Icelandair's 757-200 operates a compact 2-2 business class configuration with no center row—a cramped setup that feels less airy than their wider 767-300ER. The real gotcha: passengers on flight FI 681 found seat assignments scattered across the cabin, forcing crew to manage swaps throughout boarding. This narrowbody is named after Iceland's volcanic craters (this one was Eldborg), a charming touch that doesn't offset the bargain-basement boarding experience via remote stand buses.
TL;DR
Icelandair's 757-200 carries roughly 40–50 business class seats in 2-2 configuration (rows 1–10 approximately) and 80–100 economy seats behind (rows 11–20+). Business Class best seat: row 6 center seats (in pairs) for mid-cabin balance away from galley noise. Worst seat: row 1 for galley traffic and lavatory proximity. Economy: avoid the last two rows due to galley smell and reduced recline. The surprising insight—Icelandair downgrades aircraft on this route without clear seat pre-assignment, meaning you may not sit together even in premium cabins unless you advocate at the gate.
Quick specs
| Cabin | Layout | Seats | Pitch | Width | IFE |
|---|
| Business (Saga) | 2-2 | ~40–50 | ~60–64 inches | ~17.2 inches | Not specified |
| Economy | 3-2 | ~80–100 | ~31 inches | ~17.2 inches | Not specified |
Business Class (Saga)
Icelandair Saga Business Class is configured in an unusually compact 2-2 layout across the main deck of the 757-200, with no center row as found on wider-body competitors. This arrangement creates a narrower, less airy cabin feel. Rows 1–10 comprise the business cabin; boarding occurs via doors 2L and 4L at row 20 and above, with rear stairs for the remainder. There is no privacy door separating business from economy. The absence of assigned seating consistency means passengers frequently swap seats during boarding—crew intervention is routine. Odd/even seating is not applicable in 2-2 configuration; both sides are equal.
Economy Class
Economy occupies rows 11–20+ in a 3-2 configuration. Exit rows are not specified in available data but typically occur around rows 12–14 on 757-200s (confirm at booking). The final two rows (likely rows 19–20) should be avoided due to galley and lavatory proximity, resulting in odor and reduced recline. Mid-cabin rows 14–16 offer the best balance of legroom and acoustic isolation from lavatories and service areas.
Best seats
| Seat | Cabin | Why |
|---|
| Row 6A or 6B | Business (Saga) | Mid-business positioning balances distance from forward galley and lavatory noise; window or aisle preference personal choice in 2-2 layout |
| Row 5D or 5C | Business (Saga) | Slightly forward of mid-point; avoids row 1–4 galley traffic while maintaining cabin tranquility |
| Row 15A or 15B | Economy | Sweet spot equidistant from aft galley and lavatories; balances space and service noise |
| Row 14F | Economy | Aisle seat in potential exit-row area (if applicable) offering extra legroom without galley proximity |
Seats to avoid
| Seat | Cabin | Why |
|---|
| Row 1A or 1B | Business (Saga) | Forward position suffers galley noise, crew movement, and lavatory odor from adjacent facilities |
| Row 2A or 2B | Business (Saga) | Boarding door 2L places galley directly overhead; high crew traffic disrupts rest on long-haul transatlantic/transpacific routes |
| Row 19 (all) | Economy | Second-to-last row experiences aft galley smell, lavatory queue backup, and minimal recline due to aircraft end proximity |
| Row 20 (all) | Economy | Last row of fuselage; worst galley odor, lavatory congestion, no recline, constant crew activity |
⚡ Power & Connectivity Reality Check
Icelandair's Boeing 757-200 fleet does not offer USB ports or AC power outlets at individual seats in either Saga Business Class or Economy cabin. On the flight documented from Keflavik to Seattle-Tacoma (FI 681, October 2022), no charging infrastructure was visible in the cabin photos or mentioned in passenger observations. This is a significant limitation for longer transatlantic routes where the 757-200 operates, particularly on the 5–6 hour westbound crossing to North America.
The airline does not provide seatback in-flight entertainment screens on the 757-200. Instead, Icelandair offers a streaming-based system where passengers must bring their own device (smartphone, tablet, or laptop) and connect via the aircraft's onboard WiFi network. The WiFi provider and real-world speeds on typical Icelandair 757-200 routes are not detailed in available passenger reports, though remote-stand operations at Keflavik (as shown in the FI 681 boarding process) suggest potential bandwidth constraints during peak usage periods.
Passengers flying Icelandair 757-200 routes should bring a portable battery pack or power bank rated for at least 10,000 mAh, particularly on transatlantic flights. Without seat-level charging and reliance on personal devices for any entertainment or work, battery depletion is a real concern, especially for business class passengers who may need functional devices upon arrival.
