Philadelphia has added a cool destination to cities served by Philadelphia International Airport.
Mayor Jim Kenney joined airport leaders and Icelandair officials to announce nonstop service between the city of Brotherly Love and Reykjavik.
The seasonal international service begins May 30, 2017.
"We are very pleased to welcome Icelandair to PHL and look forward to offering nonstop service to Reykjavik," said Airport CEO Chellie Cameron. "This capital city is a gateway to a beautiful country and to its Scandinavian neighbors. We are proud to increase our non-stop international destinations and open a new market to our travelers."
Kenney noted the economic impact of the international flight, which should take less than 6 hours.
"The Airport is a potent economic engine to our city and the region, and convenient air service, particularly to international destinations, is essential in a global marketplace," said Mayor Jim Kenney. "We are very excited about Icelandair’s arrival in Philadelphia, and we are eager to build and strengthen a partnership between our city and the amazing city of Reykjavik."
The addition of Icelandair marks the first time in two years that PHL added a service from a foreign airline.
And for anyone looking to hop to mainland Europe, you can utilize Icelandair’s "Stopover" program that allows travelers to spend up to a week in Iceland without paying additional airfare. [[238427591, C]]
Philly is Icelandair’s 18th U.S. destination. Iceland features 24 hours of daylight in the summer and the Northern Lights for more than half the year.
"Philadelphia will further strengthen Icelandair’s presence in the Mid-Atlantic and better serve our passengers with faster travel times to Europe and easy connections through the City of Brotherly Love," said Iceland air CEO Birkir Holm Gudnason. "Philadelphians will now have a refreshing alternative when traveling to Iceland and beyond, and Icelanders and Europeans will have direct access to the historic city of Philadelphia boasting the fifth largest population in the United States. This is an exciting and significant moment for Icelandair and we look forward to welcoming Philadelphia aboard."
