The expansion of the partnership between Southwest Airlines and Icelandair marks a significant milestone for travelers flying between the U.S. and Europe, offering greater convenience through Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT). The announcement, made on June 2, 2025, adds Pittsburgh as a key gateway, allowing Southwest passengers to seamlessly connect to Icelandair’s expansive European network via Reykjavik, Iceland. This partnership, which aims to expand access to North America and Europe, is a testament to the airlines’ joint efforts to meet growing demand for international travel.
Expansion of U.S.-Europe Connections Through Pittsburgh
The collaboration, which is set to officially launch on July 14, 2025, is part of a broader effort by Southwest Airlines to expand its network and create more global travel opportunities for its passengers. Travelers can now book connections from Pittsburgh to Icelandair’s destinations across Europe, with plans to integrate these connections into Southwest’s own website by 2026. This integration will coincide with Southwest’s transition to assigned seating, further enhancing the customer experience. Notably, Pittsburgh joins other key Southwest hubs such as Orlando and Raleigh-Durham, alongside the previously added airports of Baltimore, Denver, and Nashville.
For Icelandair, the expanded partnership is pivotal in increasing its footprint in North America. Icelandair’s President and CEO, Bogi Nils Bogason, expressed excitement about the growing collaboration, stating that this expanded service now includes flights to and from six major U.S. cities, with Pittsburgh being one of the most recent additions. This expansion creates even more connection opportunities for customers traveling from North America to Iceland and beyond.
Connecting Pittsburgh to Europe and Beyond
Through this partnership, passengers flying with Southwest Airlines will now have more options when it comes to booking international flights, thanks to Icelandair’s extensive European network. Travelers will be able to book a single itinerary combining flights on both airlines, allowing for easy connections between Pittsburgh and Reykjavik as well as various European cities. Icelandair offers a variety of connections to popular destinations like London, Copenhagen, and Berlin, making this an attractive option for those looking to travel to Europe with fewer layovers and streamlined baggage handling.
Impact on Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) has become a strategic location for both airlines, further solidifying its role as a growing hub for international travel. With this expansion, PIT joins a select group of U.S. airports where both Southwest Airlines and Icelandair operate. According to industry data from Cirium, Pittsburgh is now the fifth-largest Southwest station served by Icelandair, following Denver, Baltimore, Nashville, and Orlando. This positions Pittsburgh as a significant player in the transatlantic travel market.
The new partnership also means that several Southwest markets from Pittsburgh will connect bi-directionally to Icelandair’s route to Reykjavik, including major cities like Chicago-Midway, Nashville, and Tampa. Additionally, one-way itineraries to Reykjavik will be available from other Southwest-served markets in Pittsburgh. This will improve convenience for travelers looking to fly across the Atlantic from a variety of U.S. cities.
A Growing Network for Southwest Airlines
For Southwest Airlines, this partnership is part of a broader strategy to diversify its routes and meet the demands of an increasingly global travel market. Southwest’s announcement of the Icelandair partnership follows a recent partnership with China Airlines, which will further expand connections across the Pacific. The ability to combine Southwest’s domestic reach with Icelandair’s European connections is poised to attract more customers, bolstering the airline’s international appeal.
Southwest remains the leading carrier in terms of passenger traffic at Pittsburgh International Airport, representing over a quarter of the airport’s total passenger traffic in May 2025. The airline celebrated 20 years of service in Pittsburgh, reflecting its continued success and growth in the market, which now includes 20 destinations, more than any other carrier at the airport.
Icelandair’s Expansion in North America
For Icelandair, this partnership is crucial to its strategy of expanding its North American network. Since beginning operations at Pittsburgh in 2024, Icelandair has offered seasonal service to Reykjavik as the airport’s second nonstop route to Europe, joining British Airways’ year-round flights to London Heathrow. The airline has continued to build on this success with its four-times-a-week service between Pittsburgh and Reykjavik, which resumed earlier in April 2025 and is scheduled to continue through October 2025.
Icelandair serves more than 20 destinations in North America and nearly 35 destinations throughout Europe, and this partnership expands its reach in both regions. By increasing connections through Pittsburgh, the airline is able to strengthen its position in the competitive North American market while offering more options for its passengers.
Looking Ahead: More Opportunities for U.S.-Europe Travel
The expansion of the Southwest-Icelandair partnership through Pittsburgh offers an exciting new chapter in international travel, providing passengers with more options, enhanced convenience, and seamless connections to Europe. The integration of these services into both airlines’ systems, alongside continued growth in U.S. airports, demonstrates a forward-looking strategy focused on connecting travelers across the globe. The partnership serves as a model for how airlines can collaborate to enhance their networks and offer greater flexibility to customers. With additional routes from PIT to Europe and more destinations on the horizon, the future of travel between the U.S. and Europe looks brighter than ever.
