Icelandair Returns as PIT’s Europe Flight Network Hits Summer High

As airline capacity on nonstop service between Pittsburgh and Europe ramps up for the busy summer travel period the airport is also preparing to welcome back nonstop flights to Iceland later this week.

For the third consecutive year, Icelandair will resume its seasonal nonstop flights between Pittsburgh and Reykjavik this Friday, May 8. The airline will offer up to four flights a week to Reykjavik with nonstop service running through Oct. 18.

Icelandair resuming seasonal service to Reykjavik comes weeks after British Airways increased its London-Heathrow nonstops back to its daily flight schedule for the summer and as PIT readies to welcome Aer Lingus’ new four times weekly service to Dublin, Ireland launching May 25, giving the airport its largest schedule of flights to Europe since 2018.

Since launching service between Pittsburgh and Reykjavik in 2024, Icelandair has become a key carrier connecting the region’s business and leisure travelers to Iceland and over 25 connecting markets throughout Europe. Icelandair also offers its unique stopover option allowing travelers connecting to and from Europe to book a layover in Iceland for up to seven days at no additional cost.

Connecting two iconic running destinations

Marathon runners who participated in the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon this past weekend will have an opportunity to join in Iceland’s big race later this year thanks to a new partnership made possible by Icelandair’s nonstop service.

In February, P3R announced a new international marathon partnership between the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon and the Íslandsbanki Reykjavík Marathon. In a statement, P3R said the partnership, “connects Pittsburgh’s high-energy, neighborhood-driven race weekend with Reykjavík’s scenic, nature-infused marathon experience, creating new opportunities for runner travel, cultural exchange and global storytelling.”

Held annually, the Íslandsbanki Reykjavík Marathon, scheduled for Aug. 22 this year, is Iceland’s largest running event often alongside the city’s Culture Night. Featuring distances for all ages, including a full marathon, half-marathon, 10K and fun run, the event attracts roughly 16,000 international participants to a scenic, generally flat city course.

As “sister marathons,” the two events are collaborating on destination-driven storytelling, highlighting runners traveling between Pittsburgh and Iceland, and exploring curated travel opportunities encouraging participants to “Run Pittsburgh, Experience Reykjavík” — and vice versa.

 

Jerad Bachar, VisitPITTSBURGH President and CEO, noted Icelandair’s nonstop service between Pittsburgh and Reykjavik was key to leverage the partnership between the races and drive more visitors between the cities.

“This partnership marks a significant milestone in P3R’s efforts to grow the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon’s global footprint and further drive its economic impact on our region. By leveraging the convenient connectivity of the Icelandair direct flight, we look forward to welcoming more global athletes and spectators to experience the very best of Pittsburgh.”

The partnership is the latest example of ties generated between Pittsburgh and Iceland since Icelandair’s entry into the market.

In early 2025, 22 students from the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering visited Iceland to study the country’s geothermal energy and sustainable engineering practices for potential use in Pennsylvania.

“Taking a look at alternative energy sources is very popular, and Iceland was a good choice. And then the airport began direct flights on Icelandair, so it was this perfect opportunity to put together a program that academically fits.” Alicia Olalde, Director, Global Experiences and Engagement, Experiential Learning and Professional Engagement at the Swanson School, told Blue Sky News last year.

In addition, in 2025, Icelandair expanded its interline agreement with Southwest Airlines to Pittsburgh, adding PIT as a gateway for Southwest fliers to connect to Icelandair’s European network via Reykjavik. The partnership allows Southwest and Icelandair customers to book single itineraries that combine flights on both airlines and to check baggage through to their final destinations. PIT is one of a handful of U.S. airports where Southwest and Icelandair both operate.