Straight and Narrow

Icelandair delivers transatlantic flair on a single-aisle aircraft

- STORY BY ENRIQUE PERRELLA

FOR DECADES, LONG-haul flying has been the exclusive territory of wide-body aircraft. Yet a new generation of long-range narrow-bodies is reshaping global route maps.

These fuel-efficient jets allow airlines to serve “long-thin” markets once impossible to justify with bigger aircraft. For Icelandair, in the midst of replacing its 757s and 767s, the Airbus A321LR is the key to expansion. It stretches the carrier's reach to destinations such as Miami and Istanbul—previously out of range.

For me, this was a first: a long-haul flight on a single-aisle jet. Could comfort and calm survive the squeeze? I was about to find out aboard Icelandair’s inaugural Miami-Reykjavík service.

Check-In & Preboarding Ceremony

Check-in at Miami International's Concourse E felt ordinary—until reaching Gate E10, which had been transformed into an Iceland-Miami celebration. Black curtains enclosed the area, creating a night-sky illusion lit by blue and yellow spotlights that mimicked the northern lights. Inside, the mood was electric. Salsa dancers performed to Latin beats beside a Cuban coffee barista station. A towering cake displayed both cities’ skylines, commemorating Icelandair's 19th North American destination.

At 4:45 p.m., CEO Bogi Nils Bogason addressed the crowd: "Our new plane enables us to reach destinations that were previously out of range. This route connects travelers from Miami to our 38 European destinations via Iceland—and vice versa."

In a warm exchange, Bogason presented Miami officials with a hand-knitted Icelandic sweater made by an Icelandair employee, while the airport gifted him a traditional guayabera shirt. With applause, the ribbon was cut— launching Icelandair’s new era in South Florida.