Icelandair Seat Selection Guide (2026)

Icelandair offers a unique proposition: affordable transatlantic flights with a free Iceland stopover. But their premium product comes with important caveats. Saga Premium uses recliner seats with approximately 5-10" of recline — these are not lie-flat beds like you'd find on most transatlantic Business Class products.

This guide covers the 737 MAX 8, 737 MAX 9, and 767-300ER (being retired end of 2026). We'll also address the critical row 24 issue on the MAX 9 — those "window" seats have no actual window.

Note: A321LR deliveries began December 2024 — guide updates coming as fleet expands.

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Quick Verdict

Boeing 737 MAX 8 (Main Fleet)

• Saga Premium (16 seats): Best seats 2A/2F, 3A/3F, 4A/4F. All have 40" pitch recliner with 13" screen.
• Economy (144 seats): Exit rows 14-15 for legroom. Front Economy 6A/6F, 7A/7F for quieter experience.

Boeing 737 MAX 9

• Saga Premium (16 seats): Best seats 1A/1F (bulkhead with max legroom). Same recliner product as MAX 8.
• Economy (162 seats): exit rows 14 and 15, plus row 24 at the aft doors. AVOID 24A, 24F — NO WINDOW, and they are exit-row seats, so the legroom comes with a blank wall. 10A has no window either.

Boeing 767-300ER (Being Retired)

• Saga Premium (25 seats): 2-1-2 layout with solo center seats! Best solo: 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B (center column).
• Economy (237 seats): 2-3-2 layout (fewer middle seats than 3-3-3). Economy Comfort rows 6-8 have 33" pitch.

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Important: Saga Premium Is NOT Lie-Flat

Think of Saga Premium as:

• Enhanced Premium Economy with business-class service
• Similar to US domestic First Class seats
• Adequate for 3-6 hour flights to/from Iceland
• Acceptable but not ideal for 7-8 hour transatlantic segments

What you get: 40" pitch, 20.5" width, footrest, free WiFi, lounge access, priority boarding, full meal service, amenity kit, 2 checked bags.

What you don't get: A flat bed for sleeping.

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Boeing 737 MAX 8 (6 aircraft)

The workhorse of Icelandair's fleet. Operates most European routes and shorter North American destinations.

Saga Premium (16 seats)

The Seat:

• Seat type: Aviointeriors Andromeda recliner
• Pitch: 40"
• Width: 20.5"
• Recline: 5" with adjustable footrest
• Screen: 13" HD touchscreen
• Power: 110V AC + USB-A
• WiFi: Free Viasat Ka-band
• Layout: 2-2 configuration (rows 1-4)

Best Seats:

• 2A, 2F — Windows away from galley, quick deplaning
• 3A, 3F — Sweet spot: away from both galley and rear lavatories
• 4A, 4F — Quietest row, furthest from galley
• For couples: 2A + 2C or 2D + 2F — Pairs together or across aisle

Seats to Avoid:

Economy (144 seats)

The Seat:

• Seat type: Aviointeriors Columbus slimline
• Pitch: 31"
• Width: 17.2"
• Recline: 3"
• Screen: 10.1" HD touchscreen
• Power: USB-A only (no AC power)
• WiFi: Paid (~$12 full flight)
• Layout: 3-3 configuration

Best Seats:

• Front Economy (quickest service, quieter): the first Economy row differs by aircraft — 5A and 5F on the MAX 8 and the 178-seat MAX 9, 6A and 6F on the 176-seat MAX 9, which fits a fifth row of Saga Premium. Then 7A, 7F and 8F for the front quiet zone. Not 8A: on the MAX 8 it has no window at all.
• Exit rows (extra legroom): 14A, 14F, 15A, 15F — Exit row windows with significant extra legroom; 16A, 16B, 16E, 16F — Post-exit row, no one reclines into you
• For couples: 7A + 7B or 7E + 7F — Front Economy window pairs
• For families: 6A + 6B + 6C or 6D + 6E + 6F — First Economy row, quick access

Seats to Avoid:

Cabin Note: No AC power in Economy — bring a portable charger for longer flights.

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Boeing 737 MAX 9 (4 aircraft)

Slightly larger than MAX 8 with 18 more Economy seats. Critical issue: Row 24 has NO windows.

Saga Premium (16 seats)

Identical product to MAX 8.

