This summer, Icelandair will begin service to its newest North American destination: Detroit, Michigan.
Of course, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is a Delta fortress hub. So, naturally, it wasn’t long before the Atlanta-based carrier announced it would launch nearly identical service between the two cities.
Icelandair Will Operate Four Weekly Flights to Detroit
Icelandair will begin flights between Detroit and Keflavik International Airport (KEF) near Reykjavík, Iceland, on 18 May 2023, according to a press release from Icelandair Group.
The carrier will operate four weekly flights during the summer 2023 travel season, ending 30 October. Icelandair will deploy a 160-seat Boeing 737 MAX 8 on the route.
The westbound flight departs KEF as FI873 at 1655 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, arriving in DTW at 1920, both times local. Flight time will be approximately six hours and 25 minutes.
Icelandair’s return flight will depart DTW as FI872 at 2030 and arrive at KEF the following day at 0630. The return flight has a block of six hours.
Once at Icelandair’s Keflavik hub, passengers can continue on to more than 25 destinations in Iceland, Greenland, the UK, and Europe. The carrier also allows customers to take advantage of its Stopover deal, which allows up to seven nights in Iceland at no additional airfare before continuing to their final destination.
Icelandair’s Boeing 737 MAX aircraft features 16 Saga Premium and 144 economy seats.
“Icelandair is pleased to offer Detroit a refreshing new choice when traveling to Iceland and beyond. Icelandair’s DTW service will allow passengers to travel to and from Europe in new, fuel-efficient planes with modern amenities, including gate-to-gate Wi-Fi and inflight entertainment available for all passengers,” said Icelandair chief executive Bogi Nils Bogason. “These new flights will not only help meet the demands of a growing Detroit but also offer more options for Midwestern business and leisure travelers connecting from the Midwest region. We look forward to welcoming Detroit aboard.”
Delta Defends its Turf
The dust had barely settled from Icelandair’s DTW announcement when Delta Air Lines unveiled their newest route: DTW to KEF.
Like Icelandair, Delta will fly four times weekly between Detroit and Reykjavík beginning on 15 May. The carrier will deploy a 193-seat Boeing 757-200 on the route, departing DTW as DL236 at 1955 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, arriving at KEF at 0620 the following day, both times local.
Delta’s westbound flight will depart KEF as DL237 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 0805, arriving at DTW at 1055, both times local.
Delta will suspend its seasonal service on 27 October.
“Delta is excited to further connect the United States and Iceland with new service to our hub in Detroit,” a Delta Air Lines spokesperson said. “Launching in summer 2023, this route will bring the total number of flights between the countries to 36 weekly.”
Delta’s Boeing 757-200 features 193 seats, including 20 in first class, 41 in Comfort Plus, and 132 in economy.
Is there Room for Both Airlines?
Although Iceland remains a tourist hotspot for North American travelers, it is unusual, to say the least, that two airlines would go head to head on a route like DTW-KEF.
The move by Delta was likely the carrier defending its turf as it tends to do in situations like this.
Delta already serves KEF via New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), and Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP). Icelandair competes with Delta in all three cities.
The new service also does not mark the first time Delta has connected the two cities. The carrier last flew between DTW and KEF in 2003. Detroit is a brand-new destination for Icelandair.
Additionally, Detroit and Reykjavík were connected for a short time in the late 2010s by Wow Air, an Icelandic ultra low-cost carrier that operated between 2012 and 2019.
Whether or not there will be room for both airlines in Detroit remains to be seen. However, customers will surely benefit as the two carriers will likely slash fares to undercut one another.
To check fares or to book a flight, visit icelandair.com.
