Deal Alert: LAX and SFO to Iceland and Europe from $398 Round-Trip
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
This summer WOW Air will be begin operating new A330 flights to Iceland and Europe from the West Coast, with the introduction of service in Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO). WOW is known for its $99 fares from the East Coast, but now Californians can take advantage of the budget airline's competitively priced service. The airline is one of the most cost-effective options for travel to Europe, with flights funneling through WOW's hub in Reykjavik to other popular destinations, including Berlin, London, Paris and more.
Unfortunately flights from the West Coast will cost a bit more than the established routes from Boston and Baltimore, but there's still plenty of savings to be had. Outbound flights on these new routes start at $99 one-way, while the returns will be a bit more pricey starting around $299. In total, expect tickets to start around $398 round-trip. Keep in mind, though, that WOW is a budget airline, so you'll have to pay extra fees for things like checked bags or choosing a seat, but there's still plenty of room for savings.
Unfortunately these flights don't begin operations until June, so you won't be able to travel this winter (which includes a chance to see the Northern Lights), but Iceland's a great summer destination as well. If you're headed to Berlin, there's plenty of worthwhile attractions, as well as hotels you can book with points and miles.
Airline: WOW Air
Routes: LAX and SFO to Reykjavik (KEF), Berlin (SXF) and more
Cost: $398+ round-trip in economy
Dates: June through September 2016
Booking Link: WOW Air
Pay With: American Express Premier Rewards Gold, Citi Prestige or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
Here are a few examples of outbound flights we found:
Los Angeles (LAX) - Reykjavik (KEF) for $398 on WOW Air:
San Francisco (SFO) - Reykjavik (KEF) for $398 on WOW Air:
Los Angeles (LAX) - Berlin (SXF) for $524 on WOW Air:
While WOW is often one of the most cost-effective ways to get to Iceland and the other destinations it serves, you might not have as comfortable experience as other carriers' products. If you're familiar with the airline and all of its rules, you should be fine, but you might consider spending a bit more to fly on another carrier.
WOW often offers discounted fares to Iceland from the US, so if you can't book now, there will probably be another opportunity down the line. For more information, check out our WOW air flight review on the airline's A320 product. And to get an idea about what you should do once you arrive, see our $99-Fare Guide to Iceland.
Maximize Your Purchase
Don't forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as the American Express Premier Rewards Gold or Citi Prestige (3x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
If you book any of these fares, or if you're able to find cheaper return flights on WOW, please let us know in the comments below!