A Connection in Iceland, As They Do
Landing in Reykjavík Airport for your layover.
Photo by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.
If you’ve ever flown with PLAY, Iceland’s discount airline, chances are you’ve had layovers at Reykjavík Airport. In fact, you must have had layovers there because PLAY is an example of a hub-and-spoke airline.
That means flights are directed through their “hub” (Reykjavík Airport) before continuing on to the final destination. Of course, the airport greets many other airlines as well, and one magical moment presented itself while cruising in via easyJet around 11 AM GMT.
Flying in last December, I saw the most stunning display of light and nature. It was like sailing through a literal Cloud Kingdom (Magic of Pegasus, anyone?).
Aesthetic arrival indeed.
Because of its strategic location, Iceland sees a lot of passing tourists from the Americas, Europe, and Asia. I’ve spent many an odd hour in Reykjavík Airport biding my time until my connecting flight started boarding.
The smaller airport and population mean most of the airport’s stores are closed late night and early morning, which makes a sleep-deprived layover at 4 AM not the most joyous thing on earth. However, the airport itself is quite impressive for several reasons.
One, it’s clean and modern. You can see that sleek Icelandic design incorporated into all of the building’s architecture and décor.
Two, its washrooms are so large and private. Most of the stalls are completely covered from top and bottom, ensuring maximal privacy and peace of mind. Bonus for almost always being tip top clean as well. The stalls inside certain washrooms even offer their own individual sinks. No matter if you’re using the accessibility toilet or regular stall, there’s more than enough space to roll your luggage in with you without playing a game of Tetris.
Three, in the early hours or late nights, it’s not crowded at all. Some airports are bustling no matter the time of day/night, but at Reykjavík, you can rest assured you’ll find a place to sit.
Four, there’s free art and delicious air. If you step out of the airport for a moment (maybe not in the dead of night), you’ll be welcomed by the sweet scent of clean oxygen and a refreshing skyline to boot. There are also several sculptures and art pieces you can check out, including “Directions (Áttir),” “Rainbow (Regnbogi),” and “The Jet Nest (Þotuhreiður).”
Five, the food is pretty good. Obviously I haven’t eaten at every single restaurant or deli in the airport, but of the ones I have, the food was quite top-notch for what you’d expect of airport quality (and also more expensive). Just note that all the shops and stores past security require you to scan your departure boarding pass. According to Google, this is to confirm you’re legally able to purchase items intended for export.
There’s also a Blue Lagoon shop, and their original Silica Mud Mask is very refreshing, albeit expensive. The small size is enough to last you 3 months if you only apply it once a week (the recommended amount is once or twice a week).
And there you have it: my article just to show off the amazing skyline I got from flying into Iceland.
Iceland is one of those places where there are probably more people staying in the airport than leaving, but next time I go, I hope to say, “I’m here for a week,” at least, because it is so deserving of a proper look with its hot springs, scenery, and natural phenomena.
Photo by Lonely Girl, Lonely World.