alaska katmai aerial view with wing istk

Getting to Alaska

There are a number of different options for travelling to Alaska from the UK including connecting flights via Iceland and where to extend your stay.

Our Alaska holidays do not include airfares; this way we can take advantage of the best available fares, routes and airlines for your own specific holiday requirements. From mid-May to mid-September, Icelandair operate direct flights between Reykjavik and Anchorage, departing twice weekly with connections from London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow. Flight time from Reykjavik to Anchorage is 7 hours. Onward flights throughout the state are available with Alaska Airlines in conjunction with Icelandair.

Icelandair also offer regular flights from Reykjavik to Seattle (daily during the summer months) as well as Toronto and Halifax in Canada. Other airline options include Air Canada and British Airways.

Extend Your Stay in Canada or Iceland

Whether you are simply looking to break the journey with an overnight city stay or would like to explore for longer, our team can help you plan extensions in Canada and Iceland.

Canada

Alaska, although part of the USA, is geographically much closer to Canada. Extending your holiday with an exploration over the Canadian border makes perfect sense, and we can arrange self-drive itineraries and escorted tours to take in the highlights of British Columbia, Alberta and/or the Yukon in conjunction with a stay in Alaska.

Iceland

Flying with Icelandair involves a change of flights in Reykjavik, so why not make the most of this opportunity to enjoy a city stopover in the Icelandic capital? A few nights here will allow time to visit the Blue Lagoon and see the geysers and waterfalls of the Golden Circle.

Icelandair Flight Schedules

Icelandair is our preferred partner for flights between the UK and Alaska, offering a quick and affordable journey via Reykjavik (Keflavik Airport). Please contact our team of accredited Alaska Experts for best available airfares and flight times.

Direct flights between Keflavik and Anchorage depart twice weekly, from mid-May to mid-September. Flight time is approximately 7 hours. Keflavik-Anchorage: Weds & Sun Anchorage-Keflavik: Thurs & Mon (overnight flight – arrives next day) Flights between Keflavik and Seattle depart daily. Flight time is approximately 8 hours. Onward flights Available with Alaska Airlines in conjunction with Icelandair to major hubs throughout Alaska including Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka. Services Soft drinks, tea and coffee are provided during your flight. Meals are available to purchase on board. Baggage allowance to North America is 2 checked bags up to 23kgs each.

Direct flights between Keflavik and Anchorage depart twice weekly, from mid-May to mid-September. Flight time is approximately 7 hours.

Keflavik-Anchorage: Weds & Sun
Anchorage-Keflavik: Thurs & Mon (overnight flight – arrives next day)

Flights between Keflavik and Seattle depart daily. Flight time is approximately 8 hours.

Onward flights
Available with Alaska Airlines in conjunction with Icelandair to major hubs throughout Alaska including Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka.

Services

Soft drinks, tea and coffee are provided during your flight. Meals are available to purchase on board.
Baggage allowance to North America is 2 checked bags up to 23kgs each.

Regular flights from the UK to Iceland offer a variety of options for connections with onward journeys across the Atlantic. Fly straight through or break your journey with a few days stopover in Iceland.

London Heathrow – daily service
Manchester – Mon/Wed/Fri
Glasgow – Tue/Thu/Fri/Sun
London Gatwick – Tue/Thu/Sun

Flight time is approximately 3 hours.

Passport and Visa Information

The US Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) allows most British Citizen passport holders to visit the US for up to 90 days. The types of journeys that are permissible under the VWP include general travel/tourism, certain types of business and when transiting to another country.

The US requires all those travelling under the Visa Waiver Programme arriving by air or sea to provide details online at least 72 hours prior to travel. This is known as an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation or ESTA. This is mandatory. If you do not have an ESTA you will be refused travel to the USA. Your ESTA is valid for a period of two years, or the validity of your passport (whichever is shorter). For more information please contact your Travel Specialist or visit the official ESTA website.

If you are a British passport holder who has travelled to certain Middle Eastern countries since 2011, you will not be eligible to travel under the VWP but must apply for a Visa. Please contact us or refer to the Foreign and Commonwealth website for the most up to date list of visited countries to which this applies.

If you are arriving in the USA by land from Canada, and you qualify for entry to the USA under the VWP, you do not need to complete an ESTA prior to arrival. However, you will be required to complete an I-94W form on arrival at the border, and pay a processing fee.

While in the US under the VWP, you may go to Canada and re-enter the US using the ESTA and admission stamp you were issued when you first arrived in the US, although the time you spend there is included in the 90 days allotted for your visit.

Your passport must be valid for the proposed duration of your stay; you do not need any additional period of validity on your passport beyond this. However, it is always sensible to have a short period of extra validity on your passport in case of any unforeseen delays to your departure.