Icelandair is the national airline of the Republic of Iceland. Its roots go back to a local air transport company founded in 1937. It is headquartered in Reykjavik, with Keflavik International Airport (KEF) as its main operating hub. Its IATA code is FI, its ICAO code is ICE, and the official site is icelandair.com. Over nearly ninety years Icelandair has built a transatlantic polar network with Keflavik as its only intercontinental hub, linking North America and Europe.
Iceland sits where the North Atlantic meets the Arctic Ocean, on the great-circle track between the North American east coast and continental Europe. Icelandair uses that position to make Keflavik a transatlantic transit node: passengers and cargo between the North American east coast and continental Europe can connect once at Keflavik, forming a third transatlantic channel alongside traditional hubs such as London, Frankfurt and Amsterdam. In the summer 2025 season the airline deployed about 42 passenger aircraft across its network of scheduled flights between North America and Europe.
Icelandair has no destination in China at present and no scheduled passenger or cargo service in mainland China. Cargo from China must first fly from a Chinese airport to a European gateway (Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London and others) or a North American gateway (New York, Boston, Toronto and others), transit once at the gateway, and then fly to Keflavik on an Icelandair transatlantic service. On the return leg, high-value Icelandic and Nordic products such as seafood, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics can follow the same network back to China.
On fleet, Icelandair has been renewing steadily: older Boeing 757s are being returned as leases expire and replaced by more fuel-efficient Boeing 737 MAX aircraft and Airbus A321LR long-range narrowbodies, while the Boeing 767 widebody fleet was retired by 2026. The airline has also signed a purchase agreement for the A321XLR, with deliveries planned from 2029, to replace the remaining 757s. The new aircraft improve cargo hold pressure, temperature and humidity control and maximum payload.
Keflavik is Icelandair's only intercontinental hub, and its ground cargo facilities are designed for transatlantic narrowbody and widebody operations, with separate areas for cold chain, dangerous goods and high-value cargo. The airport sits away from the congested airspace of the traditional continental hubs and its on-time performance has long been strong among transatlantic carriers, which matters for time-sensitive transit cargo because punctuality decides whether two flights connect.
Icelandair has no published office of its own in China; contact its local Chinese agent or ask us to make the introduction. As the agent at the China origin end, Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited takes booking requests, coordinates capacity, pre-reviews documents and tracks shipments from China through a European or North American gateway to Keflavik, Iceland and Nordic destinations. Chinese shippers can also check transatlantic flight times and cargo conditions at icelandair.com.
Booking across two sectors (China to the European or North American gateway, and the gateway to Keflavik), capacity matching and waybill issuance should be submitted through us as a single window, to avoid gaps in capacity that come from using two different carriers. We operate consolidation warehouses in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Shanghai and can arrange pre-carriage and truck flights for shippers anywhere in China. On the return leg we also handle import clearance and delivery in China for Icelandic seafood, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
For Chinese shippers without a direct cargo relationship with Icelandair, using us as the agency window lowers the cost of dealing with an overseas carrier. We combine the China origin booking, the European or North American gateway arrangement and the Icelandair sector booking into one trackable shipping instruction, so the shipper deals with a single contact.
The Icelandair fleet is built around the Boeing 737 MAX family and the Airbus A321LR long-range narrowbody, with some Boeing 757s retained for seasonal flights; the Boeing 767 widebody fleet was retired by 2026. Cargo configuration by type is shown in the table.
| Aircraft type | Cargo mode | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | Passenger belly cargo, tonne class or below per flight | Short-haul trunk routes from Keflavik to Europe and North America, one of the fleet mainstays |
| Boeing 737 MAX 9 | Passenger belly cargo, higher seat count than the MAX 8 | Medium-haul transatlantic routes, also supplementing the European and North American networks |
| Airbus A321LR | Passenger belly cargo, long-range narrowbody | Long transatlantic sectors linking Keflavik with the North American west coast and distant European points |
| Boeing 757-200 / 300 | Passenger belly cargo, older airframes | Retained for seasonal flights, being returned and replaced |
| Boeing 767-300ER | Widebody belly, higher payload | Retired by 2026; before retirement carried seasonal transatlantic widebody capacity |
Fleet information is compiled from Icelandair annual reports, results announcements and the fleet page of its website. Aircraft actually in service and their configuration change with deliveries and lease returns and are confirmed by the carrier on the day of booking. The holds of the new 737 MAX and A321LR aircraft take LD3 containers and loose cargo and hold pressure, temperature and humidity well, which suits high-value electronics, pharmaceutical intermediates and temperature-sensitive goods. Narrowbody belly capacity per flight is limited, so dense high-volume cargo should use widebody belly capacity on the gateway sector.
