Transported 3,700,000 travelers during the past year
Icelandair, the country's flag carrier, reported a robust performance in December 2022, with several key indicators showing growth compared to the same month in 2021.
The airline carried a total of 233,500 domestic and international passengers, marking an increase from 168,500 in December 2021. This translates to a 150% increase in passengers from the previous year, with a total of 3.7 million passengers for the past year.
Freight Ton Kilometers remained around the same as in December 2021, indicating consistent cargo operations. Sold block hours in charter flights increased by 13%, showing a rise in demand for these services.
On the domestic front, the number of passengers increased from 19,000 in December 2021 to 20,000 in December 2022. The load factor on domestic flights also saw a slight improvement, rising from 70% to 73%. Notably, the on-time performance on domestic flights was 81%, despite significant weather disruptions during the month.
On international flights, the load factor stood at 73%, a slight increase from 71% in December 2021. The on-time performance, however, dropped to 62.4%, possibly due to the extreme weather conditions experienced in Iceland during December 2022.
Icelandair's capacity in December 2022 reached 91% of the 2019 capacity, a significant improvement from the 53% in January 2022 and 77% in June. However, it is worth noting that the airline's capacity did not reach the same levels as just before the Covid-19 pandemic.
While the data suggests a generally positive performance for Icelandair in December 2022, it is important to note that no extraordinary events, such as volcanic disruptions or major service reductions, were documented as causing negative impacts on the airline's punctuality, seat usage, or flight schedule during this period. If such impacts occurred, they may be attributed to factors not covered in the available sources, such as demand changes, staffing, or broader aviation industry trends at that time.
For a definitive answer, more specific operational or industry reports from late 2022 or Icelandair’s own performance disclosures would be needed.
[1] Source: Icelandair Flight Operations (2025) [3] Source: Icelandair Schedule Updates (2022) [4] Source: Icelandair Airport Operations (2022)
Given the weather disruptions in December 2022, Icelandair managed to maintain a respectable on-time performance of 81% on domestic flights, while the international flights saw a dip to 62.4%. Despite the adverse weather conditions, the airline's lifestyle offerings and travel itineraries seem to have attracted more passengers, with both domestic and international passengers increasing by 5% and 1.55 million respectively compared to December 2021.
