New York to Iceland Alternative: PLAY Time

The Other NYC Airport Option

When I learned that the new budget airline, PLAY, was offering direct flights to Iceland from tiny New York Stewart International Airport tucked up in the Hudson Valley, I was more than intrigued. When considering checking it out, the pattern of logic was easy:

 Iceland …cheap flight …quick flight

A nature excursion …a lagoon spa immersion …and a side of culture

 Is there a shuttle from NYC?

Then yes! Let’s book it.

A Welcome Alternative

PLAY Airlines was launched in 2019 with its signature big red jets and the tagline “Pay less, Play more.” Anyone can get on board with that these days. And while the no-frills airline services a growing number of hubs around the globe, its main hub is in Iceland, ‘the land of ice and fire,’ which became so popular after the pandemic lockdown.

The budget concept ideally allows travelers to allocate their budgets to do more at their actual destination. And it’s a welcome alternative. We want cheap, but at what cost? Do we need the Wi-Fi, peanuts, and usual accouterments for a brief flight? Will you spring for the add-on meal during the flight or will you work around it?

If more legroom makes the economy seat easier, I can assure that PLAY offered plenty of it. The first several rows of the cabin were particularly generous with that. It’s a worthy upgrade, but no one looked particularly cramped rows back.

Reclined with my own snacks and some pre-downloaded entertainment ready to binge on my phone, I snuggled the window and was just fine in my own little bubble. That said, a little carry-on cushion would have made it a bit more comfortable.

And without any devices on during one leg of the journey, I found it pleasant to chat with the stranger on the other side of the space between us. Old-school conversation is not a lost art.

“The positives are convenience and professionalism. Not likely to have all the flight cancellations experienced by some other airlines …Short layovers. The price is right,” said David who lives just north of the airport.

Another option to get to Stewart Airport (SWF) aside from the shuttle from Port Authority is the Metro North Rail from Grand Central and then a short cab ride from Beacon train station.  

Carbon Control Your Travel

The movement to fly less purely for the sake of reducing CO₂ emissions hasn’t caught on so much yet. But the idea to compensate for one’s carbon emissions does sound good. Maybe it depends on what side of the aisle you’re on, but facts are facts.

According to the mission of PLAY and its partnership with Klimate, an environmental company that sources “projects that remove carbon” footprints, the sustainable practices implemented directly contribute to creating affordable flights.  

So, while flying PLAY and its fuel-efficient Airbus A320 neo aircraft, for example, it is only logical that we are reducing the environmental impact of flying. PLAY offers each passenger an evaluation of the emissions created by their flight along with a counteractive solution against those emissions with the modest act of planting a tree, for example.

Most countries situated along Gulf Stream rely on their unique climates as being integral to tourism, so any radical shift to the balance is an indisputable problem for that industry as well.  More cost-effective flights facilitate an opportunity to be part of the solution. The bottom line is that non-essentials cost the airline and the consumer as well as the environment.

Reykjavik in the  Midnight Sun

It was the season of Midnight Sun, and I could feel my sense of time become off rather quickly. It adds to Iceland’s mystique, for sure. And it kind of added an element of moodiness, so I determined that maybe I am more a Polar Nights guy. But the 24/7 sun is not a deal breaker. I arrived in Iceland in less time than it takes to get to LA from New York City. I landed at Keflavik Airport and quickly checked in at Reykjavík Lights Hotel.

Public scooters and cabs made getting to downtown Reykjavik very accessible and quick. While Reykjavik is considered urban, it has a warm village-like feel and it’s got a lot of bustling.

There’s plenty of people-watching at Einstok Bar’s outdoor area. And I had no idea chocolate was a thing in Iceland until while wandering around, I ducked into Vínberið where I found it hard to resist buying sweets for just about everyone I know back home.

Later that evening, I met some colleagues for a particularly good dinner at Héðinn with a seasonally inspired menu in a relaxed elegant setting within a historic repurposed steel factory. Founders Karl Viggó Vigfússon and Elías Guðmundsson are well-known in Iceland’s restaurant scene. They are at the helm of a team of chefs who offer elevated and creative dishes that are delicious edible art.  

Monkey’s Restaurant boasts a chic, exotic, and colorful flair that’s like a warm embrace upon walking in. The popular spot offers Purvian and Japanese fusion food known as Nekkei in a fun yet quite refined menu. A great atmosphere with lots of character.

Sky Lagoon Wellness Ritual

Iceland’s got other-worldly charms, unique nature, fascinating progressive culture, plus those purple Lupina flowers everywhere. There is also lots of hydro-therapy wellness at the hot springs like at Sky Lagoon.

A spa weekend getaway with ancient wellness rituals and thermal pools on the edge of the North Atlantic Ocean where the sun sometimes doesn’t seem to rise or set sometimes sounds pretty dreamy. And there’s a swim-up bar if that floats your boat.

Nestled within hilly turf nooks, the modern spa embraces nature and Icelandic architectural tradition as closely as possible on the edge of Faxaflói Bay. The Mt. Esja volcanic mountain range is visible in the distance. My Sky Pass reservation provided me with a private changing and shower area plus seamless entry into the lagoon.

Ready for my Ancient Seven Ritual spa experience, I submerged myself in the emanating steam, floating into the healing warm waters of the canyon. I surrendered to the wellness remembering the Icelandic credo Þetta Reddast which is a  ‘belief in the practice of taking time to reduce stress, enjoy life, and relax by believing problems will find their solution.’

The Golden Circle

If you’ve never been to Iceland before, you’ve likely at least heard of its unique landscape. So, of course, there are bus tours to explore some of the best of it, like The Golden Circle, which is comprised of a trifecta of stunning natural landscapes. I was doing a mere extended weekend on this trip, so I opted for the Golden Circle express tour with Reykjavik Excursions and packed my wide-angle lens to capture it.

My guided walking tour through the rocky cliffs of the incredibly pristine Thingvellir National Park offered an introduction to Iceland’s Viking history. The Vikings lived off of the land here and actually held the first known parliament here.  Many of the park’s placards go into detail about some of their wild rituals. Also referred to as ‘no man’s land’ because it is actually a rift sitting between two tectonic plates as is evidenced by its unique geology.

A lot is going on beneath the surface at Geysir Geothermal Park. That’s an understatement. The very active Srokkur Geyser with its 100 ft. spurts may be the star of the show here but the entire geothermal strip is a marvel with its boiling mud pits and rupturing hot springs. Beyond these attractions are beautiful hiking trails with floral and fauna.

One thing that makes the thunderously intense Gullfoss Waterfall unique is that it is viewed from above rather than below. The great gorge offered up a sprawling trail that leads to a platform that serves up spectacular and envigorating views. You won’t get there if it’s icy. The visit here was just out of this world; real travel therapy.

There are some wonderful Icelandic gifts as well as some cuisine in the visitor’s centers here.

FlyOver Iceland

You have likely heard of this state-of-the-art experience where you hang suspended in full-motion seating, feet dangling, in front of a 65 ft. wraparound screen while you soar through, in, or above breathtaking scenes feeling like you’re really flying.

What could easily be gimmicky is elevated so well by motion technology as well as innovations in film, special atmospheric effects …The epic musical score. I can only imagine what it will be like when it goes virtual.

FlyOver Iceland was the next best thing to actually flying over all of Iceland, providing a very moving and exhilarating ride across Iceland’s most magical, perhaps even mythological wonders. It truly was a new way to see it all culminate here. I am unsure if anyone could not come out of this experience with more appreciation for this place than they had before going in.

I would have done it twice if time allowed, but especially if you’re doing a quickie trip like I was, this is one way to make a connection to this beautiful country.