Scheduled to fly in Saga Premium class with Icelandair from Reykjavik to Washington Dulles in December, I decided to arrive early at Keflavik Airport (KEF) to explore the Icelandair Saga Lounge and to get some work done.
Located in the main terminal near the D gates, the lounge can be accessed by passengers flying up front with Icelandair or via certain codeshare partners, as well as by Saga Gold and Silver loyalty members, a variety of credit card holders, and others.
Icelandair’s slogan is “Fly Well” and from the moment I scanned my boarding pass for entry into the lounge, I felt as if I was doing just that. Quite literally.
For starters, the near 15,000 sq ft lounge is immaculate. Icelandair prides itself on its cleanliness, but I observed white-glove levels of clean across surfaces — the floors, buffet table, coffee stations, dining tables, seating and, importantly, in the bathrooms and showers.
Indeed, the spacious individual shower rooms simply gleamed. And a shower chair in each stall added to their accessible appeal.
As an avowed laviator (someone who snaps mirror selfies in aircraft lavatories), it won’t surprise you to learn that I love the landscape photographs adorning each shower cubicle in the Icelandair Saga Lounge. And yes, I reckon they do help to set a calm and relaxing scene in support of bowel health.
The buffet table, flanked by a wall of chilled beverages, featured a variety of fruits, meats, bread and regionally-focused salads and side dishes.
A couple of Icelandic hot dishes were also available. And while I was on a somewhat restrictive diet at the time, I found plenty to nosh on.
Yet, unlike lounges that have allowed their Covid-era cleaning practices to lax, the Icelandair Saga Lounge appears to have maintained the high standards set during the pandemic.
The airy, nature-inspired space features a palette of light and dark wood, green and maroon, with various accent pieces, artwork, and lighting fixtures.
Passengers streamed into the lounge and I was heartened to hear a lot of laughter and camaraderie among them. The lounge had been tastefully decorated for the holidays and, coupled with our snowy surroundings, it wasn’t difficult to get into the Christmas spirit.
Icelandair has good reason to be proud of its Saga Lounge at KEF. Good eats, great views, multifunctional spaces that allow you to power up, and the option of a hot shower, make it worth the visit. But the pristine nature of the space gives it an edge. This is flying well, with a clear emphasis on passenger well-being and comfort.
Mary Kirby flew as a guest of Icelandair to Reykjavik but as ever, all opinions are her own.
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All images credited to the author, Mary Kirby
