Icelandic airline Icelandair has set a new record in 2024 with 4,7 million passengers carried, an increase of 9% compared to the previous year. In December alone, 312.000 passengers were counted, an increase of 18% compared to December 2023. Passengers were distributed between trips to Iceland (28%), from Iceland (19%), via Iceland (47%) and within the country (6%).
Flight punctuality improved to 82,7% on average for the year, despite weather-related challenges in December. Load factors also reached a record high of 82,6% in December, an increase of 10,2 percentage points compared to the previous year. The increase is partly due to increased demand in all markets, after volcanic activity in Iceland had impacted figures last year.
Icelandair also saw growth in the leasing business: Block hours sold increased by 65% in December compared to the previous year, which contributed to better utilization of the aircraft in the winter months. However, freight performance fell by 7% in December, measured in freight tonne-kilometers.
President and CEO Bogi Nils Bogason also highlighted two milestones: the maiden flight of the airline's first Airbus aircraft and the move to the new headquarters in Hafnarfjörður. For 2025, Icelandair expects route network growth of 8%, with a focus on capacity optimization in off-peak months.
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