Vienna to Reykjavik is one of Austria’s easiest gateways to Iceland’s waterfalls, geysers and Northern Lights. In the summer season you can fly non-stop in about four and a quarter hours; otherwise the trip is a single stop through a European hub. Our latest fare check found an unusually wide gap between those two options: the non-stop cost more than double the median connection. This guide covers who really flies it, what a return costs in euros, and when paying for the direct flight is worth it.
Route: Vienna (VIE) → Reykjavik Keflavík (KEF)
Distance: approximately 2,750 km (1,710 miles)
Non-stop flight time: about 4h 20m out and 4h 05m back (summer season)
Direct flights: Yes, seasonally — Austrian Airlines flies non-stop from Vienna to Keflavík from roughly late spring to early autumn; we measured non-stops as late as October. Outside that the route is one-stop. Connections are not just “often cheaper” — in our check they ran a median €216 against €474 for the non-stop.
Fares from Vienna to Reykjavik (EUR)
Iceland peaks in summer (June–August), when the long daylight, the Ring Road and the Highlands draw the crowds and fares are highest — that is also when the non-stop operates. The shoulder months (May, September) offer the best value, and the winter Northern-Lights season is cheaper still except around Christmas and New Year. The table below shows when the route is busiest. We no longer print per-month fare estimates here, because they were never measured.
| Month | Demand |
|---|---|
| January | low-medium (aurora) |
| February | low-medium (aurora) |
| March | medium |
| April | medium |
| May | medium (shoulder) |
| June | high (summer) |
| July | very high (peak) |
| August | high |
| September | medium (shoulder) |
| October | low-medium |
| November | low |
| December | medium-high (holidays) |
Reference points from a live fare check on 5 August 2026 — the 100 cheapest economy returns, hand baggage only, for departures between August and November 2026. Fares ran €167–€547 with a median of €218, but the average hides the real story: connections ran €167–€373 (median €216) while the Austrian non-stop ran €389–€547 (median €474). Treat about €220 as the going rate with a change of plane, and roughly €250 extra as the price of flying direct. One caveat that matters as much as the number: every fare near the €167 floor takes 29 to 30 hours via Milan on two separate tickets, against a 7h 40m median for connections generally. We hold no recorded price observations for this route, so no long-run average is claimed here.
Airlines on this route
Non-stop (summer season, about 4¼ hours):
- Austrian Airlines — the Vienna flag carrier flies non-stop VIE → Keflavík during the summer season, several times a week; a full-service ticket with carry-on included and a checked bag on most fares. It is by some way the most expensive option, €389–€547 in our check against a €216 median for connections — you are buying back the best part of a day.
One-stop (year-round, usually the cheapest):
- Ryanair to Milan Malpensa, then easyJet or Wizz Air Malta onward — this combination held most of the cheap fares in our check, from €167. Read the warning below before booking one: these are two separate tickets, and the cheapest of them take 29–30 hours. (Ryanair’s Vienna–Milan legs are flown by its Lauda Europe and Malta Air subsidiaries.)
- LOT Polish Airlines via Warsaw — the tidiest single-ticket connection we found, on LOT’s own aircraft for both legs, at around 7 hours total.
- Wizz Air via Warsaw and Vueling via Barcelona — further low-cost routings that turned up at the cheap end.
- SWISS via Zurich — appeared once, with the Zurich–Keflavík leg flown by Edelweiss.
- SAS via Copenhagen or Oslo, Lufthansa via Frankfurt or Munich and KLM via Amsterdam — all connect Vienna to Iceland and all are more comfortable than a two-ticket low-cost pairing, but none of them produced a fare among the 100 cheapest we checked. Price them rather than assume they lead on value.
In summer the Austrian non-stop is the fastest and simplest choice, and at 4h 20m against a 7h 40m median it genuinely saves a working day — but it cost roughly €250 more in our check, so decide deliberately rather than by default. The trap at the other end: the very cheapest fares, around €167, are two separate tickets routed through Milan and take 29 to 30 hours. Nobody protects that connection, and your bags are not checked through. The sensible middle is a single-ticket connection at roughly seven hours. (Note: the Icelandic low-cost carrier PLAY ceased all operations in September 2025 and no longer flies this route.)
When to book & how to save
- Book 2–3 months ahead for summer (June–August), which sells out first and prices highest; the seasonal non-stop is popular and fills early.
