An Icelandair stopover lets you break a transatlantic flight in Iceland for up to seven nights at no extra airfare. Most travellers use one or two of those nights, land at Keflavík, and then wonder how much of the country they can realistically see before the onward flight. The honest answer depends entirely on whether you have a car waiting or you are trying to fit into someone else's bus schedule.
Why a stopover works better by car
Keflavík Airport sits on the Reykjanes peninsula, 47 km from Reykjavík. Every organised tour you can book starts in Reykjavík, which means a stopover traveller pays for a transfer into the city, sleeps there, waits for a morning pickup, and gets back late evening. On a 24-hour stopover that pattern consumes the entire visit in logistics.
A car removes the transfer entirely. You collect it ten minutes from the terminal and you are already at the trailheads of Reykjanes before a bus would have reached Reykjavík. On a 48- or 72-hour stopover the difference is roughly one full sightseeing day recovered.
There is also a cost argument. A single Golden Circle bus tour runs 12,000–16,000 ISK per person. A SsangYong Tivoli from Aurora Car Rental Iceland starts at 12,000 ISK per day in low season for the whole vehicle, insurance included, no deposit, paid in cash on collection in ISK or EUR. For two people it is already cheaper; for a family it is not close.
The 24-hour stopover — Reykjanes and a lagoon
Twenty-four hours means one sleep and roughly eight usable daylight hours in autumn or winter. Stay on Reykjanes. The peninsula is a UNESCO Global Geopark, it is genuinely strange-looking, and everything sits within 60 minutes of the Aurora Car Rental Iceland base.
| Stop | Drive from base | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Brú milli heimsálfa (Bridge Between Continents) | 20 min | 20 min |
| Reykjanesviti lighthouse and Valahnúkamöl cliffs | 25 min | 45 min |
| Gunnuhver hot springs | 28 min | 30 min |
| Brimketill lava rock pool | 30 min | 20 min |
| Seltún / Krýsuvík geothermal field | 50 min | 40 min |
| Kleifarvatn lake | 55 min | 30 min |
| Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon | 20 / 45 min | 2–3 h |
The whole loop is about 120 km on paved road. Any vehicle in the fleet handles it — this is not a 4x4 route. Book the lagoon slot for the last block before your flight, because both lagoons have luggage storage and both sit on the way back to the airport rather than out of it.
The 48-hour stopover — the Golden Circle
Two nights give you one genuinely full day. That day is the Golden Circle: Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area with Strokkur erupting every 6–10 minutes, and Gullfoss. It is roughly 300 km round trip from Keflavík and takes 8–10 hours at a civilised pace.
| Time | Where | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | Leave Keflavík | Check road.is first in winter |
| 09:30 | Þingvellir | Parking fee 1,000 ISK, card only |
| 11:30 | Geysir / Strokkur | Free parking, food hall on site |
| 13:30 | Gullfoss | Two viewing levels, windy |
| 15:00 | Kerið crater or Secret Lagoon | Kerið 600 ISK entry |
| 17:30 | Back toward Keflavík or Reykjavík | Aurora hunting stop if clear |
In September to March, build in the possibility of a northern lights detour on the way back. A car is the only way to do that spontaneously — you check the cloud forecast, drive fifteen minutes away from town lights, and wait. Any of our vehicles works, though the higher seating position of a Kia Sportage or SsangYong Korando makes a long wait more comfortable.
The 72-hour stopover — the south coast
Three nights, two full days. Day one is the Golden Circle as above. Day two goes east along Route 1 to the south coast. This is the highest-value day in Icelandic self-driving.
| Stop | Km from Keflavík | Summer drive | Winter drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seljalandsfoss | 175 km | 2 h 10 | 2 h 45 |
| Skógafoss | 205 km | 2 h 30 | 3 h 10 |
| Reynisfjara black sand beach | 240 km | 3 h | 3 h 45 |
| Vík í Mýrdal | 250 km | 3 h 05 | 3 h 50 |
| Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon | 440 km | 5 h 20 | 6 h 30 |
Vík as a turnaround point is a comfortable 72-hour day. Jökulsárlón is possible but it means 880 km there and back — sensible only if you sleep in Vík or Höfn, and only in summer with long daylight. Never chase the glacier lagoon and a same-day flight on the same schedule.
