Iceland's volcanic landscape of glaciers, lava fields, geysers, and waterfalls is dramatic from altitude. Transatlantic flights frequently pass over Iceland, and its distinctive outline and ice cap are unmistakable.
Routes that pass it281
AXM → KEF
Left
YVR → ZRH
Left
ZRH → YVR
Right
KUL → RKV
Right
RKV → KUL
Left
AMS → BFI
Right
BFI → AMS
Left
DCA → GOI
Left
AMS → SEA
Right
SEA → AMS
Left
FRA → PDX
Left
PDX → FRA
Right
AUH → ORD
Right
ORD → AUH
Left
AEY → RKV
Left
DXB → MDW
Left
RKV → AEY
Right
CAI → LAX
Left
IAD → GOI
Right
LAX → CAI
Right
SFO → SZG
Left
LAX → VIE
Left
VIE → LAX
Right
AMS → PDX
Right
AMS → YVR
Left
BLR → JFK
Left
PDX → AMS
Left
YVR → AMS
Right
EWR → BOM
Left
MDW → AUH
Left
PHX → AMM
Right
DXB → ORD
Left
ORD → DXB
Right
YYC → FRA
Left
FRA → SEA
Left
SEA → FRA
Right
FRA → BFI
Left
AMS → YEG
Right
BOS → RKV
Left
PHX → CPH
Right
YEG → AMS
Left
JFK → RKV
Left
EWR → RKV
Left
RDU → RKV
Left
RKV → RDU
Right
KEF → MCO
Right
MCO → KEF
Left
RKV → HEL
Left
AEY → JFK
Left
BOS → KEF
Left
BWI → RKV
Left
DCA → RKV
Left
JFK → AEY
Right
KEF → BOS
Right
MUC → SFO
Right
SFO → MUC
Left
AEY → EWR
Left
IAD → RKV
Left
RKV → IAD
Right
CPH → GOH
Right
GOH → CPH
Left
ALB → IXG
Right
TRD → EWR
Right
JFK → KEF
Left
KEF → JFK
Right
FBU → GOH
Left
EWR → KEF
Left
KEF → EWR
Right
HEL → KEF
Right
KEF → HEL
Left
KEF → RDU
Right
RDU → KEF
Left
RKV → YUL
Right
YUL → RKV
Left
BNA → AEY
Right
BWI → KEF
Left
KEF → BWI
Right
BOM → JFK
Right
JFK → BOM
Left
KEF → DCA
Right
RKV → YMX
Right
IAD → KEF
Left
KEF → IAD
Right
SLC → PRG
Left
MDT → KEF
Left
DXB → IAH
Right
IAH → DXB
Left
RNO → HEW
Right
ARN → RKV
Right
RKV → ARN
Left
AEY → EDI
Right
YYZ → RKV
Left
BNA → RKV
Left
RKV → BNA
Right
YUL → KEF
Left
BLL → LAX
Left
MUC → AEY
Left
SEA → AEY
Right
DTW → RKV
Left
RKV → DTW
Right
OSL → RKV
Right
RKV → OSL
Left
SEA → FLR
Left
ARN → KEF
Right
KEF → ARN
Left
DFW → DOH
Left
DOH → DFW
Right
KEF → YYZ
Right
AMS → YYC
Right
BNA → KEF
Left
KEF → BNA
Right
ORD → RKV
Left
RKV → ORD
Right
YYC → AMS
Left
HEL → JFK
Right
JFK → HEL
Left
CIA → SEA
Right
SAN → VIE
Left
DET → KEF
Left
DTW → KEF
Left
HEM → JFK
Right
JFK → HEM
Left
KEF → DTW
Right
BGO → RKV
Right
DEN → IST
Left
IST → DEN
Right
KEF → OSL
Left
IAH → KEF
Left
FRA → YVR
Left
KEF → FBU
Left
YDQ → AMS
Right
YVR → FRA
Right
DOH → DAL
Right
MDW → KEF
Left
MSP → RKV
Left
RKV → MSP
Right
KEF → ORD
Right
ORD → KEF
Left
CPH → RKV
Right
RKV → CPH
Left
MSQ → DTW
Right
RKV → FAE
Left
YYW → RKV
Left
FCO → SEA
Right
KEF → BGO
Left
SEA → FCO
Left
DEN → RKV
Left
RKV → DEN
Right
BER → RKV
Right
RKV → BER
Left
PTY → MJF
Left
KEF → WAW
Left
DFW → BGO
Left
FAE → KEF
Right
KEF → FAE
Left
KEF → MSP
Right
MSP → KEF
Left
CPH → KEF
Right
