Departure
96%
vs 95% ▲ 1
MY FS FLIGHTS
MY FS FLIGHTS
Akureyri Airport (BIAR/AEY) lies at the head of Eyjafjörður fjord in North Iceland, some three kilometres south of the town it serves. It is northern Iceland's principal international gateway and the home base of Norlandair, offering a single long, ILS-equipped runway that also makes it an important diversion field for Keflavík.
Akureyri Airport is the main airport of North Iceland, situated on reclaimed land at the delta of the Eyjafjörður river a short distance south of Akureyri town centre. It is a public airport owned by Isavia and serves as the hub for Norlandair, with Icelandair also linking it to domestic points and limited Greenland services; seasonal international flights have been operated by easyJet, Edelweiss Air and Transavia. For a visiting sim pilot it is notable for its dramatic fjord-side setting, a single very long instrument runway, and its role as a designated alternate for Keflavík International Airport when conditions there are unsuitable.
The airport sits on the west side of Eyjafjörður, about three kilometres south of downtown Akureyri, on land reclaimed from the river delta. Area control in the vicinity is provided by Reykjavik ACC, with local control and radar services also available on discrete frequencies. The field's low elevation and surrounding high terrain either side of the fjord are important considerations for VFR arrivals and departures.
Akureyri has a single physical runway, 01/19, oriented broadly north-south along the fjord. It is 8,831 feet (2,691 metres) long with a hard (asphalt) surface, and is lit. Both ends are served by an ILS, with the approach for runway 01 introduced in 2010 and for runway 19 added in 2020.
Reykjavik ACC is available on 119.7 MHz for area control. A radar service (RADAR) operates on 118.7 MHz, and the tower (TWR) provides local aerodrome control on 118.2 MHz. Both runway ends, 01 and 19, are equipped with ILS approaches, reflecting the airport's status as an internationally-served field and Keflavík diversion airport.
The airport lies at the head of Eyjafjörður, Iceland's longest fjord, with the runway laid out along reclaimed land at the river delta; the fjord itself, running north-south past the town of Akureyri, is the dominant visual feature for pilots tracking towards the field from either direction.
Air services to Akureyri began in 1928 when Flugfélag Íslands flew seaplanes from Reykjavík, alighting on Eyjafjörður near the town, though this operation lasted only three years. Flugfélag Akureyrar was founded in 1937 and was renamed Flugfélag Íslands in 1940, becoming a predecessor of today's Icelandair; Loftleiðir began competing seaplane services from Reykjavík in 1944. During the Second World War an airstrip was established at Melgerðismelar, around 20 kilometres south of the town. The current airport, built on reclaimed land at the Eyjafjörður river delta a few kilometres from the town centre, opened in December 1954 with a 1,000-metre runway, superseding the Melgerðismelar strip. A new terminal followed in 1961, with expansions in 1970 and 1996 alongside runway extensions. The runway was renovated in 2000 for international operations, and a further two-year renovation completed in 2009 lengthened it by 500 metres to the south and improved lighting and approach aids. An ILS was added for runway 01 in 2010 and for runway 19 in 2020. The airport's importance as a diversion field was demonstrated during the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruptions, when the closure of Keflavík sent many international flights to Akureyri, straining its then-limited terminal and ramp capacity.
Akureyri Airport functions as northern Iceland's international airport and is the operating hub for Norlandair, with Icelandair providing domestic and Greenland links; seasonal international services have been flown by easyJet, Edelweiss Air and Transavia, and Niceair briefly operated international routes from the field in 2022 before ceasing operations in 2023. The airport has continued to expand, with a 35,000 square metre ramp extension opened in October 2023 and a larger passenger terminal, with separate domestic and international areas, opened in December 2024. Its long, ILS-served runway also underpins its continuing role as a designated alternate for Keflavík International Airport.
