Keflavik Airport

✅ Trip Verified | Closes at 5.30pm, because there are no Icelandair flights, though there are other flights leaving. Boarding Card reads invitation to lounge, but no words that you actually cannot get in. We were not the only confused ones. No info at lounge that it is closed and at info desk no one working. Waiting area by Gate has no electricity plugs. What a backwards airport and service.

✅ Trip Verified | I travel through KEF quite often and I dread the experience every single time. There are no lounges and no formal dining areas, just food court style. The country is so tiny and they go way way overboard on their security. I get “selected” for extra screening every time. And legally it has to be randomly but they just profile for extra screening here. Staff are rude when you try and be friendly. Iceland is beautiful but Icelandair and their airport is an extreme downgrade. Also the country went bankrupt and are being held up but tourists alone, you’d think they’d make the experience more enjoyable. Also very expensive due to this. Okay rant over, thanks for reading!

Not Verified | Rude staff, especially security - I was yelled at to wait my turn as I stepped over the line in preparation to get A tray. There was only one staff member on which didn’t help. Other staff were also harsh and unhelpful. Ruined an otherwise pleasant stay. Debating whether it was as bad an experience as ones had in JFK airport.

✅ Trip Verified | Arrived at airport in plenty of time, it’s great that you can bag drop earlier than normal. Not much information on signs but staff seemed friendly enough. Issued started when going through security. I was traveling with expensive camera equipment in my carry on and had my purchases as we were informed we had to show them at tax credit, didn’t need to. Took laptop out, boots they said to try but a no go, no problem. But my carry on and personal item were pulled aside to pull my cameras out for scanning and swabbing. Unnerving when they are handling cameras and tossing them in a bin for second scanning. Finally made it through first security only to get pulled at second security as a random pull, this time pulled out of line down a long hall to a corner with bunch of other passengers all with flights already boarding, told our flights will wait for us. I did mention to them that my carry on bag really needed to get bin space for, oh he understood but I should pack it in my personal item. This is the second tearing apart of my carry on and pulling cameras out, laptop, ipad, swabbing my stomach, leg above my sock, hands. My plane has started boarding and I’m way in back of line, finally at gate and guess what, security guy forgot to stamp my boarding pass so I have to rush all the way back and find the correct guy and have him stamp my ticket, the gate lady did go with me as I had no idea how to get back there. Mind you I’m in jacket, boots carrying my bags rushing through crowded airport. The guy that made the error then escorted me back to gate, now I’m really back in line, he’s sorry, doesn’t help as now I had no time to hit a bathroom or grab a water. Very frustrating and exhausting. I was trying to be polite and friendly but this was the worst airport experience ever and I have travelled all over the world and to many 3rd world airports, love Iceland but no interest in returning after this experience! With all the travel to Iceland they really need to streamline the boarding. The lines were the longest I have ever seen, everyone boarding at once. I was sweaty, frustrated and had to hunt for bin storage after being early for my flight.

✅ Trip Verified | Boarding & security was ok but the amenities are very poor. The one called Mathus is terrible and the staff cooking & serving food have no clue how to communicate or serve food. The Nord was closed! Obviously don’t need the business at 5pm got sanctuary from Joe & the juice. I have never found such poor food amenities as this airport

✅ Trip Verified | Absolutely horrible. I’ve flown out of this airport 3 times (round trip) and the only semi-positive experience was in 2017. Within 2019 I traveled through twice and have had absolutely horrid experiences both times. First, their carry on bag requirements for Icelandair are absurd and their requirements are quite literally no bigger than a small backpack, so if you have a rolling suitcase 9.5 times out of 10 they will force you to check it for $70 per bag. I'm used to absurdities in the airport with United States TSA, but I have now experienced the absurdity of this airport. Somehow their toiletry rules changed between June and December of the same year, where you are only allowed 1 small toiletry bag as opposed to the 2 that was described to me in June. Nonetheless I made it through security, only to have my girlfriend who was traveling with me (and does not fly often) was pulled for a secondary check after customs check, and then I was told she will be coming out another entrance so I need to wait for her at the gate. This airport was despicable in terms of operation, staff, friendliness, and ensuring you don’t leave Iceland with a bad taste in your mouth. I truly love this country, but frankly I refuse to go through what is basically a strip search and mugging just to get through the airport.

