A Popular Budget Airline Is Ending All US Flights (And Travelers Are Already Seeing The Impact)

One of the very first things travelers should know when planning a trip to Iceland is how to take advantage of cheap airfares, but sadly, it's about to get a lot harder, as PLAY Airlines has officially announced the end of all flight routes traveling between Iceland and North America, starting October 2025.

Flights to Iceland with PLAY Airlines typically range between $129 and $350 one way, and with no other budget airline competing in this space, its absence will leave a gap in the market for routes between the U.S. and Iceland. For travelers, this means if you book after October on airlines like Delta or Icelandair, you should expect to pay between $300 and $400 one way (as of this writing). Not only is this disappointing if you hoped to fly to Iceland on the cheap, but it also means that there is one less stopover flight option if you were thinking about squeezing in an Iceland visit on your way to Europe.

The good news is that there is still a little bit of time left to score some of these low fares until another budget airline comes on the scene — and you might have even more time than you think, depending on where you fly from.

If you have some free time or unused PTO, consider tacking on a last-minute trip to Iceland to take advantage of the last of PLAY Airlines' budget-friendly Iceland fares. Flights are still available to book from New York Stewart International Airport (SWF) until September 1, 2025; Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) until September 15, 2025; and Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) until October 24, 2025. You can still find fares for as low as $112 one way, which is half the price of what you'd pay if you wait and take a non-budget airline.

Whether you stay for a week or a weekend, there's plenty of time to squeeze in a few of the most iconic destinations in Iceland, like the Blue Lagoon, which is only 12 miles from the international airport. This is also the perfect stopover activity if you book an overnight layover in Iceland on your way to another Europe country. For example, a flight from New York to Lisbon in late August includes a free stopover, which could be as long as one day or one week.

Of course, you will also have to account for the cost of hotels, meals, and rental cars in Iceland, which aren't on the cheap side, so saving on flights can make a difference. If a getaway to Iceland doesn't work out this time, you can consider staying stateside and visiting this significantly more affordable U.S. destination that gives total Iceland vibes.