Icelandair has announced the suspension of its route to Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, effective January 6, 2025. This decision marks a significant shift for the airline, as it has been expanding its network elsewhere in the United States. The route’s discontinuation highlights ongoing challenges in transatlantic travel between Europe and the U.S., which have seen a decline in demand recently.
According to schedule filings with aviation analytics firm Cirium, the last flight to Detroit will operate in early January 2025. While Icelandair has not publicly commented on this decision, the airline has removed the route from its booking platform. Detroit was initially added to Icelandair’s network in 2023 as a seasonal service, which was later extended to operate beyond the summer months into December. Despite this effort, the service will not continue into the new year.
The Detroit route was one of Icelandair’s longer flights, covering approximately 6 hours and 25 minutes each way, and primarily using Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. During its peak season, flights operated up to five times weekly, with a reduction to three or four flights during winter. The airline marketed this route to both business and leisure travelers, emphasizing connections to various destinations across Europe through its hub in Reykjavík.
Load factors for the route fell short compared to other U.S. destinations. In 2024, the Detroit route was reported to be the airline’s second-weakest, following Pittsburgh, based on passenger loads. The U.S. Department of Transportation indicated that while summer occupancy rates exceeded 80%, winter performance was notably weaker. Overall, the Detroit route carried around 42,000 passengers, resulting in a 74% average load factor.
Despite the setback with Detroit, Icelandair’s overall capacity to the U.S. is growing. The airline plans to offer over 1,000,000 seats this year, marking an 8% increase compared to the previous year. This expansion is largely driven by the addition of new destinations like Nashville, along with increased frequencies and larger aircraft deployed on popular routes such as Orlando, Denver, and Seattle.
The introduction of services to Miami has further underscored Icelandair’s commitment to maintaining a robust presence in the U.S. market. As the airline continues to expand, it is expected to introduce new routes in the coming years, particularly with the arrival of its first Airbus A321LR and the anticipated delivery of Airbus A321XLR aircraft.
This growth trajectory suggests that while the Detroit route may not have proven successful, Icelandair remains focused on enhancing its overall U.S. operations. In an interview last year, the airline’s North American Director indicated that several new destinations, particularly in Texas and California, are under consideration as part of its ongoing expansion strategy.