FRA → SFO
Right
KEF → CPH
Left
SFO → FRA
Left
ARN → DFW
Left
DFW → ARN
Right
MUC → SEA
Left
RKV → MUC
Left
FRA → RKV
Right
NUQ → RKV
Left
RKV → FRA
Left
SEA → MXP
Left
AMS → RKV
Right
RKV → AMS
Left
RKV → VCE
Left
DEN → KEF
Left
KEF → DEN
Right
GOH → KEF
Left
KEF → GOH
Right
SFO → AVB
Left
YYC → RKV
Left
RKV → ZRH
Left
ZRH → RKV
Right
EWR → MJF
Right
EDI → RKV
Right
RKV → EDI
Left
RKV → SEA
Right
SEA → RKV
Left
KEF → YWG
Right
YWG → KEF
Left
CPH → CDC
Left
RKV → YVR
Right
GLA → RKV
Right
LCY → RKV
Right
MSP → CPH
Left
ODE → BFL
Left
RKV → LTQ
Left
LGW → RKV
Right
LHR → RKV
Right
LTN → RKV
Right
MAN → RKV
Right
RKV → CDG
Left
RKV → LGW
Left
RKV → LHR
Left
RKV → MAN
Left
DBV → YEG
Left
LIS → RKV
Right
RKV → LIS
Left
DUB → RKV
Right
RKV → DUB
Left
HEW → KEF
Right
KEF → LAX
Right
LAX → KEF
Left
PDX → FCO
Left
YVR → GLA
Left
KEF → MUC
Left
MUC → KEF
Right
FRA → KEF
Right
KEF → FRA
Left
AMS → KEF
Right
CLT → IXG
Right
KEF → AMS
Left
SFO → KEF
Left
LAS → KSC
Right
AMS → SFO
Right
BRU → KEF
Right
KEF → BRU
Left
KEF → YYC
Right
KEF → ZRH
Left
SFO → AMS
Left
SFO → VIE
Right
YYC → KEF
Left
ZRH → KEF
Right
IAH → AUH
Left
FCO → KEF
Right
KEF → CIA
Left
KEF → FCO
Left
KEF → TFS
Left
OAK → AMS
Left
KEF → MXP
Left
KEF → PDX
Right
MXP → KEF
Right
PDX → KEF
Left
KEF → BFI
Right
KEF → SEA
Right
SEA → KEF
Left
GLA → KEF
Right
KEF → GLA
Left
KEF → STN
Left
KEF → YVR
Right
STN → KEF
Right
YVR → KEF
Left
CDG → KEF
Right
DOH → ORD
Right
KEF → CDG
Left
KEF → LTN
Left
MAN → KEF
Right
ORD → DOH
Left
BHX → KEF
Right
KEF → LHR
Left
KEF → ORY
Left
LGW → KEF
Right
LHR → KEF
Right
DUB → KEF
Right
KEF → DUB
Left
WAW → PHX
Left
BCN → KEF
Right
KEF → BCN
Left
MUC → YVR
Left
YVR → MUC
Right
HNL → LHR
Right
DFW → DXB
Right
YYC → EDI
Left
JFK → MAA
Right
MAA → JFK
Left
DSM → CPH
Left
CPH → LAX
Left
LAX → CPH
Right
CDG → YVR
Right
NID → CPH
Right
YVR → CDG
Left
BWI → KBY
Right
FCO → YYC
Right
YYC → FCO
Left
Tip: Visibility depends on cloud cover, time of day, and how close the flight path comes. Sit on the listed side for the best chance of a view. Morning and evening flights often offer the best lighting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you see Iceland from a plane?
Yes — 281 flight routes pass within 250 km of Iceland. The closest routes include Armenia to Keflavik, Vancouver to Zurich, Zurich to Vancouver. Sit on the Left side, with the landmark passing about 6 km away.
Which side of the plane is best for viewing Iceland?
The best side varies by route. For the most common routes near Iceland: on a Armenia to Keflavik flight, sit on the Left side; on a Vancouver to Zurich flight, sit on the Left side; on a Zurich to Vancouver flight, sit on the Right side.