Owais Crawford
Iceland's main international airport is Keflavík International Airport, located on the Reykjanes Peninsula in the southwest of the country. It is the largest airport in Iceland, serving as the arrival point for most international travellers to the country. The airport is 50km from the capital, Reykjavík, and is well-connected to the city by road and transport services. All domestic flights use the smaller Reykjavík Airport, which is located within the city.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Keflavík International Airport |
| Other names | Keflavíkurflugvollur, Reykjavík–Keflavík Airport, KEF Airport |
| Location | Approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) west of the town of Keflavík, Reykjanesbær; 50 km (30 mi) southwest of Reykjavík |
| Runway length | 3,050 m (10,010 ft) |
| Number of runways | 2 |
| Number of gates | 10 (as of 2024) |
| Number of baggage carousels | 4 (as of 2023) |
| Number of remote stands | 13 (as of 2018) |
| Number of destinations served | Over 90 |
| Number of airlines operating | 8 |
| Number of annual passengers | Nearly 7 million |
| Yearly cargo ton-kilometers | 149 million (in 2021) |
| Operator | Isavia, a government enterprise |
| Year passenger terminal built | 1949 |
| Year civilian terminal relocated | 1987 |
| Major nearby attractions | Blue Lagoon (23 km away) |
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What You'll Learn
Keflavík International Airport is Iceland's largest airport
Keflavík International Airport, also known as Reykjavík–Keflavík Airport, is the largest airport in Iceland. It is the country's main hub for international transportation, with nearly 7 million passengers passing through annually. The airport is located approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) west of the town of Keflavík and 50 km (30 mi) southwest of the capital, Reykjavík. It has two runways, each measuring approximately 3,050 m (10,010 ft).
Keflavík International Airport is operated by Isavia, a government enterprise, and serves as the main gateway for international travellers to Iceland. Most international journeys to and from Iceland pass through this airport, with the exception of flights from Greenland and the Faroe Islands. All major airlines flying to Iceland use Keflavík International Airport, and it is a hub for Icelandair and the airline Play. The airport is only used for international flights; all domestic flights use the smaller Reykjavík Airport, which lies 3 km (2 mi) from Reykjavík's city centre.
The airport has a single terminal and operates year-round with flights to over 90 destinations. Eight airlines operate at Keflavík International Airport, serving flights to and from 32 destinations. It is easily accessible from the capital by major roads and transportation services, with the primary route being Reykjanesbraut (Route 41), a well-maintained highway that passes through the municipalities of Hafnarfjordur and Kopavogur before reaching the city centre. The journey from the airport to downtown Reykjavík takes about 45 minutes by rental car, airport shuttle, or private transfer.
Keflavík International Airport was originally built by the United States military during World War II as a replacement for a small British landing strip at Garður. It consisted of two separate two-runway airfields, built simultaneously just 4 km apart. Patterson Field in the southeast opened in 1942, despite being partly incomplete, and Meeks Field in the northwest opened in 1943, with the airport still located there today. In 1949, a passenger terminal was built, and in 1987, a new civilian terminal was constructed on the north side of the airport.
The airport has undergone several expansions in recent years, including the addition of seven gates in the south terminal in 2016 and 13 remote stands in the ramp area to the east in 2018. A new 1.2 km taxiway was constructed in 2023 to improve aircraft traffic management, and a major expansion began in 2022 with the construction of an eastern wing. The first phase, which included an expanded arrivals hall, was completed in 2023, and the rest of the wing is projected to be finished in 2025, adding 30% more terminal area.
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It is 3km from the town of Keflavík
Iceland's largest airport, Keflavík International Airport, is located approximately 3km (1.9 miles) west of the town of Keflavík. The airport is also known as Keflavíkurflugvöllur in Icelandic, and its IATA code is KEF. It is the main hub for international transportation in Iceland, with nearly 7 million passengers passing through annually. The airport is 50km (30 miles) from the capital, Reykjavík, and is well-connected to the city by major roads and transportation services.
The airport is located at the tip of the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland. The primary route to and from Reykjavík is Reykjanesbraut (Route 41), a well-maintained highway that passes through the municipalities of Hafnarfjordur and Kopavogur before reaching the city centre. The journey takes around 45 minutes by car, bus, airport shuttle, or private transfer.
Keflavík International Airport is the arrival point for most international travellers to Iceland. All major airlines flying to Iceland use the airport, and it is a hub for Icelandair and the airline Play. The airport is only used for international flights; all domestic flights use the smaller Reykjavík Airport, which is located 3km (2 miles) from Reykjavík's city centre.
The town of Keflavík is a convenient place to rest before starting a sightseeing tour of Iceland, especially if your flight arrives late at night or departs early in the morning. There are several top hotels near the airport, including the Courtyard by Marriott, which is just less than a mile (1.3km) away.
