36-hour Iceland stopover&#59; check through baggage?

I was told that they "should" be able to check them through. Which doesn't make me feel too confident. Just wanted to see if anyone had successfully done it for an overnight layover.

Not sure what your question is - do you mean "would I have to check in again when leaving after 36 hours?" (i.e print a boarding pass, go through security, etc as if it's a brand new trip?). The airport is so small it's hardly a major inconvenience, so I don't know what you'd gain by stopping for 10 hours vs 36...at least with 36 hours, you'd have time to experience some of Iceland. I've done a layover from a trip to Germany but don't remember any issues or problems related to the layover.

This will be on IcelandAir ... forgot to mention that.

Check with the airline.

As I mentioned in my original post, I'm only wondering whether our checked baggage can be 'checked through" to our final destination as opposed to us having to get it from baggage claim and lug it around for a 1-night stay. Would prefer to simply use our carry-on bags for the night and leave the checked luggage.

leave the checked luggage Leave where? the airport? You mention 36 hours and then 1-night stay in one breath - which is it? If you have to stay overnight, why can't you leave large luggage in whatever hotel you're staying in until you're ready to go?

That's because it's both ... it's a 36-hour layover that requires a 1-night stay. I know I can put our luggage in the hotel room, but it seems simpler and quicker not to deal with the large checked luggage at all for such a short stay. From what I can gather, bags are checked through automatically for layovers that don't include an overnight stay. But there seems to be some gray area when layovers hit the 24-hour+ mark. Will call the airline again in hopes of getting a definitive answer.

Sorry you're encountering so much confusion, Alicia! I cannot comment on whether you will be able to "check through" your luggage if you are taking an overnight layover and plan to leave the airport, it would be best to plan on it only if the airline directly tells you they will do it. If you do not want to lug your checked backs to your hotel, perhaps you could store them at a secure storage facility at Keflavik airport? Check the website to see if they have such a facility. The airport is very small, so it probably wouldn't involve moving the bags too far in this case.

Thank you so much, Anna! I really appreciate your help. That would be a great solution.