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Compare 6 Award Programs — Reykjavík, Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen & Helsinki
Economy from 13k Avios • Promo fares from 17.5k • Business from 55k miles one-way
Reykjavík is the closest piece of Europe to North America. Kefjavík (KEF) sits just 5–6 hours from the US East Coast — the shortest transatlantic crossing in the network — and the mainland Nordic capitals of Stockholm (ARN), Oslo (OSL), Copenhagen (CPH), and Helsinki (HEL) are only 7–8 hours out. Short flights usually mean modest award charts, and that's mostly true here. But this region comes with a quirk that trips up a lot of points travelers: Icelandair, the dominant carrier to KEF, has essentially no US transferable-currency partners except Alaska Mileage Plan.
That makes the Nordics a region where you book around the flag carrier as often as you book it. Delta flies seasonally from JFK, Boston, and Minneapolis to Reykjavík; United flies seasonally from Newark; and the mainland capitals are well covered by SAS and Lufthansa Group connections plus Air France/KLM via Paris and Amsterdam. Each of those operators has a much friendlier points story than Icelandair does — and the best redemptions here are some of the cheapest transatlantic awards anywhere.
| Program | Airline Booked | Cabin | Miles (OW) | Avg Cash Fare | Value (CPP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada Aeroplan | SAS / Lufthansa Group (ARN, CPH, OSL) | Business | 60,000 | $2,900 | ~4.8¢ |
| Alaska Mileage Plan | Icelandair Saga Premium (KEF) | Premium | 55,000 | $1,800 | ~3.3¢ |
| Flying Blue (Promo Rewards) | Air France / KLM via CDG or AMS | Economy | from 17,500 | $550 | ~3.1¢ |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | Delta (JFK/BOS/MSP–KEF) | Economy | from ~15,000/leg | $450 RT | varies |
| British Airways Avios | Aer Lingus via Dublin (+ separate hop) | Economy | from 13,000 | $350 | ~2.7¢ |
Cash prices based on typical published fares; promo and dynamic awards vary by month. Use the search tool for your specific itinerary.
One more thing before the comparison: this is a region where cash fares are genuinely cheap by transatlantic standards. Icelandair runs aggressive sales, and the budget math doesn't always favor points. We cover exactly when to keep your miles in your pocket further down — and if you're weighing the broader continent, our Europe guide covers the western hubs in depth.
Figures below are one-way award prices from the continental US to Reykjavík or the Nordic capitals. Programs with dynamic pricing are labeled — treat their numbers as starting points, not guarantees. Icelandair awards follow Alaska's partner chart; verify current pricing before transferring anything.
| Program | Economy OW | Business OW | Best For | Transfer From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Air Canada Aeroplan
BEST VALUE SAS/LH Biz 60k |
35,000 (off-peak) | 60,000 | Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen in business | Chase UR Amex MR Cap One Bilt |
| Air France/KLM Flying Blue PROMO REWARDS | from 17,500 (promo)–25,000 | from 55,000 | Cheapest mainland-Nordics economy in promo months | Chase UR Amex MR Citi TY Cap One Bilt |
| Alaska Mileage Plan Icelandair Saga 55k | 22,500 | 55,000 (Saga Premium) | The only major-program door to Icelandair metal |
Bilt
Alaska Visa
Bilt is the only major transferable currency — otherwise earn via card, flying, or buying
|
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club VARIES | from ~15,000–25,000/leg (Delta) | — | Delta's seasonal JFK/BOS/MSP–KEF nonstops | Chase UR Amex MR Citi TY Bilt |
| British Airways Avios | from 13,000 (Aer Lingus, DUB gateway) | — | Cheap East Coast hop to Dublin + separate flight east | Chase UR Amex MR Cap One |
| United MileagePlus DYNAMIC | 30,000+ | 70,000+ | United's seasonal EWR–KEF nonstop; Star connections | Chase UR Bilt |
These are the redemptions worth planning around. None of them requires heroic mileage balances — this is one of the cheapest premium regions in the transatlantic market.
The headline play for the mainland Nordics. Aeroplan's Atlantic band prices business class to Scandinavia at roughly 60,000 points one-way via SAS or Lufthansa Group connections through hubs like Frankfurt, Munich, and Zurich. Cash business fares on these routes routinely top $2,900. Transfers 1:1 from Chase, Amex, Capital One, and Bilt.
Book via: aeroplan.com • Partner booking fee applies; verify routing options before transferring
A known sweet spot: Virgin Atlantic Flying Club books Delta-operated flights, and Delta's seasonal Iceland nonstops often price at 30,000–50,000 Virgin points round-trip in economy — usually less than Delta SkyMiles wants for the same seats (SkyMiles is dynamic, often 50k+ round-trip). Virgin points transfer from Chase, Amex, Citi, and Bilt.
Book via: virginatlantic.com • Pricing varies — always compare against Delta's own rate
Icelandair's only meaningful points door. Per Alaska's partner chart, Saga Premium runs about 55,000 miles one-way and economy about 22,500 — verify before transferring. Saga Premium is a recliner-style seat, not lie-flat, so think "domestic first class with better food." Since Bilt is the only major currency that transfers to Alaska, this is the rare redemption where Bilt renters have a structural edge.