Keflavík International Airport was originally built by the United States military during World War II as a replacement for a small British landing strip at Garður to the north. It consisted of two separate two-runway airfields, Patterson Field and Meeks Field, built 4km apart. Meeks Field, where the airport is still located today, was named after a young pilot, George Meeks, who died on the Reykjavík airfield.
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The airport has two 3,050m runways
Iceland's main airport, Keflavík International Airport, has two runways, each measuring approximately 3,050 metres (10,010 feet). The airport is located about 31 miles (50 kilometres) from the capital, Reykjavík, and serves as the country's main international gateway. The airport is well-connected to the capital by major roads and transportation services, including airport shuttles, private transfers, and rental cars. The journey from the airport to downtown Reykjavík takes approximately 45 minutes.
Keflavík International Airport is the largest airport in Iceland, handling nearly seven million passengers annually. It is the arrival point for most international travellers to Iceland, with most international journeys to and from the country passing through this airport. The airport is a hub for airlines such as Icelandair and Play, with flights to over 90 destinations worldwide.
The airport has undergone several expansions and developments over the years. In 2016, the south terminal was expanded, adding seven gates, and the ramp area to the east was expanded in 2018, providing 13 remote stands. A new 1.2-kilometre taxiway was constructed in 2023 to improve aircraft traffic management. A major expansion began in 2022, with the construction of an eastern wing, including a larger arrivals hall with more baggage carousels and retail areas.
The original Keflavík passenger terminal was built in 1949 within a military air base, requiring travellers to pass through military checkpoints. In 1987, a new civilian terminal was constructed outside the military base to address this issue. The airport's history is closely linked to the presence of foreign military forces in Iceland under the NATO-sponsored Iceland–US Defense Agreement of 1951, which was a subject of controversy and protests in the 1960s and 1970s.
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It was originally built by the US military
Iceland's largest airport, Keflavík International Airport (also known as Reykjavík–Keflavík Airport), is the country's main hub for international transportation. It is located approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) west of the town of Keflavík, 50 km (30 mi) southwest of the capital Reykjavík, and 23 km (14 mi) from the Blue Lagoon, one of Iceland's most famous geothermal spas.
After the war, Patterson Field was closed, but Meeks Field and the adjoining structures were returned to Iceland's control and renamed Naval Air Station Keflavik, after the nearby town. In 1949, a passenger terminal was built by the Lockheed Overseas Aircraft Service, and travellers had to pass through military checkpoints to reach their flights. The civilian passenger numbers increased, and the situation of having to pass through a US military base to access the passenger terminal was not ideal. As a result, in April 1987, the Icelandic government finished construction of a relocated civilian terminal on the north side of the airport.
The presence of foreign military forces in Iceland under the NATO-sponsored Iceland–US Defence Agreement of 1951 was controversial in Iceland, which had no military forces other than the Icelandic Coast Guard. During the 1960s and 1970s, rallies were held to protest the US military presence in Iceland, and every year protesters walked the 50-kilometre (30 mi) road from Reykjavík to Keflavík.
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It is 50km from Reykjavík, which serves domestic flights
Iceland's main international airport is Keflavík International Airport, located about 50km from Reykjavík. This airport is the country's main hub for international transportation, with nearly 7 million passengers travelling through it annually. The airport is well-connected to the capital, Reykjavík, by major roads and transportation services. The primary route between the two locations is Reykjanesbraut (Route 41), a well-maintained highway. The journey takes around 45 minutes by car, airport shuttle, or private transfer.
Keflavík International Airport is the arrival point for most international travellers to Iceland, particularly those travelling from Europe, North America, and Greenland. It is only used for international flights, with two runways, each measuring approximately 3,050m. All domestic flights use the smaller Reykjavík Airport, which is located just 3km from the city centre of Reykjavík.
Reykjavík Airport serves domestic flights to various destinations across Iceland, with flight times of under one hour. For example, you can fly to Akureyri in North Iceland, which is a 45-minute flight compared to a 4-5 hour drive. You can also fly to Egilsstaðir in East Iceland, which boasts tranquil fjords, forests, lakes, and mountains. Another off-the-beaten-track destination is Ísafjörður in the Westfjords, which offers magnificent wild landscapes and breathtaking waterfalls.
Travellers should note that when transferring between Keflavík and Reykjavík airports, it is necessary to collect any checked luggage at the baggage belt in Keflavík and then re-check it in at Reykjavík. The travel time between the two airports depends on factors such as time of day, traffic, and road conditions, typically taking about 60 minutes by taxi or private car, and 90 minutes by bus.
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Frequently asked questions
The main airport in Iceland is Keflavík International Airport (KEF). It is the country's main hub for international transportation, serving nearly 7 million passengers annually.
Keflavík International Airport is located about 31 miles (50 kilometres) from Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland. It is situated at the tip of the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland.
Travellers can get to downtown Reykjavík from the airport in about 45 minutes by rental car, airport shuttle, or private transfer.
