British Airways vs Icelandair
On the best documented aircraft, British Airways scores 10/10 for the business seat and Icelandair 0/10. The aircraft on your booking decides whether those seats apply.
By Jon Miksis · comparison updated
This page contains affiliate links. If you sign up or book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend, or the order we recommend it in. Full disclosure.
What matters for your booking
Business fares
Of 65 shared business routes, British Airways was cheaper on 0, Icelandair on 65, and 0 were the same price.
Economy fares
Of 53 shared economy routes, British Airways was cheaper on 7, Icelandair on 46, and 0 were the same price.
Start with your route and cabin. A fare advantage in economy does not establish a business-class bargain, and a better seat does not establish that a connection or a higher fare is worth it for your trip.
The business seats being compared
These are each airline’s best-scoring documented business aircraft. The fare grid does not identify aircraft, so the seat below is not promised with any fare in the table. Service and food require a separate firsthand review.
British Airways
A350-1000 / 787-10 / 777 (Club Suite)
- Seat layout
- 1-2-1
- Fully flat bed
- Yes
- Direct aisle access at every seat
- Yes
- Privacy door
- Yes
- Seat score
- 10/10
- Wi-Fi
- Paid in the recorded product
- Lounge access
- Included in the recorded fare
- Checked bags
- 2
Cabin checked .
Recorded source: British Airways fleet pages, Club Suite rollout reporting.
Icelandair
737 MAX / 757 (Saga Premium)
- Seat layout
- 2-2
- Fully flat bed
- No
- Direct aisle access at every seat
- No
- Privacy door
- No
- Seat score
- 0/10
- Wi-Fi
- Paid in the recorded product
- Lounge access
- Included in the recorded fare
- Checked bags
- 2
Cabin checked .
Recorded source: Icelandair fare-type pages, Saga Premium reviews.
Seat scores describe bed, aisle access and privacy door only. Read the scoring method. A tie does not compare comfort, food, service or reliability.
Check the aircraft on British Airways
A350-1000 / 787-10 / 777 (Club Suite): 10/10 for the seat. Club Suite is on all A350-1000s, all 787-10s and the retrofitted 777s. The 787-8 and some 787-9s still fly the old Club World, with retrofit targeted through end of 2026. Recorded August 30, 2026.
787-8 / some 787-9 (old Club World): 5/10 for the seat. The outgoing yin-yang cabin: eight seats abreast, half of them rear-facing, and window seats requiring a climb over a stranger. A materially worse product at the same fare. Recorded August 30, 2026.
Compare the fares and the routing
Each row compares the same airports, cabin, travel dates and observation date. It can still compare a nonstop against a connection. Journey times, aircraft, baggage allowances and change rules were not recorded with these fares; check those before treating the price difference as a saving.
Showing 12 of 65 matched business routes. Round trip per person in USD, for travel November 8–14, 2026.
| Route and observation date | British Airways | Icelandair | Price difference |
|---|---|---|---|
Washington DC (IAD) → Reykjavik Keflavik (KEF) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $7,567Connects via LHR | $1,747Nonstop | Icelandair was $5,820 less |
New York (JFK) → Reykjavik Keflavik (KEF) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $6,348Connects via LHR | $1,887Nonstop | Icelandair was $4,461 less |
Washington DC (IAD) → Dublin (DUB) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $6,126Connects via LHR | $2,147Connects via KEF | Icelandair was $3,979 less |
New York (JFK) → Glasgow (GLA) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $10,220Connects via LHR | $2,336Connects via KEF | Icelandair was $7,884 less |
New York (JFK) → London Heathrow (LHR) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $6,047Nonstop | $2,338Connects via KEF | Icelandair was $3,709 less |
Orlando (MCO) → Stockholm Arlanda (ARN) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $8,559Connects via LHR | $2,431Connects via KEF | Icelandair was $6,128 less |
Washington DC (IAD) → London Heathrow (LHR) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $9,747Nonstop | $2,443Connects via KEF | Icelandair was $7,304 less |
Orlando (MCO) → Oslo (OSL) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $8,599Connects via LHR | $2,477Connects via KEF | Icelandair was $6,122 less |
Washington DC (IAD) → Rome Fiumicino (FCO) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $7,573Connects via LHR | $2,530Connects via KEF | Icelandair was $5,043 less |
New York (JFK) → Oslo (OSL) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $6,426Connects via LHR | $2,606Connects via KEF | Icelandair was $3,820 less |
Chicago (ORD) → Reykjavik Keflavik (KEF) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $7,648Connects via LHR | $2,607Nonstop | Icelandair was $5,041 less |
Boston (BOS) → Copenhagen (CPH) Observed September 1, 2026 Compare all observed airlines | $6,343Connects via LHR | $2,619Connects via KEF | Icelandair was $3,724 less |
Your airport missing? Check the full route tool for the airlines we observed there. Confirm current fares, journey time, baggage and ticket rules before booking.
Before paying for the ticket
- Check the exact operating airline and seat map on every long flight, including the return. An airline name or business-class label alone does not guarantee a flat bed or aisle access.
- Compare total journey time and connection length. A lower fare may buy a much longer trip.
- Reprice with your bags, preferred seats and change rules included. These observations do not establish that the tickets have identical restrictions.
- Check other airlines on the route. Being cheaper than the other airline on this page does not establish the cheapest fare in the market.
Common questions
- Is British Airways or Icelandair better in business class to Europe?
- On the best documented aircraft, British Airways scores 10/10 for the business seat and Icelandair 0/10. The aircraft on your booking decides whether those seats apply. Of 65 shared business routes, British Airways was cheaper on 0, Icelandair on 65, and 0 were the same price. Service and food are not scored in this comparison. These are observations for travel November 8–14, 2026, not current quotes.
- Which is cheaper, British Airways or Icelandair?
- Of 65 shared business routes, British Airways was cheaper on 0, Icelandair on 65, and 0 were the same price. Of 53 shared economy routes, British Airways was cheaper on 7, Icelandair on 46, and 0 were the same price. Both counts refer to travel November 8–14, 2026. A cheaper fare may involve a connection; compare the itinerary as well as the price.
- Will I get the business seat shown here?
- These cards describe the named aircraft in our cabin records, not a seat guaranteed on every flight. At least one of these airlines has a recorded aircraft or cabin variation. Check the operating airline, seat map and aircraft for every segment before paying; equipment can change. The fare observations do not record the aircraft.
- Has Jon flown these business cabins?
- British Airways business class is not on Jon’s confirmed flown roster. Icelandair business class is not on Jon’s confirmed flown roster. That records the airline and cabin, not every aircraft or itinerary. This page compares documented specifications and dated fares.
Join the Club, free
One email a week: the Europe fares worth acting on, the new transatlantic routes, and first look at the tools. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.