Practical points that decide the trip
Road tax in Iceland is charged per kilometre driven — 7 ISK/km — so a stopover plan is also a budget calculation. The 24-hour Reykjanes loop adds roughly 840 ISK; the Golden Circle day adds around 2,100 ISK; the south coast to Vík and back adds about 3,500 ISK. Worth knowing before you decide to chase a distant waterfall.
Flight monitoring matters more on a stopover than on any other trip. Aurora Car Rental Iceland tracks the inbound flight number, so a two-hour delay does not mean arriving to a closed office. The airport transfer runs in both directions at no charge, and hotel pickup in the Keflavík area is available.
Fuel is cheapest at Orkan and Costco near Reykjavík, most expensive at remote N1 stations. Fill up before leaving the capital region on the south coast day. Parking fees now apply at Þingvellir, Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and Kerið, typically 700–1,000 ISK, usually card only.
One date to note: all vehicles in the fleet are fully booked and unavailable 10–15 August 2026. If your stopover falls in that window, plan a different set of dates.
Which car for a stopover
Every itinerary above is on paved Route 1 and Route 36/35, so a compact SUV is enough. For a 24- or 48-hour stopover with hand luggage, the SsangYong Tivoli at 12,000 ISK per day or the Dacia Duster 2018 at 12,500 ISK is the value choice. For the 72-hour south coast run in winter, a Dacia Duster 2022/23 at 13,000 ISK or a Kia Sportage at 14,000 ISK gives more ground clearance and a more settled ride in crosswinds. Skip the campers and the Toyota Hilux unless you are staying longer and heading into the highlands.
Insurance, WiFi, GPS and the airport transfer are included in every rate. There is no deposit and no card pre-authorisation — payment is cash on collection in ISK or EUR.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 24-hour Icelandair stopover worth it with a rental car?
Yes, if you stay on the Reykjanes peninsula. The whole geothermal loop — Bridge Between Continents, Gunnuhver, Brimketill, Reykjanesviti, Seltún — is within 60 minutes of the pickup point at Suðurbraut 890 in Keflavík, so you get real sightseeing rather than a transfer into Reykjavík and back.
Can I do the Golden Circle on a 48-hour stopover?
Comfortably. The full loop from Keflavík is around 300 km and takes 8–10 hours with stops at Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss and Kerið. Leave by 08:00 and you are back with time for a lagoon or a northern lights attempt.
Can I reach Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon on a 72-hour stopover?
Only in summer and only with an overnight stop in Vík or Höfn. It is 440 km each way from Keflavík, so 880 km round trip. For most 72-hour stopovers, Vík at 250 km is the sensible turnaround, leaving the glacier lagoon for a longer trip.
Do I need a 4x4 for a stopover itinerary?
No. Reykjanes, the Golden Circle and the south coast to Vík are all paved main roads. A compact SUV such as the SsangYong Tivoli or Dacia Duster is enough. A 4x4 only becomes necessary for F-roads and highland routes, which are closed in winter and not realistic on a stopover anyway.
What happens if my stopover flight is delayed?
Aurora Car Rental Iceland monitors inbound flight numbers, so a delayed arrival is covered — the car and the free airport transfer wait for you. Send your flight number when booking so it can be tracked.
How much does a stopover rental cost in total?
A one-day Tivoli rental is 12,000 ISK in low season plus road tax at 7 ISK per kilometre and fuel. A two-day Golden Circle stopover in a Dacia Duster 2022/23 comes to roughly 26,000 ISK for the car plus about 2,100 ISK road tax. Insurance, WiFi, GPS and airport transfer are included, and there is no deposit.
Make your stopover count
Pick up ten minutes from Keflavík Airport, no deposit, insurance included, free airport transfer and flight monitoring. Tell us your layover length and we will suggest the route that fits.
Aurora Car Rental Iceland — Suðurbraut 890, 262 Keflavík | WhatsApp: +48 729 854 633 | carrentalaurora@gmail.com