Raleigh/Durham to Reykjavík (RDU–KEF) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

RDU Airport Page →
3,011 mi airlines 9/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 4 flights Verified 2h ago
Nonstop 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
FI820
FI Icelandair
7M8
8:30 PM
EDT T2
6:40 AM+1
GMT
6h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
BT6348
BT airBaltic
7M8
8:35 PM
EDT T2
6:40 AM+1
GMT
6h 5m
M T W T F S S
Prices
BT6342
BT airBaltic
7M8
4:45 PM
GMT
7:35 PM
EDT
6h 50m
M T W T F S S
Prices
FI821
FI Icelandair
B38M
4:45 PM
GMT
7:35 PM
EDT
6h 50m
M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

1-STOP
2-STOP Loading...
Raleigh/Durham to Reykjavík
2 carriers, 9 flights/week nonstop.
2 Airlines 9 Flights/wk 3,011 mi 6h 5m nonstop +4h ahead 21 1-stop hubs

RDU–KEF is served by 2 airlines with nonstop service. Icelandair and airBaltic lead the route. The flight covers 3,011 miles in approximately 6h 5m. Beyond nonstop, 21 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop RDU–KEF service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
FI Icelandair 7 7M8 6h10 100%
BT airBaltic 2 7M8 6h05 100%
Aircraft on this route
7M8 Boeing 737 MAX 8 – BT, FI
Alliance coverage
Unaffiliated: BT + FI (9 flights/wk, 100%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, RDU to KEF direction.
Mon
2
flights
Tue
1
flight
Wed
1
flight
Thu
1
flight
Fri
2
flights
Sat
1
flight
Sun
1
flight
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
2
Nonstop flights
9
Outbound / wk
8
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for RDU to KEF.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
21
Hubs
~7h
Fastest
~29h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
1,114
Candidates
Two-stop connections loaded in the connections tab above.
Connections computed from published schedules with minimum connection time verification. Use the interactive explorer above the fold to filter by airline, tier, and layover time.

On-Time Performance

What to expect at each end of your journey.
Outbound
RDU → KEF
100%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Departing
100%
Return
KEF → RDU
100%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Arriving
100%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots. RDU delays →

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
+4h
Reykjavík is 4 hours ahead of Raleigh/Durham.
RDU: EDT · KEF: GMT

When it's 6:00 PM in Raleigh/Durham, it's 10:00 PM in Reykjavík.
Distance & Flight Time
3,011 mi / 4,845 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 6h 5m to 6h 10m.
Visa & Entry

US passport holders enter Iceland visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period across the entire Schengen area. No advance application is needed. Iceland is a Schengen member but not an EU member. Passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the planned departure from the Schengen area. At Keflavík International Airport (KEF), immigration stamps your passport. The process is quick and rarely takes more than a few minutes.

The 90-day Schengen clock runs across all 29 Schengen countries. Days spent in Europe's Schengen zone before or after Iceland count toward the same 90-day limit. KEF is located 50km southwest of Reykjavik. The Golden Circle (Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss), the South Coast waterfalls, and the Blue Lagoon are all within day-trip range of Reykjavik. The Ring Road (Route 1) circles the island in 1,322km and takes a minimum of 7 days to drive properly.

Direct flights from New York JFK to Keflavík run about 5 hours 30 minutes on Icelandair and PLAY. Boston runs about 5 hours. Direct service also operates from Washington Dulles, Chicago, Denver, Seattle, Minneapolis, and several other US cities. Icelandair offers free stopovers of up to 7 days on transatlantic flights. Iceland uses the Icelandic króna (ISK), trading at roughly 137 ISK per $1. Card payments work everywhere, including remote gas stations and small-town cafes. Cash is rarely needed. Flybus runs from KEF to Reykjavik BSÍ terminal in 45 minutes for ISK 3,499 ($25.50). Restaurant meals in Reykjavik cost ISK 3,000 to ISK 6,000 ($22 to $44). Hot dogs from Bæjarins Beztu cost ISK 590 ($4.30) and are an Icelandic institution.

Getting to RDU

No rail connection exists. GoTriangle Route 100 (RDU Express) runs from the Durham Station Transportation Center and downtown Raleigh to the airport for $2.25; takes 35–50 minutes but service is limited in the evenings and does not run all night.Ride-shares (Uber/Lyft) from downtown Raleigh: $20–30, 20–25 minutes. From Durham: $18–25, 15–20 minutes. Taxis: $30–40. Long-term parking from $7/day in Economy lots with shuttle service. I-40 provides direct access to both Raleigh and Durham.

RDU–KEF Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Raleigh/Durham to Reykjavík route.
Route details
Distance3,011 mi / 4,845 km
Flight time6h 5m to 6h 10m
Time difference+4 hours
Airlines (nonstop)2
Weekly flights9 out / 8 return
1-stop connections21 hubs
Origin: RDU
IATA / ICAORDU / KRDU
TimezoneAmerica/Kentucky/Monticello
Passengers/yr15.2M
Elevation435 ft / 133 m
Destination: KEF
IATA / ICAOKEF / BIKF
TimezoneAtlantic/Reykjavik
Passengers/yr8.3M
Elevation171 ft / 52 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about RDU to KEF flights.
Nonstop flights from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to Keflavik International Airport take approximately 6h 5m to 6h 10m. The route covers 3,011 miles.
2 airlines operate nonstop service: airBaltic and Icelandair.
There are approximately 9 nonstop flights per week from RDU to KEF. The return direction has about 8 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through YYR, YUL, YYZ, IAH, BWI, CDG, YVR, SFO, ORD, BOS, EWR, FRA, MIA, MCO, SEA, LHR, JFK, IAD, MSP, PHX and DEN. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Reykjavík is 4 hours ahead of Raleigh/Durham.
Yes, return flights from KEF to RDU are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Click the 'Search Flights' button to check availability and prices on Google Flights. You can also compare airlines and schedules on this page to find the best option.
See the On-Time Performance section for the latest delay data at both airports. This shows departure and arrival reliability to help you plan.
Route data is updated regularly from official airline schedules. On-time performance data comes from recent airport delay snapshots.

Flights from RDU to KEF

Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and Keflavik International Airport (KEF) are connected by nonstop service from airBaltic and Icelandair. With 9 weekly departures, this is a regularly served route.

RDU to KEF Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from RDU to KEF ranges from 6 hours 5 minutes to 6 hours 10 minutes. The route covers a distance of 3,011 miles (4,845 km). There are approximately 9 weekly flights outbound and 8 return, totaling 17 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

21 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 7 hours via YYR. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs.