Flights to Scandinavia and Iceland from the US
33 route guides to 5 Scandinavia & Iceland airports from US cities, with entry rules, flight times and the best months to go.
Quick answer: Iceland is the closest of the Nordic countries: Icelandair flies nonstop to Keflavik (KEF) from many US cities, about five to six hours from the East Coast, and sells connections on to Scandinavia. Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo are SAS hubs, and SAS (in SkyTeam with Delta since 2024) flies to them from several US gateways. Finnair flies to Helsinki from a handful of US cities. All five countries are in the Schengen Area, so US citizens need no visa for short stays, the EU Entry/Exit System records your fingerprints and photo on first entry, and ETIAS is not in operation yet.
Facts checked November 2026. Schedules and entry rules change, so confirm with the airline and the official government site before you travel.
Scandinavia & Iceland flights at a glance
| Entry for US citizens | No visa for short stays in Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway or Finland; EES registration at the first Schengen border; ETIAS not yet in operation |
|---|---|
| Main gateways | Reykjavik Keflavik (KEF), Copenhagen (CPH), Stockholm Arlanda (ARN), Oslo (OSL), Helsinki (HEL) |
| Main airlines from the US | Icelandair to KEF; SAS (SkyTeam) to Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo; Finnair (oneworld) to Helsinki; US airlines add mostly seasonal nonstops |
| Typical flight time | About 5 to 6 hours from the East Coast to Iceland; about 7 to 9 hours to Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo or Helsinki (recent schedules) |
| Time difference | Iceland is 5 hours ahead of New York in winter and 4 in summer; Denmark, Sweden and Norway 6; Finland 7 |
| Northern lights | Dark skies roughly from September to early April |
| Budget airlines | PLAY stopped flying in September 2025; Norse's only US route this winter is Orlando to London Gatwick |
Where you can fly in Scandinavia & Iceland
Each city links to every route guide we publish into that airport; each guide covers the airlines, connections and baggage rules, with live fares when the page loads.
Entry rules as of November 2026
Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland are all in the Schengen Area, even though Iceland and Norway are not EU members. US citizens can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen Area without a visa. Your passport should be less than 10 years old and valid at least three months after the day you plan to leave.
The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) applies in all five countries. At your first Schengen entry, often Keflavik for an Icelandair passenger heading on to Copenhagen or Stockholm, officers record your passport, a facial image and fingerprints in place of a stamp. After that, flights within the Nordic countries are Schengen flights with no passport check. ETIAS is not in operation as of November 2026, and no site can sell you one.
Greenland and the Faroe Islands are part of the Kingdom of Denmark but are outside Schengen and have their own entry rules, so check them separately if they are on your trip.
Flights to Iceland
Icelandair is the main airline between the US and Keflavik. As of recent schedules it flies from a long list of US cities, some year-round and others only in summer. Its network is built around connections: you can fly US to Keflavik to Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo, Helsinki or other European cities on one ticket, and Icelandair lets you stop over in Iceland for up to seven days on the way at no extra airfare, which is a common way to see both.
Some US airlines add nonstops to Keflavik, mostly in summer, and Alaska Airlines flew a seasonal Seattle to Keflavik route in summer 2026; check whether it returns for your dates. PLAY, the Icelandic low-cost airline, stopped flying in September 2025, so older advice about cheap PLAY connections no longer applies.
Keflavik is about 50 minutes by road from Reykjavik. Flybus and other airport buses meet arriving flights, and many visitors pick up a rental car at the airport. The Blue Lagoon is between the airport and the city, which is why many itineraries visit it on arrival or departure day.
Flights to Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo and Helsinki
SAS left Star Alliance in August 2024 and has been in SkyTeam, with Delta, Air France and KLM, since September 1, 2024. As of 2026 SAS lists US gateways including New York JFK and Newark, Boston, Washington Dulles, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle, with some of them seasonal. Copenhagen is SAS's biggest hub, and Stockholm and Oslo are the other two. If you used to fly SAS on United miles, that has changed: United MileagePlus earning on SAS has ended.
Finnair, a oneworld airline and partner of American, flies to Helsinki from a few US cities, including Chicago, with more flights and some seasonal routes in summer and fewer in winter, as of recent schedules. Check Finnair's timetable for your dates. Helsinki is a compact airport for onward flights to the Baltic states, Lapland and Asia.
US airlines fly some nonstops to Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo, mostly in summer, and Icelandair's connections through Keflavik reach all four cities. Norse Atlantic no longer flies from the US to Oslo; as of winter 2026-27 its only US route is Orlando to London Gatwick. From cities without a nonstop, connecting in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London or Keflavik is usually simplest.
Best months to fly
June to August brings long days, with near-24-hour light in northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland around the summer solstice. It is the busiest season for flights and hotels, and when most seasonal US nonstops run.
For the northern lights, go between roughly September and early April, when the nights are dark. Iceland, northern Norway around Tromsø, Swedish Lapland and Finnish Lapland are the usual bases. Winter days are very short, and Icelandic roads can close in storms, so leave slack in a winter road-trip plan.
Late spring and early fall are usually quieter, with fewer seasonal flights but easier hotel availability in the capitals. The fare grid on each route guide shows what is live for your dates.
Booking tips for the Nordic countries
Use the Icelandair stopover if you want both Iceland and Scandinavia: book the ticket to Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo or Helsinki and add the stop in Iceland on the way out or back.
An open-jaw ticket saves backtracking: into Copenhagen and out of Stockholm, or into Oslo and out of Helsinki. Trains link Copenhagen with Stockholm and Oslo, and overnight ferries cross the Baltic between Stockholm and Helsinki.
Match the airline to your miles. SAS earns with Delta SkyMiles and other SkyTeam programs, Finnair with American AAdvantage and oneworld programs, and Icelandair has its own program.
Check whether a nonstop is seasonal before you plan around it. Several routes from US cities to the Nordic capitals and to Keflavik run only from spring to fall.
Route guides to Scandinavia & Iceland
Reykjavik (KEF)
Copenhagen (CPH)
Stockholm (ARN)
Oslo (OSL)
Frequently asked questions
Do US citizens need a visa for Iceland?
No. Iceland is in the Schengen Area, and US citizens can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. Your fingerprints and photo are recorded under the EU Entry/Exit System on your first Schengen entry.
How long is the flight from New York to Iceland?
About five to six hours to Keflavik on recent Icelandair schedules, a little longer flying back. Check the airline for your flight.
Is PLAY still flying to Iceland?
No. PLAY stopped all flights in September 2025. Icelandair is the main airline between the US and Iceland, and some US airlines add seasonal nonstops.
Is SAS in Star Alliance or SkyTeam?
SkyTeam. SAS left Star Alliance at the end of August 2024 and joined SkyTeam on September 1, 2024, so it partners with Delta, Air France and KLM.
Can I stop in Iceland on the way to Scandinavia?
Yes. Icelandair lets you add a stopover in Iceland on a ticket between North America and Europe at no extra airfare. Check the current conditions with the airline.
When is the best time to see the northern lights?
Roughly September to early April, when nights are long and dark. Clear skies matter as much as the month, so plan a few nights rather than one.
Does Norse Atlantic fly from the US to Oslo?
Not as of winter 2026-27. Norse's only US route is Orlando to London Gatwick, and its earlier New York and Los Angeles flights to Oslo have ended.