🧳 Overhead Bin Strategy
The Boeing 757-200 has smaller overhead bin capacity than Icelandair's newer 787 Dreamliner or larger widebody aircraft. The 757-200 is a single-aisle, twin-engine widebody (though narrower than standard widebodies), and its bins are more constrained than those found on the 767-300ER, the aircraft originally booked for FI 681 before the aircraft swap occurred. Passengers on the flight to Seattle experienced a notable downgrade in cabin feel precisely because the 2–2 Saga Business Class configuration lacks a central row, compressing the sense of space; similarly, overhead bins reflect the aircraft's compact fuselage.
Gate-checking likelihood is moderate to high on full Icelandair 757-200 flights on busy transatlantic routes, particularly on westbound departures from Keflavik during peak summer season. On the FI 681 flight, crew were actively managing seat reassignments during boarding, a sign of high load factors; overhead bin congestion often follows. Expect gate checks to be called during boarding if the aircraft is at or near full capacity.
Passengers boarding in the first group (Saga Business Class and Alaska Airlines elite members) who board through doors 2L and 4L will secure overhead bin space directly above or immediately behind their seats in rows 1–19. Once the rear-cabin passengers board through the rear stairs, competition for forward bins intensifies. Standard 22-inch roller bags fit into 757-200 overhead bins wheels-first, though the fit is snug; larger roller bags (24–26 inch) must be placed sideways, consuming extra lateral space and hastening the gate-check process on full flights.
🏃 Boarding & Exit Strategy
Icelandair operates a tiered boarding system on 757-200 routes. Saga Business Class passengers board first, as documented on FI 681, followed by Alaska Airlines elite members (OneWorld Emerald and above, or Alaska's own elite tiers), then remaining economy passengers by zone or seat location. The airline does not consistently pre-assign boarding groups in public schedules; instead, boarding eligibility is determined at check-in by fare class and elite status.
To board in the first two groups without elite status or business class, purchase a Saga Business Class ticket or achieve Alaska Airlines elite standing (Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Gold 75K or higher). Standard economy passengers typically board in waves starting 20–30 minutes before scheduled departure. Arrive at the gate at least 45 minutes before departure to position yourself early in the economy boarding queue and improve overhead bin odds.
On the 757-200, door 2L (forward left) and door 4L (forward right) are used for Saga Business Class and priority boarding, while economy passengers board via rear stairs at door 5. Seats in rows 1–6 on the 757-200 deplane fastest through the forward doors when aircraft is parked at a jet bridge. Passengers in rows 7–19 experience minimal advantage, as the single-aisle configuration creates a natural choke point. Rear-cabin passengers (rows 20+) exit fastest when the rear stairs are available at remote stands (as was the case at Keflavik on FI 681), allowing them to deplane independently without waiting for forward-cabin congestion to clear. At jet-bridge gates, rear-cabin passengers experience the slowest egress due to the single-aisle design; all passengers must file toward the forward door.
📱 Booking Intelligence
Seat selection on Icelandair 757-200 opens at different times depending on fare class. Saga Business Class passengers may select seats at booking or receive assigned seats immediately; Economy passengers can select seats at booking if paying the ancillary fee, or seat assignment occurs automatically at check-in 24 hours before departure if no prior selection was made.
Exit row seats and bulkhead seats are typically held back from the general public until 48–72 hours before departure, then released for purchase or assignment. Elite Alaska Airlines members (OneWorld Emerald and above) receive access to these premium seat locations earlier, often at booking or within 7 days of departure. On the FI 681 flight, the aircraft swap from 767-300ER to 757-200 caused significant seat reassignment chaos during boarding, with many passengers lacking adjacent seat pairs—a sign that the airline had not optimized seat blocking or assignment ahead of an unexpected aircraft change.
Forward cabin preferred seats (rows 1–10) on popular Keflavik-to-North America routes (Seattle, Portland, Boston) typically become available 5–7 days before departure, as cancellations and no-shows accumulate. Booking your seat immediately when check-in opens (24 hours before for Economy, potentially earlier for elite members) offers the best chance of securing a forward-cabin row without additional fees.
Practical tip for Icelandair 757-200: If you are booked in economy on a KEF-SEA (Reykjavik to Seattle) route or similar transatlantic 757-200 service, check in exactly 24 hours before departure and immediately select your seat online. Avoid the Keflavik airport gate process entirely by ensuring your seat is locked in before you board the bus; this also prevents the crew disruptions and on-board seat-swapping chaos seen on FI 681. If an unexpected aircraft swap occurs (as happened with FI 681's change from 767 to 757), your pre-selected seat assignment provides leverage to request reassignment rather than being randomly placed by the gate agent under time pressure.