- Travel in the shoulder season (May or September) for the best mix of decent weather, long-ish days, the non-stop still flying, and lower fares.
- For the Northern Lights, aim for October–March — fares are low (outside Christmas) and the aurora season is in full swing, though you’ll likely connect rather than fly direct.
- Check the checked-bag rules: Austrian and the full-service carriers usually include a bag on standard fares, but the cheapest “light” fares may not — compare the all-in price.
- Iceland is expensive on the ground — pre-book the airport transfer, a rental car and the Blue Lagoon, which sell out and cost more last-minute.
Arriving in Reykjavik
Flights land at Keflavík International (KEF), about 50 km southwest of Reykjavik — the city has no international airport of its own (the small Reykjavík Airport, RKV, handles domestic and Greenland flights). The usual way into the city is the Flybus or a similar airport coach (around 45 minutes, roughly €25–€35 one way), or a rental car if you’re touring the Ring Road. The Blue Lagoon sits between the airport and the city, so many visitors stop there on the way in or out. Taxis are available but very expensive (well over €100 into Reykjavik).
Frequently asked questions
How long is the flight from Vienna to Reykjavik?
The non-stop takes about 4 hours 20 minutes from Vienna to Keflavík and about 4 hours 5 minutes back, and runs in the summer season. Connecting itineraries had a median of 7 hours 40 minutes in our latest check, but the range is enormous — from 6h 25m to 30 hours, with the very cheapest fares sitting at the slow end. Read the total journey time before booking on price.
Are there direct flights from Vienna to Reykjavik?
Yes, seasonally. Austrian Airlines flies non-stop from Vienna to Keflavík during the summer season, several times a week — we measured its non-stops as late as October. Outside that you connect once. In our latest fare check the cheap connections ran through Milan (Ryanair plus easyJet or Wizz Air Malta), Warsaw (LOT or Wizz Air) and Barcelona (Vueling) — not through Copenhagen, Frankfurt or Amsterdam, none of which produced a fare at the cheap end.
How much does it cost to fly from Vienna to Reykjavik?
In a live check of the 100 cheapest economy returns for departures between August and November 2026, fares ran €167–€547 with a median of €218. The split matters more than the average: connections ran €167–€373 and the Austrian non-stop €389–€547. Peak summer, when the non-stop is at its busiest, sits above this range.
What is the cheapest month to fly from Vienna to Reykjavik?
November, on the evidence we have — 40 of the 100 cheapest returns in our check departed in November, more than any other month, and it sits squarely in the Northern-Lights season. January and February are traditionally cheap too, but they fall outside the bookable window we could search, so we quote no figure for them. Avoid July and August (peak summer) and the Christmas holidays, which are the busiest and most expensive.
Which airlines fly from Vienna to Reykjavik?
Non-stop in summer: Austrian Airlines, and it is the priciest ticket on the route. Connecting, as priced in our latest check: Ryanair to Milan paired with easyJet or Wizz Air Malta held most of the cheap fares, with LOT via Warsaw the best single-ticket option and Wizz Air, Vueling and SWISS also appearing. SAS (Copenhagen or Oslo), Lufthansa (Frankfurt or Munich) and KLM (Amsterdam) connect too but produced no fare among the cheapest hundred. The Icelandic low-cost airline PLAY ceased operations in September 2025 and no longer serves this route.
Which airport do I fly into in Reykjavik?
You arrive at Keflavík International (KEF), about 50 km southwest of the city and Iceland’s main international gateway. The small Reykjavík Airport (RKV) in the city is for domestic and Greenland flights only, so international visitors always use Keflavík.
How far in advance should I book?
Aim for 2 to 3 months ahead, and earlier for summer (June–August), which is the most popular and prices highest — the seasonal non-stop fills quickly. Winter Northern-Lights trips can often be booked a little closer to departure without paying a premium.
Is it cheaper to fly on weekdays?
Not on this route, on the evidence we have. In our check the median midweek return was €223 against €200 for Friday to Sunday — the weekend was about 11% cheaper. Shifting your dates is still worth doing, but on Vienna–Reykjavik the money is in whether you fly direct and whether you accept two separate tickets, not in the day of the week.
Route and schedule details from current airline schedules; last reviewed July 2026. Indicative economy returns — always check the live fare before booking.
