Alaska Airlines 737 MAX Now Flies Seattle to Iceland Nonstop

Alaska Airlines launched the longest nonstop Boeing 737 flight operated by a US carrier, connecting Seattle-Tacoma International to Keflavik Airport in Iceland. The flight covers 3,611 miles in nearly eight hours, with the westbound leg typically lasting 7 hours and 55 minutes, as Simple Flying reported.

Simple Flying notes that through June 2026, the US Department of Transportation recorded 8,320 round-trip passengers on the route. This Seattle-to-Reykjavik service is the second-longest scheduled 737 route in the world, trailing only GOL Airlines' flight from Brasília to Orlando.

The seasonal daily service, originally set to end August 18, was extended through September 7 due to demand, according to Aeroroutes. Alaska Airlines reported a 77.2% load factor from May through June. Interest grew further with Iceland hosting a total solar eclipse in August, drawing travelers from the Pacific Northwest.

Iceland's weather can be extreme in every season: wind that can bend car doors backward [and] fog that swallows entire fjords.

-- Ali Wunderman, quoted by Simple Flying

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 used on the route offers a quieter cabin and faster boarding than larger widebody jets. A codeshare agreement with Icelandair allows passengers to connect to 35 European destinations, often with a stopover in Iceland.

For West Coast travelers, this direct flight avoids connections in crowded hubs like Chicago or New York. Simple Flying calls it a fantastic, efficient way to reach Iceland or Europe, resembling a long domestic flight that ends in dramatic natural landscapes.

• Alaska Airlines
• Boeing 737 MAX
• Iceland
• Keflavik
• Seattle
• transatlantic