Not Verified | Dreadful airport. What a rubbish way to end a weekend break to this beautiful country. The airport building is very modern and bright however the queues for security are the worst I have ever encountered at any airport and I travel regularly. We stood in line for over an hour. The attitude of the security staff is appalling shouting out abrupt commands and being generally rude.

✅ Trip Verified | Never have I encountered airport personnel so cold and rude as on Keflavik! On my transfer from USA to EU, I was among the first passengers in line to board. I got pulled aside and asked to put my carry-on suitcase in the measuring bin. I was somewhat surprised at the request since my suitcase was lightly packed (not bulging) standard size designed to comply with all carry on regulations, which I have used for 15 years without any issues. The suitcase fit in the measuring bin without much trouble. Yet, I was informed that it was to be checked in because I had "guided it in" and it would not fit on the plane. I couldn't believe it! While the staff was fiddling with my ticket, I put it once again in the bin to make sure I was not hallucinating. Indeed, the bag dropped in with ease. The person processing me glanced at me and coldly with a note of sarcasm told me that: "This is of no use - your bag is getting checked!". Then it occurred to me to ask the second person on the counter if the airplane were a 767-300 and was told it was. "Well", I protested, "I just deplaned from a 767-300 and my bag traveled in the overhead bin with clearance to spare. This notion that it won't fit in the same plane is absurd!". At this point they caved, gave me an "approved carry-on" band and told me to just go on with my bag. Of course, by this time I had lost my place in the boarding line due to the lengthy delay. On my reverse transfer from EU to USA, after clearing passport control, I ended up on a lane where an official at a desk was checking passports again and questioning everyone before letting them proceed. I expected just a cursory inspection of my US passport and "good day", but got a rather lengthy interview with increasingly intrusive questions. After reviewing my passport he asked me if my first flight was fine. Then he proceeded to question me about how many years I have been living in the US. The next questions got even weirder: Do you like living in the US? He then asked me some somewhat more standard questions about my luggage: had I packed it myself and had anyone tampered with it? Later on while waiting in line to board, another agent went around and asked everyone the luggage packing and tampering questions and whether we had purchased anything from anyone outside of the duty free store all over again. All these "security" questions felt over the top. At the gate, I got a recap of my first transfer experience through the airport. Since my bag now had the "IcelandAir approved carry on" band on it, I did not expect any trouble when boarding this time. But no, the person past the counter asked me to drop my bag in the measuring bin (he already had a queue of passenger he had pulled over). I complied and when my turn came dropped my bag with finesse having gotten a lesson on it just a couple days prior. He was satisfied and let me go, but not after wasting a bunch of my time. Might as well have been last on the line. I have no idea what is going on in Iceland, but the airport staff are very cold and rude. They zealously try to force check-in innocuous standard carry on bags from random passengers as if they are on commission to do it. They also keep asking bizarre "security" questions - a throwback to the months after 9/11. This police state experience is such that it kills any desire to visit their country as a tourist ever. Thanks, but no thanks, Iceland!

✅ Trip Verified | Going through security I went to an open space to put my things through and got told off by a security woman because she hadn’t told me to come. I went back and she kept telling me off - to come, to go, to wait in future. My total confusion at her lack of professionalism must have shown on my face so I said nothing. People with a little bit of power, hey! I was then stopped when I walked through and my bag was as well to have a paper test (for explosive testing!) Random, I was told but certainly due to this woman. Very disappointed in Iceland that they allow there staff to bully people and that one woman is allowed to pick on people where at any other airport this would not happen (and I speak from experience).

✅ Trip Verified | I travel heavily (2-3 times a month) all over the world and are aware and understand fully that service personnel in security Check need to orchestra the lines to a certain degree. But I have never experienced a more rude and impolite “service”. Almost everyone understands and try to do the best in a situation like a security check. But to be screamed at people, retain your luggage when you politely note that you appreciate a nice tone and in any way act as a “counter pope“ is totally out of order. Please educate you “service” personnel so we as travelers can get through the airport get our personal limit exceeded.