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Some trips you plan. Others just sort of... haunt you. Especially in a heat wave.
Iceland is the second kind. You've seen the photos. The waterfalls that look fake. The black sand beaches, the steam rising off the lagoons, the moss that runs for miles. It's the trip that sits in a browser tab for two years while you promise yourself you'll get to it eventually.
Well. Here's your excuse.
Right now, you can fly round-trip from Chicago (ORD) to Reykjavík, Iceland (KEF) for about 16,000 Delta SkyMiles... plus a little over $40 in taxes and fees. That's not a typo.
Travel Details
Airline: Delta Air Lines
Route: Chicago O'Hare (ORD) to Reykjavík, Iceland (KEF)
Seat class: Economy, round trip
Points price: ~16,000 Delta SkyMiles round-trip
Dates: $6 out, $38 back ($44 total)
Fees: Select dates in September
Also bookable from: Washington, D.C. (DCA, Reagan National), Baltimore (BWI), and Washington, D.C. (IAD, Dulles), all at 16,000 SkyMiles
Why This Deal Is Amazing
Here's the math, because it's the good part. This flight has a cash value of around $900. Booking it for roughly 16,000 SkyMiles means each mile is pulling its weight at up to 5.35 cents.
In Daily Drop terms, anything above about 4 cents per point is epic value. Most people are thrilled to get 1.5 cents. This is more than triple that. So yes, this one earns the label.
And you're paying just $44 in taxes and fees for the whole round trip. Award flights to Europe often come loaded with fuel surcharges. This one doesn't.
Don't have Delta SkyMiles sitting around? American Express Membership Rewards® points transfer to Delta at a 1:1 ratio, so if you've been earning MR, you can move them over and book.
One Thing to Know About the Fare
The base fare is Delta's most basic economy, which means no seat selection and no free changes. For 10,000 more SkyMiles round-trip, you can bump up to Main Cabin and get free changes, seat selection, and a checked bag.
Whether that's worth it is a personal call. If you travel light and want the absolute best value, the base fare is hard to beat. But on a 6-plus hour flight, being able to pick your seat and check a bag for 10k more isn't crazy either. Your trip, your call.
How to Book
- Confirm the fare and your dates on Daily Drop Pro.
- If you've got Delta SkyMiles, search your dates directly on delta.com.
- If you don't, transfer points from American Express Membership Rewards to Delta SkyMiles at 1:1, then book once they land in your account.
The secret to miles and points? Credit cards! We keep an up-to-date list of our favorite travel cards on this page, or find all credit cards here.
Maximize Your Booking
Make the most of your rewards by using a card that earns bonus points on flights, like:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card — Earn 2x points on all travel purchases
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card — Earn 5x miles on flights through Capital One’s travel booking site
- American Express® Gold Card — Earn 3x points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines
- Chase Sapphire Reserve® — Earn 4x points on flights booked direct
- American Express Platinum Card® — Earn 5x points on flights booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 per calendar year, then 1x)
Pro Tip
Iceland is a perfect long-weekend or stopover destination, so you don't need a huge chunk of time off to make it worth it. KEF is about a 45-minute drive from Reykjavík, and September lands right at the start of aurora season... so if the sky cooperates, you might catch the northern lights before the crowds show up. Book the flight now, sort the rest later.
Bottom Line
Round-trip to Iceland for 16,000 SkyMiles and about $44 is one of the best economy redemptions to Europe you'll see this year. It's best for anyone with SkyMiles or Amex Membership Rewards points already sitting around and some flexibility in September. Fares like this move fast, so if the dates work... don't sit on it too long.
