International Airline Returns To BWI, Offers Flights To Iceland

LINTHICUM, MD — An airline recently resumed service from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The international carrier, Icelandair, ran its first flight last Friday.

The airline will offer nonstop service to Keflavik International Airport in Reykjavík, Iceland on its Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

Reykjavík is the carrier's hub. From there, passengers can connect to Icelandair's flights to mainland Europe.

This will be Icelandair's third stint at BWI. The carrier flew out of the airport from 1990 to 2007 and from May 2018 to January 2019, WTOP News reported.

Icelandair also added other routes this month. The company resumed service from Bergen, Norway; Hamburg, Germany and Portland, Oregon. The airline also welcomed Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina as a new destination.

Passenger traffic is continuing to improve at BWI. The airport saw 18.8 million passengers in 2021. That's a 68 percent increase from 2020.

Cargo flights are also on the upswing. BWI's cargo shipments passed 618 million pounds in 2021, setting a new annual record.

"In 2022, passenger traffic is expected to further increase as more international and domestic routes are added," BWI spokesperson Jonathan Dean said in a press release. "Several major capital projects are now underway that will support airline service and enhance the travel experience for airport customers."

With travel surging, BWI reopened its Express Parking lot earlier this month. The 1,400-space lot closed in March 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic first struck.

The spike in passengers has enticed other carriers to resume service from BWI. Airlines returning this year include Air Canada, British Airways and Condor.

The airport will also welcome new carriers like Avelo Airlines and Play in 2022. Play is another airline that connects North America and Europe through its Icelandic hub.

RELATED:

• BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport Reopens Express Parking
• Air Canada Restoring Service To BWI As Travel Continues To Rebound
• Play Budget Airline Launches Service From BWI To Europe Via Iceland

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