Icelandair Launches New Service to the Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands and Greenland are the last two overseas countries that remain part of the Kingdom of Denmark now in 2024, but other than that the countries have very little in common with each other. They all feature very different climates, populations, and physical size. But now, for the first time ever, they all receive service from one specific carrier: Icelandair.

On May 1, 2024, Icelandair began services to Vágar Airport, the main and only airport located in the Faroe Islands. Flights operate five times a week during the busy summer tourist season onboard the airline’s Q400 from its main hub at Reykjavík/Keflavík Airport in Iceland.

In Denmark, Icelandair serves two destinations: Copenhagen, where it flies two to three times a day onboard a mix of Boeing 737 MAXs, Boeing 757s, and Boeing 767s. The other location in Denmark is Billund, which sees twice-weekly seasonal service on the 737 MAX, which also ends in October just like the new Faroe Islands route.

Taking off out of Copenhagen onboard Icelandair (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)

Finally, the third country; Greenland, of which Icelandair flies to four destinations, including Kulusuk, which sees twice weekly service onboard the Dash-8~200; Ilulissat, which is served from June until September, is also on the Dash-8~200 but offers nine weekly flights spread across six days of the week, four of which are redeye flights back to Iceland; and Narsarsuaq, which sees flights twice a week between June and September, with one flight on a Dash-8~200 and the other being the much larger Boeing 737 MAX.

The last city is the country’s capital of Nuuk, which sees service between twice and five times a week depending on the season operated by the Dash-8~200. This route from Nuuk features one of the shortest redeyes in the world scheduled at 3 hours and 20 minutes, and perhaps the only overnight flight on a Dash-8.

It is interesting to note that the first carrier to serve all three Denmark colonies at the same time isn’t based in either of the three countries. But, two of the countries do have very unique tourism sectors and a lower population relative to most countries of similar size, offering very few airlines at all. Greenland only has two airlines offering services to the country; Air Greenland and Icelandair, and the Faroe Islands only has three airlines; Icelandair, SAS, and Atlantic Airways.

Air Greenland’s sole Airbus A300-800neo seconds before touching down in Kangerlussuaq (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)

There are three airlines that serve two of the colonies; Air Greenland serves its home country of Greenland as well as Denmark via Copenhagen and Billund. Atlantic Airways, serves its home country of the Faroe Islands, as well as Denmark via Copenhagen, Billund, and Aalborg. Finally, SAS serves four cities in its home country of Denmark and it also flies to the Faroe Islands.

It is interesting to point out that while Air Greenland and Atlantic Airways have never served all three countries in the past, SAS has, although it wasn’t at the same time. SAS offered flights to Greenland for more than 50 years until March of 2003, and after a brief hiatus again from 2007 until the carrier left for good in 2009. But, it didn’t start service to the Faroe Islands until March of 2017, meaning service in all three countries didn’t overlap and had a sizable gap.

An Atlantic Airways Airbus A320neo in Vágar, Faroe Islands (Photo: Atlantic Airways)

Transatlantic Flights

Atlantic Airways also offered services to New York last fall, but the service was only offered once a week and only for two months. Those flights will return this season but for a shorter period of time with only six flights spread across six weeks.

With Icelandair now serving the Faroe Islands, it makes them more accessible than ever for people in North America as the flights to Vagar have similar departure and arrival times in Reykjavík/Keflavík to the other destinations they serve in Europe. Atlantic Airways does have interline agreements with multiple airlines in Europe including Icelandair and codeshares with Air France and KLM.

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Joey Gerardi

Joey has always been interested in planes, for as long as he can remember. He grew up in Central New York during the early 2000s when US Airways Express turboprops ruled the skies. Being from a non-aviation family made it harder for him to be around planes and would only spend about three hours a month at the airport. He was so excited when he could drive by himself and the first thing he did with the license was get ice cream and go plane spotting for the entire day. When he has the time (and money) he likes to take spotting trips to any location worth a visit but has a special interest in Essential Air Service Airports. He got his degree in Aviation Management and Operations from WMU in June of 2022, and is currently working full time for an airline in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

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