This winter, easyJet will become the only UK airline to operate to Akureyri in North Iceland when flights launch from London Gatwick twice a week from 31st October. Dubbed ‘The Capital of the North’, the town lies in the fjord Eyjafjörður in North Iceland and is located a short drive from many of Iceland’s top natural, cultural and historical attractions. Visitors can enjoy whale watching, hiking, viewing the Northern lights and geothermal bathing, all while taking in the stunning scenery.
easyJet Holidays, the UK’s fastest-growing tour operator, is offering packages to the brand new destination, including flights, hotel and 23kg luggage. The holiday company has put brand new hotels in sale in the Akureyri area, including the 4* Hotel Aiglo by Keahotels, with a pool overlooking fishing boats, and the 4* Myvatn, near the Myvatn nature baths. Holidaymakers can enjoy a huge range of excursions including whale watching, exploring the country’s stunning waterfalls, or catching the Northern Lights, all available through easyJet holidays’ excursion partner, Musement.
More new routes to France, to Paris Charles de Gaulle from London Southend and a weekly service to Grenoble from Manchester will also take off this winter, while new services between London Luton and Enfidha in Tunisia and Bristol and Marrakech will provide those in the south and south west with two new winter sun destinations to choose from.
easyJet will also offer even more choice from Southampton, strengthening domestic connectivity from the region, with two new routes to Glasgow and Belfast launching from 29 October 2023 with departures up to three times a week.
The launch of even more new routes follows easyJet’s return to growth this summer in the UK which will also see the airline operate its biggest ever UK summer flying programme, flying around eight per cent more capacity than pre-pandemic with over one million more seats in peak summer and 23 new routes from the UK.
Ali Gayward, easyJet’s UK Country Manager said: “We are delighted to be launching even more new routes and holidays from the UK across a fantastic range of destinations which provides even more choice and variety for our customers this winter, including flights and holidays to Akureyri in North Iceland for the very first time, with a unique route from the UK.
easyJet is proud to be the largest airline in the UK and the launch of these nine new routes demonstrates our confidence in the resilient strength of demand for travel in the UK, with customers choosing us for our trusted brand, unrivalled network and great value fares and we can’t wait to welcome more customers on board.”
Arnheiður Jóhannsdóttir, Managing Director at Visit North Iceland, said: “We are happy to welcome easyJet customers to North Iceland, where they can enjoy magical winter adventures. Their days will be filled with exciting activities and tranquil moments in unique nature, experiences ranging from relaxing geothermal spa visits to thrilling super jeep tours, whale watching, or northern lights hunting.
Working with easyJet over the past years to prepare for this new route has been a pleasure. Close cooperation with our partners in North Iceland and the Nature Direct project is now giving us the opportunity to open up a new gateway to Iceland. easyJet customers will land at Akureyri airport, only 5 minutes from the town centre and in the middle of North Iceland’s arctic nature.
This new route will transform how tourism develops in Iceland and give easyJet customers a unique opportunity to come and experience Icelanders’ most popular winter destination. “
Air101 travel tips.........Free City Bus
All the city buses drive in circles that begin and end by the main stop in the city centre ("Miðbær" in the timetable), close by the town square and the taxi station. Each circle take 30 to 50 minutes depending on the route.
Look carefully at the traffic lights, especially when they are on red, for you might see a surprise.