Book via: alaskaair.com • Low surcharges
Flying Blue's monthly Promo Rewards list regularly features Scandinavia — one-way economy from roughly 17,500–25,000 miles via Amsterdam or Paris when your city pair is on the list. The discounted routes rotate every month, so this rewards flexible planners. Flying Blue transfers from every major bank currency, making it the easiest program here to top up.
Book via: flyingblue.com • Check the monthly Promo Rewards page first
Aer Lingus's shortest East Coast routes to Dublin start at 13,000 Avios one-way in off-peak economy — among the cheapest transatlantic awards in existence. From Dublin, budget and short-haul fares to Reykjavík or the Nordic capitals are frequently cheap enough to pay cash. Two bookings, but often fewer total points than any single-award routing.
Book via: ba.com (Avios) • Watch bag rules and connection buffers on separate tickets
The right program depends heavily on which city you're targeting — Iceland and the mainland capitals have almost entirely different award playbooks.
Star Alliance and Lufthansa Group connections carry most of the premium-cabin load to the mainland capitals, which is why Aeroplan (60k business, 35k off-peak economy) is the program to beat. SkyTeam is the economy value story: Air France/KLM funnel the whole region through Paris and Amsterdam, and Flying Blue Promo Rewards regularly discount Scandinavian cities. Helsinki adds a oneworld wrinkle — Finnair's hub connects through to the Nordics and beyond, bookable with Avios at rates that vary by route and season.
Iceland stands apart. Icelandair isn't in any global alliance, and among the major US-facing programs only Alaska Mileage Plan can book it. If you're not sitting on Alaska miles (or Bilt points to feed them), plan around Delta or United's seasonal nonstops instead — or position through Dublin with cheap Avios awards and hop over on a paid fare.
Here's the honest part most guides skip: Iceland is frequently a cash destination. Icelandair runs aggressive sales — round-trip fares in the $400s from the East Coast show up several times a year — and at those prices, most award redemptions fall under 1 cent per point. A 50,000-point round-trip with $100+ in taxes against a $450 fare is value destruction, not award travel.
Run your specific numbers in our cents-per-point calculator before transferring anything. If the redemption doesn't clear roughly 1.2–1.5 cents per point, book the cash fare, earn miles on the flight, and save the balance for a route where premium cabins cost $3,000+ — like the Scandinavia business awards above, or the long-haul routes in our destination explorer.
Check Icelandair, Delta, United, and the budget carriers for your dates before you look at award charts. If a sale is running, the decision usually makes itself.
For Scandinavia in business, search Aeroplan for SAS and Lufthansa Group space. For Iceland, check Delta's calendar (then price it via Virgin Atlantic) and Alaska's site for Icelandair. Flying Blue's Promo Rewards page refreshes monthly — flexible travelers should start there.
Move points from your bank currency only after space is confirmed. Most transfers land within hours; transfers to Alaska via Bilt and some Amex partners can take longer. If a transfer bonus is live to Flying Blue or Virgin Atlantic, the effective price of these awards drops another 20–30%.
For most travelers it's Virgin Atlantic Flying Club booking Delta's seasonal nonstops from JFK, Boston, and Minneapolis to Reykjavík — round-trip economy awards often price at 30,000–50,000 points, a known sweet spot, and Virgin Atlantic points transfer 1:1 from Chase, Amex, Citi, and Bilt. The other budget path is British Airways Avios on Aer Lingus via Dublin — from 13,000 Avios one-way on the shortest East Coast routes — paired with a cheap separate flight onward to Iceland or the Nordics. Always compare against Icelandair's cash sales before transferring anything.
Among major US programs, only Alaska Mileage Plan partners with Icelandair. Per Alaska's partner chart, economy runs about 22,500 miles one-way and Saga Premium about 55,000 miles — verify pricing and space before transferring. Alaska miles don't transfer from Chase, Amex, Citi, or Capital One; Bilt is the only major transferable currency that moves to Alaska, which makes this a distinctly Bilt-flavored play. Otherwise you earn Alaska miles via the Alaska Visa card, flying, or buying miles.
Often not. The East Coast to Reykjavík is only 5–6 hours, and most eastbound flights are short overnights where you would barely use a lie-flat seat anyway. Icelandair's Saga Premium is a recliner-style seat, not a true lie-flat business class, so set expectations accordingly — at 55,000 Alaska miles it's a comfort upgrade, not a luxury redemption. To mainland Scandinavia the flight is 7–8 hours, where Aeroplan's roughly 60,000-point business awards via SAS or Lufthansa Group connections make a stronger case.
Air Canada Aeroplan is the headline play — around 60,000 points one-way in business via SAS or Lufthansa Group connections, with economy from about 35,000 points one-way off-peak in the Atlantic band. For economy on a budget, watch Flying Blue Promo Rewards: Scandinavia appears regularly, with one-way economy from roughly 17,500–25,000 miles via Amsterdam or Paris in promo months. Both programs transfer from all the major bank currencies, so check current space and any live transfer bonuses before you move points.
Whenever Icelandair runs one of its frequent sales — round-trip fares in the $400s from the East Coast are common. Against a $450 fare, a 50,000-point round-trip redemption with $100+ in taxes returns well under 1 cent per point, which is poor value. Run the numbers in our cents-per-point calculator before transferring; as a rule of thumb, if you can't clear roughly 1.2–1.5 cents per point, buy the cash ticket and save the miles for a more expensive route.
Use Award Optimizer to compare all 8 programs for your specific route, cabin class, and travel dates — with live cash pricing to calculate your real cents-per-point value.
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