Best Seats:

• 1A, 1F — Bulkhead windows with maximum legroom, first to deplane
• 2A, 2F, 3A, 3F — Standard recommendations apply

Economy (162 seats)

Best Seats:

• Exit rows: 15A, 15F — the second exit row, with the legroom and a full recline. 14A and 14F have the same legroom but cannot fully recline because row 15 sits behind them, and row 13 takes the recline restriction without any legroom at all.
• For couples: 13A + 13B or 13E + 13F — Exit row pairs
• For families: 5A + 5B + 5C or 5D + 5E + 5F — Front Economy

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Boeing 767-300ER (5 aircraft) — Being Retired

Icelandair's widebody fleet is being phased out by end of 2026. If you want to experience the unique 2-1-2 Business Class or 2-3-2 Economy, book soon.

Saga Premium (25 seats)

The Seat:

• Seat type: Aviointeriors Andromeda recliner (same as MAX fleet)
• Pitch: 40"
• Width: 20.5"
• Screen: 10.4" touchscreen
• Power: AC + USB-A
• Note: No individual air nozzles (can get warm)
• Layout: 2-1-2 configuration — the center column has solo seats

Best Seats:

• For solo travelers — center solo seats: 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B, 2D, 3D, 4D, 5D — Single seats in the middle with maximum privacy. This is one of the few aircraft where Business Class has dedicated solo seats.
• For couples — window pairs: 3A + 3B or 3F + 3G, and 4A + 4B or 4F + 4G. Saga Premium on the 767 is a 2-1-2 lettered A B | D | F G — the D seat in the middle of each row is a solo position with an aisle on both sides, and there is no C or E seat. On the 737s the cabin is a 2-2 lettered A C | D F instead.

Seats to Avoid:

Cabin Note: Older aircraft (23+ years) so no individual air nozzles — can feel stuffy. Being retired by end of 2026 — experience it while you can.

Economy (237 seats)

The Seat:

• Pitch: 31" standard, 33" in Economy Comfort (rows 6-8)
• Width: 18"
• Screen: Seatback IFE
• Power: AC + USB-A
• Layout: 2-3-2 — Better than 3-3-3!

The 767's 2-3-2 layout means window sections have only 2 seats (no middle seat next to you). This is significantly more comfortable than the MAX's 3-3-3.

Best Seats:

• Economy Comfort (rows 6-8) — extra legroom: 7A, 7G — Economy Comfort windows with 33" pitch; 7B, 7F — Economy Comfort aisles
• Exit row: 20A, 20B, 20F, 20G — Exit row with significant extra legroom
• For couples: 7A + 7B or 7F + 7G — Economy Comfort window pairs (only 2 seats, no middle!)
• For families: 7C + 7D + 7E — Center 3 in Economy Comfort (middle seat often blocked)

Seats to Avoid:

Cabin Note: Economy Comfort (rows 6-8) offers 33" pitch with middle seat often blocked — excellent value.

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Route & Aircraft Assignment

Icelandair operates a flexible fleet where any aircraft can fly any route, but patterns exist:

New A321LR arriving: Icelandair took delivery of its first Airbus A321LR in December 2024, with more arriving through 2026. These will eventually replace the 767s and offer an upgraded Saga Premium product with 16" OLED screens. Routes like Seattle, Miami, Newark, and Portland are early A321LR candidates.

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The Stopover Advantage

Icelandair's famous stopover program lets you stay in Iceland for up to 7 days at no extra airfare when connecting between North America and Europe. This turns a standard transatlantic flight into two trips.

Seat selection tip: If you're doing a stopover, you're flying two shorter segments (e.g., Boston–Reykjavik, then Reykjavik–London) rather than one long flight. The recliner-style Saga Premium seats are perfectly adequate for these 3-5 hour segments.

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Summary: Best Seats at a Glance

Boeing 737 MAX 8

Boeing 737 MAX 9

Boeing 767-300ER

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Comparable Aircraft

Similar narrowbody Business Class products on transatlantic routes:

• Norse Atlantic 787-9 — Low-cost long-haul with recliner Premium (not lie-flat) + Economy
• Aer Lingus A321LR — Lie-flat Business on narrowbody transatlantic
• Hawaiian A321neo — Similar recliner First Class on West Coast routes

See all aircraft seat guides →