Icelandair Reports 25% Capacity Growth, Strong Demand

DALLAS – Keflavik International Airport–based airline (KEF) Icelandair (FI) carried 381 thousand passengers in April, a 24% increase compared to the same period last year. FI has transported more than 1.2 million passengers to date, year over year. 

During the month of April, 29% of FI’s passengers traveled to Iceland, 19% flew from Iceland, 47% were connecting passengers, and 5% traveled within Iceland. The airline saw a 37% increase in passengers traveling from Iceland, reinforcing FI’s role as the preferred airline among Icelandic travelers. 

Additionally, the number of passengers flying to Iceland grew by 30%, while the number of connecting passengers increased by 21%. This growth was achieved at flat yields year over year, resulting in strong revenue generation for the month.

“April marked another strong month for Icelandair, with passenger traffic increasing by 25% compared to the same period last year. This growth was driven by a 25% increase in capacity due to an earlier start of the second connection bank in Keflavik, which is part of our strategy to grow outside the peak season, evening out seasonality and utilizing our infrastructure better throughout the year. The timing of the Easter holiday further contributed to strong demand across our international route network,”  Icelandair President and CEO, Bogi Nils Bogason, said.

Capacity Growth for Icelandair

Capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASKs), increased by 25% from April last year and passenger traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometers, increased by 25%. Load factor was 81% and on-time performance was 91%, increasing by 3.0 ppt from the already strong performance in April 2024.

“The operation of our route network was strong in April, highlighted by impressive on-time performance during the month. This achievement is especially significant given that we operated our largest-ever April schedule and had the Easter period fall within the month. This performance is a clear reflection of the dedication of our entire Icelandair team and our continued focus on operational efficiency.” Bogason said.

In addition, the number of block hours sold on charter flights increased by 82%. Freight measured in Freight Ton Kilometers increased by 12% compared to April last year. CO2 emissions per Operational Ton Kilometer (OTK) decreased by 3%.

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