Icelandair has long been recognized for its innovative business strategy, facilitating seamless one-stop connections between North America and Europe via its strategically located hub in Iceland. Recently, the airline unveiled a new destination that diverges slightly from its usual expansion patterns. **In this post:** - Introduction of Keflavik to Istanbul route - Details on the Icelandair & Turkish Airlines collaboration - Final thoughts **Introduction of Keflavik to Istanbul route** Starting September 5, 2025, Icelandair will commence a new four-times-weekly service connecting Keflavik International Airport (KEF) with Istanbul Airport (IST). The flight schedule is as follows: - **Flight FI900**: Departing Keflavik at 3:25 PM and arriving in Istanbul at 11:55 PM - **Flight FI901**: Departing Istanbul at 7:05 AM and arriving in Keflavik at 10:00 AM Covering a distance of 2,562 miles, these flights will utilize a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, which offers 160 seats, including 16 in business class and 144 in economy. The eastbound flights have a block time of 5 hours and 30 minutes, operating on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Conversely, the westbound flights have a block time of 5 hours and 55 minutes, running on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. **Icelandair’s Route Strategy** The chosen aircraft and crew scheduling reflect Icelandair's emphasis on maximizing connectivity, even though it results in long layovers between 31 to 55 hours. Previously, Helsinki was the easternmost destination for Icelandair, but Istanbul will now hold that distinction. **Details on the Icelandair & Turkish Airlines collaboration** In the summer of 2023, Icelandair partnered with Turkish Airlines, a move that initially puzzled many since Icelandair did not fly to Istanbul and Turkish Airlines did not serve Keflavik. It seemed that the partnership's benefits were limited. However, the introduction of the Keflavik-Istanbul route changes that dynamic, either by Turkish Airlines expanding to Keflavik, Icelandair adding Istanbul, or both. This new route is particularly noteworthy as it shifts focus away from Icelandair’s traditional North American connections towards facilitating travel between Iceland and Asia, including the Middle East. The flight timings are synchronized with Turkish Airlines’ extensive flight network, which serves more countries than any other airline globally. This partnership opens up numerous one-stop travel possibilities to Iceland from Asian and Middle Eastern destinations. It is somewhat unexpected that Icelandair is spearheading this route addition instead of Turkish Airlines, considering the latter's rapid expansion and extensive global reach. Icelandair CEO Bogi Nils Bogason commented on the new route: “I am excited to include Istanbul in our comprehensive route network and to deepen our partnership with Turkish Airlines, creating convenient links between Iceland and the East. There has been a growing interest in travel between Asia and Iceland, and these new connections enhance our sales and distribution framework. We are eager to continue expanding our route network and connecting to vibrant markets, benefiting both our customers and Iceland’s tourism sector.” **Surprise at Turkish Airlines not operating the route** It is unexpected that Turkish Airlines is not directly operating the Keflavik-Istanbul route, given their expansive growth and extensive network.