Icelandair has no destination in China at present and no scheduled passenger or cargo service in mainland China. The table shows how the main Chinese airports connect to the Icelandair network. Times are local; schedules change by season and are confirmed by the carrier on the day of booking.
| China cities | Airport code | Direct service status | Connection notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | PVG | No direct service | Connect through a European gateway (Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt) or a North American gateway (New York, Boston) to the Icelandair transatlantic sector |
| Beijing | PEK / PKX | No direct service | Consolidation point for North China shippers; transit through a European or North American gateway recommended |
| Guangzhou | CAN | No direct service | Consolidation point for South China shippers; transit through a European or North American gateway |
| Chengdu | TFU | No direct service | Consolidation point for Southwest China shippers; transit through a European or North American gateway |
| Hong Kong | HKG | No direct service | An alternative South China departure airport; transit through a European or North American gateway |
Chinese shippers have two routings. Route one: cargo flies nonstop from a Chinese airport to a European gateway such as Paris, Amsterdam or Frankfurt, transits there and continues on an Icelandair transatlantic flight through Keflavik to Iceland or onward to North America. Route two: cargo flies nonstop to a North American gateway such as New York, Boston or Toronto, transits there and continues on an Icelandair transatlantic flight through Keflavik to Europe. We can compare capacity, timings and total cost for both.
Routing through a European or North American gateway onto the Icelandair transatlantic network gives Chinese export cargo access to the markets below. Europe: Iceland (Keflavik, Reykjavik), the United Kingdom (London), France (Paris), the Netherlands (Amsterdam), Germany (Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich), Denmark (Copenhagen), Norway (Oslo), Sweden (Stockholm), Finland (Helsinki), Ireland (Dublin), Italy (Rome) and Spain (Barcelona).
North America: the United States (New York JFK, Boston, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Seattle, with seasonal points at Miami, Nashville and Pittsburgh) and Canada (Toronto). The network also reaches Greenland (Nuuk, Ilulissat and others) and the Faroe Islands (Vagar), so Chinese cargo can enter this North Atlantic island network after a single connection at Keflavik.
For Chinese shippers the value of the Icelandair transatlantic network is that it offers a third corridor alongside the traditional London, Frankfurt and Amsterdam hubs. When those hubs are short of capacity or rates are high, Chinese cargo can move across the Atlantic through a North American east coast or European gateway and Keflavik, giving shippers a redundant multi-hub arrangement.
On the return leg, seafood from Iceland and the Nordic region (fresh chilled salmon and cod), pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, specialty foods and light industrial goods can move back to China over the same transatlantic network. Chilled seafood has strict temperature control and transit time requirements, so cold chain capacity and connection time must be confirmed at the booking stage, subject to carrier confirmation.
Icelandair's cargo advantages for Chinese shippers fall into three areas. First, the redundancy value of a third transatlantic corridor: when conventional European hubs are tight on capacity and rates are rising, a transatlantic routing through a North American or European gateway and Keflavik gives Chinese exporters alternative capacity and reduces dependence on a single hub. Second, the geographic efficiency of the Arctic great-circle route: Keflavik sits on the great-circle track between the North American east coast and continental Europe, so the transatlantic air sector is shorter than routings that detour through southern European hubs.
Third, direct access to narrow markets in Iceland and the Nordic region: Greenland, the Faroe Islands and other North Atlantic islands have long lacked stable all-cargo capacity, and the belly hold of Icelandair narrowbody aircraft is one of the few air corridors for Chinese cargo into those markets. For Chinese companies exporting Nordic medical device components, marine equipment and outdoor goods, the Keflavik node offers connection value that cannot easily be replaced.
On the return leg, Icelandic salmon, Arctic seafood, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics hold steady appeal for Chinese importers. Icelandair transatlantic flights release belly space on both the return sector (Europe to North America) and the outbound sector, so Chinese importers can connect at a European gateway such as Paris or Amsterdam onto Icelandair belly capacity to Keflavik, then move the return cargo home in widebody belly space on China to Europe routes.
In trade terms, Chinese exports to Iceland and the Nordic region are mainly machinery and electrical products, electronic components, outdoor equipment, medical devices and marine engineering components; imports are mainly chilled seafood, pharmaceutical ingredients, cosmetics and specialty foods. Two-way volumes match naturally within the same transatlantic network, which supports load factor and rate stability. Chinese exporters that also import from the Nordic region on the return leg can have both sectors arranged by us and negotiate a combined rate.
The standard routing for Chinese shippers moving cargo on the Icelandair network is a two-sector connection. First, the shipper submits a booking instruction to Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited stating the origin airport (Shanghai Pudong, Beijing, Guangzhou, Chengdu or Hong Kong), the final destination station (a European, North American or North Atlantic island city within the Icelandair network), the pieces, weight and dimensions, the HS code, and whether the cargo contains batteries, liquids or other restricted components. Second, we check bookable capacity separately for the China to Europe or North America sector and the gateway to Keflavik sector, file booking requests with both carriers and obtain space confirmation numbers.
