Last year, Southwest Airlines announced a partnership with Icelandair to link travelers from across its network to Iceland and beyond. The airline originally announced that the relationship would begin with connections at Baltimore/Washington International, but has now confirmed that Denver and Nashville will also act as network connecting points.
Thrice as nice
Last year, the two airlines inked a Memorandum of Understanding to form a strategic collaboration. Customers will be able to easily link between the two airlines’ networks thanks to this cooperation, which will begin next month with sales and travel through Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).
Speaking with Simple Flying last year, Icelandair officials stated that the cooperation is critical to the carrier’s expansion into the US.
While Icelandair already has partnerships with JetBlue and Alaska Airlines, the Southwest Airlines partnership represents an opportunity to bring passengers from across the US to Iceland due to Southwest’s significant domestic presence, according to Icelandair’s Director for North America, Grimur Gislason.
“We have pretty much covered the West Coast with the Alaska Airlines partnership, and East Coast is JetBlue. We needed that Middle-South of America for which we didn’t have connections. Southwest was kind of that final piece of the puzzle that we needed to be able to do that.”
Southwest Airlines is the largest domestic carrier in the United States in terms of passenger numbers, surpassing American Airlines for the top spot.
Thrice as nice
As of yesterday, January 15th, the two airlines announced plans to expand their relationship to two new airports: Nashville, Tennessee, and Denver, Colorado. Simple Flying anticipated the following two cities last month on the sidelines of Icelandair’s Airbus A321LR delivery.
The additions will create new and interesting opportunities for both airlines’ customers this summer, allowing them to fly to Iceland and Europe via Baltimore, Nashville, and Denver.
Meanwhile, Europeans will be able to travel from Iceland to Southwest’s enormous network through the three gateways. Tómas Ingason, Icelandair’s Chief Commercial Officer, expressed how exciting the relationship is for the airline:
“We are very excited to have formalized our partnership with Southwest and honored to be chosen as Southwest’s first airline partner. The partnership will open new and exciting connections for our customers onwards with Southwest to numerous destinations in North America, and at the same time, their customers will benefit from our extensive connections to Iceland and Europe.
“We welcome Southwest to our strong partnership portfolio in the US and ever-growing group of partner airlines and look forward to working together in offering our customers smooth and enjoyable travel experiences.”
Icelandair’s seasonal flights from Nashville International Airport (BNA) to Reykjavík’s Keflavik International Airport (KEF) will begin on April 10, 2025. The flights will be operated by a Boeing 737-800 MAX, which seats 16 in Saga Premium and 144 in Economy. The flight will last around 7 hours and will operate four days each week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.
The route was so successful before it even debuted that the airline accelerated its debut to accommodate customer demand. Passengers can travel from Nashville to around 60 different locations.
Southwest will begin flights from Music City to Indianapolis International Airport (IND), Mexico’s Los Cabos International Airport (SJD), and the Dominican Republic’s Punta Cana Airport (PUJ) in March.
The arrangement will also include connections through Denver International Airport (DEN), another key city for Southwest Airlines. Icelandair inaugurated service at DEN in May 2012 and has consistently carried nearly 10% of Denver-Europe passengers throughout the years.
Passengers can connect to any of Southwest’s 85 routes now operating from Denver. Ryan Green, Southwest Airlines Executive Vice President & Chief Transformation Officer, stated that the alliance will improve customer experiences:
“It’s fitting for us to launch this chapter of industry-standard airline partnerships with our longtime friends, Icelandair.
“Beyond an ability to offer each other’s Customers access to new destinations and like-minded travel experiences centered around hospitality and value, we’re grateful to have been guided by their expertise and best practices in building our program.”
Passengers can also connect through Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, as previously announced. Beginning June 5th, Southwest will offer nonstop transcontinental flights between BWI Marshall and six west coast markets: Long Beach (LGB), Ontario (ONT), Portland (PDX), San Francisco (SFO), San Jose (SJC), and Seattle.
FAQ
What is the new codeshare agreement between Icelandair and Southwest Airlines?
Icelandair and Southwest Airlines have announced a new codeshare agreement that will allow passengers to book connecting flights between Iceland and the United States more seamlessly. The partnership includes new flights to Nashville and Denver, improving travel options between these cities and destinations in Iceland.
How will the Icelandair and Southwest Airlines codeshare benefit passengers?
The new codeshare flights will provide passengers with more flexibility and ease of travel, as they can now book a single ticket for connecting flights between Iceland and cities like Nashville and Denver. This collaboration aims to enhance travel efficiency, reduce layover times, and offer a more streamlined travel experience.
Which cities are affected by the new codeshare agreement?
The codeshare agreement introduces new connections between Icelandair’s routes to Reykjavik and Southwest Airlines’ services to Nashville and Denver. This allows passengers traveling between the US and Iceland to choose from additional route options, making international travel more accessible and convenient.
When will the new codeshare flights to Nashville and Denver start?
The codeshare flights between Icelandair and Southwest Airlines to Nashville and Denver are expected to begin in the summer of 2025. Passengers will be able to book these connecting flights as soon as the schedules are available.
How can passengers book these new codeshare flights?
Passengers can book the new codeshare flights through either Icelandair or Southwest Airlines, with the ability to select connecting options between the two carriers. The process will be seamless, allowing travelers to choose the best flight options for their needs.
