No, they are two separate airports. Keflavik International Airport (KEF) is Iceland's main international gateway, located on the Reykjanes Peninsula about 50 km by road from downtown Reykjavik. Reykjavik Airport (RKV) sits inside the city itself and handles domestic flights and a few short regional routes. If you're flying in from the US, UK, Europe, or Canada, you will land at KEF, not RKV.
This mix-up trips up a surprising number of travellers, mostly because both airports serve the same capital region and share "Reykjavik" in casual conversation. If you're planning a self-drive trip, knowing which airport your flight actually uses determines where you pick up your rental car, how long the drive into town will take, and whether you need to budget extra time for a domestic connection.
Keflavik vs Reykjavik airport at a glance
Here's how the two compare on the things that matter to a traveller landing in Iceland for the first time.
| Keflavik Airport (KEF) | Reykjavik Airport (RKV) | |
|---|---|---|
| Airport code | KEF | RKV |
| Type of traffic | International arrivals from North America, Europe, and beyond | Domestic flights, plus limited routes to Greenland and the Faroe Islands |
| Distance to downtown Reykjavik | About 50 km by road (roughly 45 minutes via Route 41) | Inside the city, a few minutes from downtown |
| Typical passenger volume | Handles the vast majority of Iceland's international traffic | Much smaller domestic volumes |
| Car rental presence | Large rental area with multiple companies and extended service hours | Smaller selection with shorter opening hours |
| Main uses for road-trippers | Starting point for the Ring Road, South Coast, and Reykjanes Peninsula | Springboard for flights to Akureyri, Ísafjörður, Egilsstaðir |
If your itinerary is a classic Iceland self-drive holiday, KEF is almost certainly your airport. RKV becomes relevant mainly if you're combining a road trip with a domestic flight to another part of the country.
What is the airport code for Reykjavik?
There isn't a single answer, because Reykjavik is served by two codes for two different airports. Keflavik International Airport uses the code KEF, and Reykjavik's domestic airport uses the code RKV. When you're booking flights or checking arrival details, always confirm which of the two your ticket refers to, the difference matters for how you plan your first hours in Iceland.
If your international flight itinerary shows "KEF," you're landing at Keflavik. If a domestic leg (say, Reykjavik to Akureyri) shows "RKV," that's the in-town airport, not the international one.
Keflavik or Reykjavik: which one will your flight actually use?
For nearly all visitors flying from abroad, the answer is Keflavik (KEF). International carriers from the US, UK, mainland Europe, and Canada land here, and it's where you'll clear passport control, collect luggage, and pick up a rental car if you've booked one. Reykjavik Airport (RKV) is used almost exclusively for flights within Iceland and to a handful of nearby destinations like Greenland.
A few scenarios where RKV becomes part of your trip:
- Domestic hops, flying to Akureyri, Ísafjörður, or Egilsstaðir to save driving time, then picking up a local rental or resuming your road trip from there.
- Two-airport itineraries, flying north from RKV to shorten a long driving loop, such as combining the Diamond Circle with a return drive through the Westfjords or Snæfellsnes.
- Scenic or short-haul flights, day trips over the highlands or quick connections to Greenland, which depart from RKV rather than KEF.
If your trip is a straightforward Ring Road or South Coast self-drive with no domestic flights, you can generally ignore RKV altogether and focus your planning on KEF.
Getting from Keflavik airport to Reykjavik city
Keflavik Airport sits about 50 km by road southwest of Reykjavik, and the drive into the city typically takes around 45 minutes under normal conditions via Route 41, the main road connecting the airport to the capital. From the rental car area it's a short drive to merge onto Route 41, and from there onto Route 1 (the Ring Road) if you're heading further afield.
Along the way you'll pass fuel stations and supermarkets worth noting if you want to stock up before heading out, and the Blue Lagoon is a short detour south of the airport if you'd like to start (or end) your trip there. In winter, conditions on Route 41 can change with weather, so it's worth checking umferdin.is or vedur.is before driving, especially on late-night arrivals.
If you'd rather not drive straight away, options like the Flybus shuttle or a taxi can get you into town, with your rental car collected later from a city-centre pickup point instead of the airport.
Picking up a rental car at Keflavik vs in Reykjavik city
For most travellers, collecting your car at Keflavik Airport is the more practical choice, simply because that's where you land. Blue Car Rental operates at KEF with online check-in and key-box pickup (for customers who add the Liability Waiver and complete online check-in), so you can complete paperwork in advance and go straight to your vehicle rather than queuing at a counter. Details on the pickup location and process are covered in our Keflavik Airport location guide.
City pickup makes sense in a few situations:
- You're spending a few nights in Reykjavik first and don't want to pay for parking or a rental car sitting idle.
- You've flown domestically into RKV and want to start your road trip from the capital rather than backtrack to the international airport.
- You're returning late and prefer to drop the car downtown before a Flybus transfer, rather than driving back to KEF.
Whichever location you choose, the vehicle lineup and coverage options are worth thinking through before you land, our car rental booking guide walks through matching a 2WD, 4x4, or EV to your route, and the insurance overview explains what's included as standard versus what's worth adding for gravel roads or highland driving.
When Reykjavik domestic airport (RKV) makes sense
RKV is genuinely useful when your trip includes a destination that's faster to reach by air than by road. Akureyri, in North Iceland, is roughly a 40-minute flight versus a much longer drive; Egilsstaðir in the east follows a similar logic. For travellers on a tighter schedule who still want to see the far corners of the country, flying one leg and driving the other is a reasonable compromise.
If you do fly into RKV and plan to pick up a rental car afterward, keep in mind that the domestic airport's car rental presence is smaller and keeps shorter hours than Keflavik's. Confirming pickup times in advance avoids arriving to a closed desk.
Mistakes to avoid
Booking a flight to the wrong airport code. KEF and RKV are both technically "Reykjavik" in loose conversation, but mixing up the codes on a domestic booking can mean a taxi ride you didn't plan for.
Assuming a short connection between international and domestic flights. If your itinerary involves landing at KEF and catching a domestic flight from RKV, allow enough time to clear customs, collect luggage, and transfer between airports, they are not the same building or even the same part of the region.
Arranging city-centre pickup but landing very late at night. Downtown rental offices generally keep shorter hours than the 24-hour service typical at KEF. If your flight lands late, picking up directly at Keflavik, where Blue Car Rental offers key-box collection (available with the Liability Waiver and online check-in), is usually the more reliable option.
Overlooking winter road conditions between the airport and the city. Route 41 is a well-maintained road, but weather can still affect driving conditions in winter. Our winter driving guide covers what to expect and how to prepare before your first drive.
The real question behind "Keflavik vs Reykjavik"
Most people asking about Keflavik vs Reykjavik aren't confused about geography so much as worried about missing a pickup or wasting time on the first day of a trip they've planned for months. The reassuring part is that the logistics are simple once you know the split: KEF for international arrivals and the start of your road trip, RKV for domestic connections within Iceland. Confirm your airport code when booking flights, and match your rental car pickup location to wherever you'll actually be standing with your luggage.
PARKING IN REYKJAVÍK: ZONES, PAYMENT, AND WHERE TO LEAVE YOUR CAR
