FlyOver Iceland: is it worth it?

Yes, if you treat it as what it is: a well-made half-hour ride that shows you Iceland from the air, in Reykjavík, whatever the weather. It’s a good answer to a wet afternoon, a last day before the flight, or teenagers who have had enough of waterfalls. It is not a replacement for going out to see the real thing, and on a clear day we’d spend the time outside.

What you actually get

FlyOver Iceland sits in Grandi, the old harbour district west of the city centre. The visit runs about 35 minutes. You start with two short pre-shows, with a storyteller and a troll character, which set up the ride with stories about the country. They’re fine. Nobody goes for them.

Then the ride. You sit in a row with your feet hanging free, in front of a 20-metre spherical screen. The seats tilt and lift, and there’s wind, mist and smell to match the film. The flight lasts roughly eight and a half minutes, over glaciers, fjords, the highlands and the coast. It’s convincing. Your stomach will notice the dips.

Allow an hour for the visit, including getting there and queuing. Grandi also has cafés and the Whales of Iceland exhibition nearby, so it’s easy to make an afternoon of the area.

Who it’s for

• Short stays. If you have two days and can’t get to the Westfjords or the highlands, this is the closest you’ll get.
• Bad weather. Iceland cancels tours when the wind is up. FlyOver runs regardless.
• Families with older children. The film is exciting without being frightening. There is a minimum height for the ride, so check before you go with small children.
• The last day. Seeing it after a road trip is more fun than before. You’ll recognise places.

Who should skip it: anyone who gets motion sick easily, and anyone who has only one free afternoon in fine weather. Walk to the harbour instead, or go up Hallgrímskirkja.

The combos

We sell FlyOver as part of a combo, not as a standalone ticket. The combos are usually the better value if you were going to do the other half anyway.

With whale watching. Both boats leave from the Old Harbour, and the combos allow about half an hour to walk over to Grandi. Whales & FlyOver Iceland, from €147, is a three-hour whale-watching trip plus FlyOver admission, with departures at 09:00, 13:00 and 17:00, age seven and over. Whale Watching & FlyOver, from €133, is a similar pairing from a different boat, from age five. Its operator offers a free second trip if you see no whales, which is worth having: sightings in Faxaflói bay are good in summer, never certain.

With a northern lights cruise. Northern Lights Cruise & FlyOver Iceland, from €147, runs in winter. You fly at 18:00, eat in town, then board a two-hour evening cruise from the Old Harbour. It’s a sensible pairing because the lights are possible, not promised. If the sky stays cloudy, you have still had a good evening.

With a day tour. FlyOver Iceland and Golden Circle Tour, from €113, is a full Golden Circle bus day, including the Kerið crater fee, with drop-off at FlyOver afterwards. Ten hours, age 12 and over. You make your own way back from Grandi. It’s a long day with a lot of sitting, but it saves a separate trip across town.

With Silfra. Above & Below: Silfra Snorkeling & FlyOver Iceland, from €171, pairs snorkelling in the Þingvellir fissure with the ride. Self-drive only, age 12 and over, and free cancellation is two days before rather than one. Good for people with a car who want the Silfra morning and an easy afternoon.

Our honest take

If you were already going whale watching, book 225756 or 213069 and get both on one ticket, in one part of town. That’s where it earns its place.

On its own merits, it’s a good half hour on a bad day. It’s slick, it’s short, and it shows you parts of Iceland most visitors never reach. The downside is the price per minute, and the fact that some of the pre-show feels like padding.

Don’t swap a real tour for it. If the sun is out and you have a free afternoon, go and see the actual country. Keep FlyOver for when the weather has other plans.