Icelandic flag carrier Icelandair is to retire all of its Boeing 757-200 aircraft painted in the Vatnajökull glacier livery, clearing the service of its ‘flying glacier’ after eight years in the skies.
The last flight of Icelandair’s Boeing 757 in the ‘Vatnajökull’ glacier livery took place on September 21, 2025. The aircraft, registered as TF-FIR, operated as flight FI455, taking off from London Heathrow (LHR) at 21:29 local time and arrived at Keflavík International Airport (KEF) in Reykjavík at 00:15 local time on September 22, 2025.
The flight marked the end of service for the special livery, which was launched in 2017 to celebrate Icelandair’s 80th anniversary and honor Iceland’s largest glacier. The ‘flying glacier’ first took to the skies on May 13, 2017.
According to the carrier’s official website, the livery symbolizes the largest glacier in Europe that descends from the highest mountain ridge in the country. This ice giant spans 8% of Iceland and can be as thick as 1000 meters (3,280 feet). This is equivalent to 30 meters of ice if distributed evenly across all of Iceland.
“Vatnajökull holds a special place in the hearts of Icelanders. With this unique aircraft, we want to share the natural wonders of Vatnajökull with our passengers and invite them to step aboard a glacier to experience a stunning part of our home,” the airline said at the time the design was launched.
Icelandair’s aircraft typically feature five tail colors: boreal blue, magenta, sky blue, yellow, and green, each symbolizing aspects of Icelandic nature. With the retirement of the Vatnajökull glacier livery, one special scheme remains in service: the “Hekla Aurora” Boeing 757-200, introduced in 2015 and inspired by Iceland’s northern lights.
Airline’s fleet modernization goals
The decision to retire the ‘Vatnajökull’ aircraft is part of Icelandair’s broader fleet renewal strategy, aimed at replacing older jets with newer, more fuel-efficient models.
As part of this update, the airline is replacing Boeing 757s with Airbus A321LR and A321XLR models. The first A321LRs are already in service, while Icelandair expects to receive its A321XLRs starting in 2029.
