This Low-Budget Airline Offers Free Stopovers in Iceland on Flights to Europe

“PLAY has taken advantage of Iceland’s location near Europe to bring travelers convenient flights and affordable fares, and now the stopover feature brings even more benefits to our passengers. Rather than having a few hours layover in Iceland, travelers can stop at this bucket-list destination for an extra day or week to experience everything our home country has to offer,” says PLAY CEO Birgir Jónsson.

The beauty of the PLAY “Stayover” is its flexibility. You can use it to transform a potentially dull layover into part of your vacation, exploring Iceland’s dramatic landscapes — all without blowing your travel budget.

While the flexible ticket is priced the same as a low-cost European flight, the stopover doesn’t cover accommodation or meals in Iceland. Although Iceland is notoriously expensive, there are budget-friendly Airbnbs alongside luxury hotels, so you can tailor your stay to work within your means.

Currently, PLAY offers flights from several major US cities, including Boston (BOS), Baltimore (BWI), New York (JFK), and Washington, D.C (IAD), to various European destinations like Barcelona (BCN), Berlin (BER), Copenhagen (CPH), London (STN), and Paris (ORY). PLAY recently added Split (SPU) to its route schedule in May 2024.

The no-frills airline offers one-way flights from as little as $148 from New York to Paris, $137 from New York to London, $148 from Washington to Dublin, and $260 from Boston to Porto, Portugal.

If you are interested in a trip to Iceland, today, the airline celebrates PRIDE month with a giveaway of two free flights to Reykjavík Pride in August and 25 percent off flights to nine European destinations. The winner will be announced on June 24, 2024.