopping area, the Duty Free Store and Mathús (House of Food, self-service restaurant) are always open when flights are on schedule.
More information is available on the Keflavík airport website.
Bus transfers connecting Keflavík airport and Reykjavík are operating to meet most scheduled flights.
Passengers arriving in Iceland who have to quarantine are allowed to use the Flybus. See the website of Flybus for details.
As countries open up again, travel restrictions are fast-changing. We recommend that travelers look into the up-to-date rules that apply to their trip, such as the need to quarantine after returning home.
See our information on COVID-19 entry requirements for the destinations we fly to.