United Airlines is starting flights to Iceland from Washington Dulles starting in Summer 2026. The route pairing will be flown with their Boeing 757 fleet.
Washington D.C. metro residents will have another option for getting to Iceland. United Airlines announced this week that it will be starting service from Washington Dulles International Airport to Reykjavik. This route announcement was only one in a vast array of new international service the airline is planning to introduce during the summer of 2026.
United will be growing its presence in Iceland as it already flies to the country from Chicago and the Greater New York metro area. Last year, the airline made a commitment strategically to grow its European network beyond major tourist cities. Reykjavik appears to be a key point in that strategic expansion initiative.
The D.C. – Iceland route will fly as a weekly service starting May 21st, 2026. United will be operating this route pairing with the Boeing 757. This is somewhat unexpected considering the relatively short distance between Washington D.C. and Iceland. It’s also unexpected because the role of the 757 in United’s fleet should be shrinking as these airframes get older.
They are slated to be replaced by the more fuel-efficient Airbus A321neo. The neo also seems much better suited for this route as it is more economically friendly than the 757. But in all likelihood, United is deploying their A321neo fleet on more profitable long and thin routes.
With this new route pairing, United will join Icelandair as one of the only two airlines offering service to Iceland from IAD. Icelandair also maintains a presence in the Delaware-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) area, operating flights from both Dulles and Baltimore.
The Baltimore route is quite significant because of Icelandair’s recent interline agreement with Southwest Airlines. SWA funnels connecting passengers into Baltimore for continued travel to Reykjavik with Icelandair.
Southwest Airlines has also floated the idea of launching its own international flights to Iceland. However, this is purely speculation at this point. United shouldn’t feel too threatened by Southwest’s entry into the Iceland market. But the growing number of carriers in competition for Iceland market share presents major headaches for just about every airline considering to fly there.
United’s new route to Iceland brings a major benefit for residents through the DMV area. Washington Dulles is the primary international gateway for this region. United commands an overwhelming market share at the airport. For these residents, if United doesn’t offer a destination from Dulles, they’ll likely have to face the inconvenience of connecting through other cities.
For those residents looking to fly with an American air carrier to Iceland, they are now in luck since United is now providing a nonstop route to the country. No more having to either connect to or face a long drive up I-95 to get to Newark Airport.
Airlines are starting to recognize Iceland’s importance in the current economic climate. With Americans lacking the time or budget for extended European vacations, Iceland serves as an appealing alternative. It’s right between North America and Europe.
That means it’s only a 3 to 4 hour flight from the East Coast. That makes it a very accessible destination that can be served with ETOPS certified narrowbody aircraft.
On top of that, Iceland is such a beautiful place. You can go see the Northern Lights or take a dip in the Blue Lagoon. It’s very trendy on social media. It’s definitely growing in popularity.
Iceland presents a unique challenge when it comes to demand. While yes, the economic environment is keeping people close to home, Iceland just isn’t that warm-weather destination like the Bahamas, Hawaii, or Punta Cana.
And likely already mentioned, the competition for the North America-Iceland market is intense. Delta, United, Alaska, Icelandair, and even Air Canada are all vying for their cut of the pie, with Southwest potentially joining in the mix as well.
United does have an ace up their sleeve by operating this flight from its Dulles hub. The airline can offer smoother connections from all its domestic airports and compete more effectively with at least Icelandair’s point to point service.
A puzzling aspect of this route announcement is United’s decision to use the Boeing 757. Yes, the Boeing 757 is a valued aircraft in United’s fleet, but its economics are just not ideal when demand is very uncertain for this route.
Why not use their Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet? United’s Max 8 fleet is ETOPS-certified. Maybe the airline is having concerns about the Max 8’s performance and reliability for this type of route. It’s a pretty safe bet that the 757 and its powerful engines can get itself out of any sticky situation it may find itself in. That is our guess.
