An Iceland and New York holiday from the UK is one package with two cities: you fly to Keflavík for Reykjavík, cross the Atlantic to New York and fly home from there. Some itineraries stop at Niagara Falls on the way. It is one of several twin-centre holidays from the UK that pair a city with a very different landscape.
Quick answer
The two-city Iceland and New York package starts from £1,879pp for 8 nights in January 2027. With Niagara Falls added, 10 nights start from £1,499pp in February 2027. London to Keflavík takes about 3 hours. Go September to April for the Northern Lights. If you add Niagara, October and November combine aurora season with the Canadian-side boat. UK passports need an ESTA for the US. ATOL 10713 protected.
- Reykjavík to New York flight
- About 6 hours (Keflavík to JFK)
- Time difference
- Iceland is on UTC all year. New York is 4 hours behind Iceland until 1 November 2026, then 5 hours behind until 14 March 2027. The UK is 1 hour ahead of Iceland in summer time and level with it in winter.
- Currencies
- Icelandic króna (ISK) and US dollar (USD), plus Canadian dollar (CAD) on the Niagara itineraries
Which Iceland and New York package holiday suits you?
There are three ways to combine the two, and the choice comes down to how many stops you want and which months you can travel. October 2026 is the next month with priced departures on all three, so the table uses it for a like-for-like comparison.
| Package | Nights | Stops | October 2026 (economy) | Business class from (cheapest month) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iceland & New York | 8 | Reykjavík, New York | £2,479pp | £2,979pp |
| Iceland, Niagara Falls & New York | 10 | Reykjavík, Niagara (Canadian side), New York | £1,839pp | £2,439pp |
| Iceland, Niagara Falls, San Francisco & New York | 12 | Reykjavík, Niagara, San Francisco, New York | £2,209pp | Economy only |
Prices are per person, two sharing, with return flights from the UK (economy unless shown as business class), 4-star hotels and transfers. Dates, departure airport and room type change the price.
Two cities, one onward flight. The Iceland and New York package suits a first transatlantic trip and keeps the time in each city at its longest. It uses the Fosshotel Reykjavik and the Riu Plaza Manhattan Times Square with private transfers at both ends.
Adding the falls. The Iceland, Niagara Falls and New York holiday uses the Hilton Niagara Falls Fallsview and the Arlo Midtown in Manhattan. Its November 2026 to January 2027 departures are priced on request, so a priced November trip with Niagara means the four-stop itinerary below.
Four stops, coast to coast. The Iceland, Niagara, San Francisco and New York itinerary adds the West Coast and has priced departures in every month. Beyond Reykjavík, its hotels are the Sheraton Fallsview, the Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf and the Riu Plaza New York Times Square. It involves the most internal flying of the three and sits among our wider multi-centre holidays from the UK. A specialist can quote upgraded hotels on any of the three.
When is the best time for an Iceland and New York holiday?
Iceland’s Northern Lights need long, dark nights, while Niagara’s boat trips need an ice-free river. The table sets both against New York’s weather for the next twelve months.
| Month | Aurora season in Iceland | New York average high | Niagara boat (Canadian side) |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | Yes | 18°C | Sailing |
| November 2026 | Yes | 12°C | Sailing, weather permitting |
| December 2026 | Yes | 7°C | Limited sailings, weather permitting |
| January 2027 | Yes | 4°C | Not sailing |
| February 2027 | Yes | 6°C | Not sailing |
| March 2027 | Yes | 10°C | Not sailing |
| April 2027 | Yes | 17°C | 2027 opening not yet announced (the 2026 season opened on 1 May) |
| May 2027 | No, nights too light | 22°C | Sailing from opening day |
| June–August 2027 | No, midnight sun until mid-July | 27–29°C | Sailing |
| September 2027 | Yes | 25°C | Sailing |
The Canadian-side boat is Niagara City Cruises, which runs to the base of the Horseshoe Falls. Maid of the Mist sails from the US side and makes its last sailings of the season on 8 November 2026.
Two dates fill New York hotels in autumn: the New York City Marathon on Sunday 1 November 2026 and Thanksgiving on Thursday 26 November 2026. Travel either side of them if you can.
For the aurora alone, activity tends to peak around the equinoxes in late September and March, while December and January give the longest nights. January is also New York’s coldest month, with average lows of −2°C, so pack for both cities.
How does the routing work?
Every version starts in Iceland. Keflavík lies close to the route between the UK and North America’s east coast, so the stop adds little distance. Splitting the Atlantic crossing into two shorter flights also breaks up the journey before New York.
The two-city package flies from Keflavík straight to New York. The Niagara versions fly from Keflavík to Buffalo in upstate New York. There is no non-stop service on that route, so expect a connection. A road transfer then crosses the border to your hotel on the Canadian side.
From Niagara, the three-stop package transfers to the airport and flies on to New York. The four-stop version heads west to San Francisco first, then east to New York. Allow extra time at the border crossing on weekends and public holidays.
Can you do it in reverse, New York first? A specialist can quote it, but the eastbound flight to Iceland is overnight, so you would lose your first Iceland day to tiredness. Finishing in New York keeps the city’s late nights for the end of the trip.
What will you see in Iceland?
The Iceland days are built around guided day tours from a Reykjavík hotel, so you do not need to drive. Every package includes the Golden Circle, Iceland’s classic loop of national park, geothermal field and waterfall east of the capital.
The Iceland, Niagara Falls and New York itinerary adds a South Coast day. That route passes the Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls and the black sand beach at Reynisfjara, where the waves are dangerous and you should keep well back from the water line. The rest of your time is free in Reykjavík, a compact capital that is easy to cover on foot.
The Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa on the Reykjanes peninsula, close to Keflavík airport. It is included in the Niagara and San Francisco itineraries and optional on the two-city package.
The lagoon only admits guests with a pre-booked time slot, and entry starts from ISK 11,990 for the Comfort package. If it is not part of your package, book it before you travel, especially for weekends.
Is it worth adding Niagara Falls to Iceland and New York?
Yes, if your dates fall in the boat season. From the Canadian side you see the Horseshoe Falls face-on.
Niagara takes up most of two travel days. On price, the Niagara package is below the two-city trip in most months with published prices, so compare the dates you can travel.
Skip Niagara if:
- you are short of leave.
- your main goal is New York, where the extra nights would be better spent.
If the falls matter more than Iceland, New York and Niagara Falls without Iceland is a shorter alternative.
What documents do UK passport holders need?
This trip crosses up to three border systems, and each has its own rules.
Iceland (Schengen area). Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the date you arrive, and it needs at least 3 months left on it after your departure date from the Schengen area. You can stay up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa. Iceland is using the EU Entry/Exit System, which records your fingerprints and photo at the border. Registration is free.
United States. Apply and pay for your ESTA only on the official ESTA website or app, not through third-party sites. Your passport needs to be valid for the length of your stay. The ESTA also covers entering the US by land, so keep it valid for the whole trip.
Check the FCDO travel advice for each country again a few weeks before departure, as border rules in Europe are changing.