Third, the shipper delivers the cargo before the documentation cut-off to the cargo terminal at the Chinese gateway airport or to a supervised warehouse we nominate, and completes security screening, palletising and export declaration. Fourth, after arrival at the European or North American gateway, our local partner handles customs transit, the connecting booking and terminal handling, and the cargo moves in Icelandair belly space to Keflavik. Fifth, on arrival at Keflavik the cargo feeds into the Icelandic domestic, European or North American network according to its final station, and the local ground handler notifies the consignee for clearance and pickup.
For chilled seafood on the return leg we recommend stating the temperature requirements, connection buffer and cold chain handling terms at the booking stage, so that temperature control is not broken across two sectors. Connection times between the two sectors can leave idle gaps, and shippers should allow at least one to two days of buffer. For regular shippers we can consolidate monthly volumes and negotiate contract rates and priority capacity with the gateway-sector carrier and our overseas agents.
Icelandair narrowbody belly hold carries general cargo, express shipments, trade samples and high-value electronics. Pharmaceutical intermediates, precision instruments and leather goods with moderate temperature requirements can move in standard belly conditions. Acceptance of dangerous goods, perishables and live animals follows the documents Icelandair Cargo confirms on the day of booking. Narrowbody belly space is not suitable for oversize heavy pieces, which should be booked in widebody belly space on the gateway sector.
For cargo to Greenland and the Faroe Islands, Icelandair runs dedicated island connection handling at Keflavik. Marine equipment components, outdoor gear, medical supplies and general merchandise exported from China can clear customs and connect at Keflavik, then move by small aircraft belly to Nuuk, Ilulissat, Vagar and other points. Few networks of this kind exist anywhere in the world.
Return shipments of chilled seafood require confirmed cold chain capacity at the booking stage. Icelandic salmon and cod are sensitive to hold temperature and transit time, and we can coordinate the full chain: road haulage in Iceland to the Keflavik terminal, temperature monitoring on the transatlantic sector, customs transit at the European gateway and import clearance at the Chinese gateway. Specific cold chain equipment and handling terms are subject to written carrier confirmation.
For Chinese engineering contractors with operations in the Nordic region, the Icelandair network can also carry urgent equipment, precision spares and site supplies across the Atlantic. Keflavik offers next-day connections to major European and North American cities, so urgent parts can reach a Nordic site three to five days after leaving a Chinese gateway, which is faster than an all-sea option. Space for such urgent shipments should be requested through our priority channel one day before cut-off.
Icelandair has no direct China point at present and operates no scheduled passenger or cargo flights within China. Cargo originating in China for Iceland, the Nordic region or the North Atlantic islands must first fly from a Chinese gateway to a European gateway (Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt) or a North American gateway (New York, Boston, Toronto), connect there and then move on an Icelandair transatlantic flight. We can check capacity on both sectors and book the connection on the shipper's behalf.
Keflavik lies on the great-circle track between the North American east coast and continental Europe, which keeps the transatlantic air sector short. When London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and other traditional hubs are short of capacity or rates are rising, a transatlantic routing through a North American or European gateway and Keflavik gives Chinese exporters alternative capacity and reduces dependence on a single hub. For markets such as Greenland and the Faroe Islands, Keflavik is one of very few hubs with scheduled connections at all.
The return direction works. Icelandic salmon, cod and other chilled seafood have strict temperature and transit time requirements, and cold chain capacity and connection buffer can be confirmed at the booking stage. The standard route is road haulage in Iceland to the Keflavik terminal, Icelandair transatlantic belly to a European gateway, then widebody belly on a China to Europe route to a Chinese gateway. Specific cold chain handling terms are subject to written carrier confirmation.
Icelandair operates mainly narrowbody belly capacity, suited to high-value electronics, pharmaceutical intermediates, precision instruments, outdoor equipment, marine equipment components and express samples. Bulk heavy cargo and oversize equipment do not suit narrowbody belly and should move in widebody belly or freighter space on the gateway sector. Restricted cargo such as lithium batteries, magnetic goods, liquids and powders requires an MSDS and confirmed transport conditions at the booking stage.
Shippers should submit the booking instruction seven to ten days before the planned departure, and we complete capacity checks and quotations for both sectors within one to two working days. Documentation cut-off is usually 24 to 36 hours before departure from the Chinese gateway. Allow one to two days of buffer for the connection between the two sectors. For customers with steady monthly volumes we can set up a weekly capacity reservation.
Route, schedule, aircraft type and payload Information here is for business reference only. Actual arrangements follow Icelandair's official notices and confirmation on the day of booking.
Operations and agency enquiries: Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited, website https://goodhope86.com, email info@goodhope86.com
The Icelandair name, marks and related trademarks belong to Icelandair. The material was prepared by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited to describe cargo services originating in China.