My wife and I are scheduling an Icelandair flight this fall from Seattle to Rome. One of the flight options on a single ticket routing includes a 23-hour keflavik layover, arriving 9:15am at Keflavik, departing 8:20 the next morning. My question ... We will have one large bag (for a cruise home) and each will have a single roller carryon. If we chose this long layover option, can we simply leave the checked large bag at the airport with Icelandair and depart for a day/night in Reykjavik, or will we need to take everything with us. Thanks.
Posted by
Snohomish, WA
2646 posts
I am not 100% sure, but think you will need to take it with you. If you take Flybus into town, there are luggage storage lockers there that you could drop it at though. With a very early flight in the morning, I usually recommend to stay very close to the airport such as the Aurora Hotel which is about a 2 minute walk. Upon arrival, you could walk over there and drop your bags as check in isn't until later. Then just come back later that night to go to bed.
Posted by
Martinez, CA, USA
1547 posts
We have had overnight layovers and the airline has kept our checked luggage. We have taken our carryons with us. Can you pack so you can check one of your carryons so you only have to take one with you on the layover?
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6713 posts
I don't have experience with this but for me the common sense plan is to retrieve all your bags, take them to the airport hotel for storage, go into the city, spend the night at the airport hotel before your early flight. That involves minimal schlepping for the security of not leaving the big bag overnight with Icelandair. But you might also check with the airline.
Posted by
Virginia, USA
5850 posts
Keflavik does have luggage lockers according to their website (no personal experience with the lockers)
https://www.isavia.is/en/keflavik-airport/services-and-facilities/luggage-lockers
Some airlines require you to retrieve your checked luggage when you have an overnight layover that exceeds a certain number of hours (12 hours seems to be common). This policy varies by airline and airport. I didn’t see Icelandair’s policy on their website (but I didn’t look very hard). I’d suggest being prepared for either situation. You could use the luggage lockers if they require you to retrieve.
Posted by
West Coast
187 posts
I agree with mikliz27- I stayed at the Aurora last summer. It's so convenient- You might consider paying for early check in where you could leave your large bag in the room, take naps and showers and then spend the rest of the day seeing some city highlights. Caveat- it's about 40 minutes each way.
Another option is to spend a few hours at the Blue Lagoon. The hotel has a restaurant.
It's SO nice to just be able to walk to the airport for your flight onwards.