Icelandair Wants to Bring More North Americans to Norway

With its strong North American network, Icelandair has the potential to bring plenty of visitors to its Nordic neighbours like Norway. The airline took a step toward that goal by signing a memorandum of understanding with destination company Fjord Norway. 

Canadian travellers can fly direct with the carrier from Vancouver, Toronto, and Halifax, and use Icelandair’s stopover program to visit Norway — a beautiful and increasingly popular destination. 

The announcement comes on the heels of Icelandair seeing a 26.4% increase in travellers heading to Norway’s 2nd largest city, Bergen, compared to last year, with North American tourists accounting for 55% of this growth. 

The collaboration with Fjord Norway will facilitate closer cooperation on marketing and visibility of the region and local tourism to tour operators, travel agents and media in Icelandair’s most important markets.

“We are experiencing an increased interest in Norway and Western Norway from North American tourists. We believe this growth will continue, and the collaboration with Fjord Norway also symbolizes that the Nordic countries work together to attract tourists from all over the world,” said Gísli S. Brynjólfsson, Global Marketing Director at Icelandair.

“We are proud to be a bridge between the continents and offering the best connectivity between Scandinavia and North America via Iceland.”

As a result of Icelandair’s strong belief in Western Norway as a destination, the airline is now choosing to strengthen its travel route to Bergen from next season. As of April 10, 2026, Icelandair’s new Airbus A321LR will be used for many of the flights on the route, accommodating more passengers with 27 additional seats.

“It’s important for us to have a close collaboration with Icelandair. They fly from over 18 destinations in North America via Reykjavik, offering a short and comfortable way to travel to Bergen and all the unique places Western Norway has to offer,” says Stein Ove Rolland, CEO of Fjord Norway.

“Together, we will reach out to tour operators, travel agents, and the media to highlight experiences and places in Western Norway, making it more accessible and understandable as a travel destination for international guests.” 

2025 marks the 200th anniversary of the first Norwegian emigration to America, highlighting the historical ties between Western Norway and Canada and the U.S. The agreement between Icelandair and Fjord Norge also underscores these connections.