Car Hire Keflavik Airport

Keflavik Airport Mini Guide

Why do people visit Keflavik?
Keflavik is an important fishing town in the south west of Iceland that was founded by Scottish emigrants in the 16th century. There are still parts of the town with buildings dating back to this time but many were of wooden construction so didn’t survive the passage of time. The town grew further after the development of a US Air Force base nearby and after that closed people turned once again to its natural resources for income. Today, it’s a hotspot for tourism with whale watching boat trips leaving the harbour daily and many walkers enjoying the hill and coastal trails leading out of the town.

How do I get to Keflavik?
Many airlines fly to Keflavik from Europe and the United States with Iceland Express having journeys commencing at Gatwick and Edinburgh Airports. Keflavik is Iceland’s main airport and the only international one in the country. It’s two miles from Keflavik and thirty from Reykjavik which it also serves. A good transport network links the airport with Keflavik and the capital.

What’s the airport Like?
It’s very modern having had an overhaul when an extension was added in 2001. From landside it looks like an Aztec pyramid and is a mixture of bright colours and glass. As it’s the main airport for the country it has good facilities.

What can I expect when I arrive?
You are likely to disembark either at the older part of the terminal and walk 300m down a corridor to the new terminal building or disembark directly into the corridor. As the weather can be inclement there you’ll be pleased to find that there are air bridges into the building from the plane. Once inside the terminal you’ll be surprised to see a duty free for arrivals – don’t worry, there’s also one in departures, but it’s handy as alcohol can be expensive in the country. Prices are generally around half those of the high street.

Once in the arrivals hall you’ll find everything to get your time in Iceland off to a good start. The public information desk can help with airport matters and there’s an office of the tourism agency too. If you need cash or to exchange currency, there’s a bank and a currency exchange office in the terminal, as well as an ATM. Those collecting a pre-booked hire car will need to complete the final documentation at the company desks against the far wall before commencing their onward journey. If you want to use public transport there’s the Flybus shuttle into Keflavik and on to Reykjavik or taxis.

And when you need to leave?
If you’re travelling with young children, you may want to consider dropping them off at the staffed play area before you deal with queuing for checking in. Once that’s been sorted you can leave the children happily playing whilst you look around the excellent range of shops which include fashion, outdoor activities stores, Icelandic products and more. When it’s time to eat you’ll find that there’s a wide choice of food in different styles of restaurant.

A favourite is Nord, a chic, modern restaurant serving healthy dishes and seafood in a calming luxurious atmosphere. The airport has a Wi-Fi system with a band of charges dependent on usage and you can settle down to check emails and surf the net after finishing off your purchases with a trip to the duty free store.