Passenger Numbers Increased at KEF in 2024

The year 2024 marked the second busiest year in the history of Keflavík Airport (KEF), welcoming a total of 8.3 million guests, a 7.1% increase from the previous year. A total of 28 airlines operated from KEF, serving 98 destinations. London was the most popular destination, while Copenhagen Airport had the highest number of flights.

Frequent volcanic eruptions at the Sundhnúkar Craters affected demand among international tourists traveling to Iceland. While KEF’s passenger forecast estimated 2.4 million foreign visitors, the actual number reached 2.3 million in 2024. Nevertheless, international passenger numbers grew by 2.1% compared to 2023. A total of 600,000 Icelanders travelled abroad last year, representing a 0.1% year-on-year increase.

Transit passengers, those using KEF as a connecting hub without staying in Iceland, totalled 2.58 million, representing 31.1% of the airport’s total visitors last year. This marks a significant increase from 21.2% in 2023 and highlights KEF's growing importance as a transit hub.

In total, 28 airlines operated flights to 98 destinations in 2024. London and Copenhagen remained the most popular destinations, continuing trends from previous years.

London was particularly notable, with flights to four airports — Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, and Luton— operated by seven airlines: British Airways, easyJet, Icelandair, Jet2.com, Play, TUI, and Wizz Air.

The airport with the most flights to and from KEF was Copenhagen Airport. Three airlines — Icelandair, Play, and SAS — provided year-round service between these two locations.

The single busiest day of 2024 was August 4th, when KEF welcomed 36,923 guests. Of these, 12,766 were transit passengers, representing 34.6% of the total. There were 224 passenger flights that day.

According to the Icelandic Tourist Board, 2.26 million international travellers passed through KEF in 2024, an increase of 2.2% compared to the previous year. August recorded the highest number of international departures, with 281,450 travellers leaving Iceland.

American travellers were the largest group of international visitors, accounting for 620,000 departures, or 27.4% of the total—a decline of 27,000 compared to 2023. British visitors were the second largest group, with 266,000 departures (11.8% of the total), a year-on-year decrease of 18,000.

Icelandic departures in 2024 totalled 605,579, similar to the 603,000 recorded in 2023. June was the busiest month for Icelanders traveling abroad, with 65,000 departures. This marks 2024 the fourth-largest year for Icelanders traveling internationally, following record years in 2017 (619,000), 2018 (668,000), and 2019 (611,000).

KEF’s 2025 passenger forecast predicts an increase in total passengers, reaching nearly 8.4 million. The number of international tourists arriving through the airport is expected to reach approximately 2.3 million. If this prediction holds, 2025 will be the second-busiest year in Keflavík Airport’s history and the busiest year for international arrivals to Iceland.