floridapaula

I am planning a trip to Iceland in November. Iceland air is quoting $560 (including all taxes) per person from Orlando. This is non-stop to Keflavik. Does anyone think the fare will go lower than this. I did sign up for lucky fares. Also, has anybody stayed at the Northern Light Inn?
Thanks to all of you for your helpful posts about Iceland, they have been very helpful in planning my trip.

PalQ

Iceland in November? they'd have to pay me $560 to go! Dark, wet and dreary!

kay6213132

I'm not much help with the airfare from Orlando, but I can't imagine it getting less than $560.

I have only stayed in hostels in Iceland...not familiar with the Northern Light Inn. Hopefully, it is away from the city so you can actually see the Northern Lights!

I wouldn't be afraid of going in November, but I think I'd take books and try to find accomodation with a fireplace in case the weather is awful!

I was there in September last year and we did have a lot of rain. The tourist crowd was gone, though, and the northern lights were spectacular! I'd love to go back sometime to experience an Icelandic winter!

PalQ

In case the weather is awful! It will be awful. I can appreciate someone wishing to experience near total darkness and drizzle - Iceland i think has one of the highest suicide, depression and alcoholism rates in the world and many think the winter weather may account for this. It won't be real cold as it rarely if ever gets below freezing in Rykyavik - the one thing to do is to go swimming in the open-air pools heated by geothermal water. Rykyavik has little smog - most heat comes from geothermal heating. At least you won't have to pack suntan lotion as you won't see the sun!

DeeDee

Our RT airfare from SF to Frankfurt with a two night stopover was $616, taxes included. This was for a trip last month, June. We did get a special introductory rate, but your price sounds high for off season and direct to Keflavik. I assume your quote of $560 is RT.

SAnParis

The rate may be a little high as you are flying into Keflavik rather than Reykjavik. Weekends are typcailly higher as well. I would try the venue change as well as altering my days of travel if possible.

Where2Travel

Keflavik is the main airport near Reykjavik, it's about 40km outside of the city. All the flights discussed on this thread will be to/from/through Keflavik Airport.

Reykjavik Airport is a very small airport near the centre of the city which I assume deals only with internal flights.

SAnParis

Where 2 is correct, I always forget that Keflavik is the International Airport. Thx for the correction.

cruiseluv

In late June I flew Icelandair from JFK. The routing was JFK to Reykjavik and then Copenhagen to JFK via Reyjavik in July . We paid approx. $800 r/t. But at the time I booked I remember seeing flights offered in Nov and Dec for as little as $300.

Pandajudy

The R/T price to Iceland is always a bit higher than if you were going onward to a destination in Europe. Many times I have flown thru Iceland and the fares to Iceland were more than the fare to my final destination! That is why the 7 day stop over is such a bargain--you can do it going to or coming back from Europe, stay the 7 days, and pay less than if you simply went to Iceland alone.

That said, you may get a lower fare in a few weeks or months, but I have found that the Lucky fares are not always the best fares...compare them by using the booking engine at the Icelandair website. Whether to wait or not is hard to say, but you are also looking at price increases due to higer fuel costs too. Plus there is no competition on this route!

I was in Iceland this past Feb for a stopover returning from Glasgow (Glasgow AND Iceland, I know, but you travel when you can) and the weather was fine, not too cold and no snow on the ground in Rekjavik but some snow and ice in the countryside.

Can't say anything about the Inn, tho I have seen it's website and it looks ok. It is close to the airport, I believe.I stayed at the Skaldbreit in downtown Rek.-good location, nice clean hotel, moderate price for Iceland. But in summer I imagine it can be quite noisy for those in rooms overlooking the main street! Late night drinking is a real popular sport!

I recommend a dip in the Blue Lagoon, which is close to the Inn (and best IMHO when it's cold outside!) and the Golden Circle Tour. I was not renting a car and the bus trip was good -- for a group thing. Your hotel can book all kinds of tours for you-should be no extra charge. I tried to take the evening Northern Lights tour, but the waether was too mild! It needs to be clear AND cold to see the lights.

Judy

floridapaula

Thank you everyone for your responses. We've decided to go ahead and go the first week in November. My partner is a photographer and we're hoping the northern lights will be visible by then. My favorite trips to Scotland have been in the winter months, so I have no fear of Icelandic weather. It is a diffrent experience than summer, locals usually have more time to talk and travel doesn't seem so hectic. We also live in Florida, so we get plenty of sunshine and hot weather.
I'll post a review of our trip and stay at the Northern Lights Inn after we return.
Thanks again for your help.

Amy

Have a wonderful trip! I found Iceland to be marvelous in the fall; summer's incredibly long days are compensated for by the coziness of candles and the warmth of soaking in those geothermal waters.

Just in case you hadn't seen this (as it's not searchable, for some reason) here's the list of the "100 Best" in Iceland. Here's hoping you'll be able to add to it when you return! http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...mp;tid=1278237