Keflavík International Airport

Keflavík International Airport Keflavíkurflugvöllur
IATA: KEF ICAO: BIKF
Summary
Airport type	Public / Military
Owner/Operator	Isavia Limited
Serves	Greater Reykjavík Area, Iceland
Location	Sandgerði, Iceland
Hub for	Icelandair WOW air
Elevation AMSL	52 m / 171 ft
Coordinates	63°59′06″N 22°36′20″W / 63.98500°N 22.60556°W / 63.98500; -22.60556Coordinates: 63°59′06″N 22°36′20″W / 63.98500°N 22.60556°W / 63.98500; -22.60556
Website	www.kefairport.is/english/
Map
KEF/BIKF Location in Iceland
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 01/19 3,054 10,020 Asphalt 11/29 3,065 10,056 Asphalt
Statistics
Passengers (2016) 6.821.358 Cargo (2012) 38,986 t
Sources:AIP Iceland at ICAA Statistics: Isavia Limited

Keflavík International Airport (Icelandic: Keflavíkurflugvöllur) (IATA: KEF, ICAO: BIKF), also known as Reykjavík-Keflavík Airport, is the largest airport in Iceland and the country's main hub for international transportation. The airport is 1.7 nautical miles (3.1 km; 2.0 mi) west of Keflavík and 50 km (31 mi) southwest of Reykjavík. The airport has three runways, two of which are in use, and the airport area is about 25 km² (9.7 sq mi). Most international journeys to or from Iceland pass through this airport.

The main carriers at Keflavík are Icelandair and WOW air, each of which has the airport as its main hub. The airport is almost exclusively used for international flights; most domestic flights use Reykjavík Airport, which lies 3 km (1.9 mi) from Reykjavík's city centre, although seasonal flights from Akureyri fly to Keflavík. Keflavík Airport is operated by Isavia, a government enterprise.

Originally, the airport was built by the United States military during World War II and opened on March 23, 1943. The U.S. named it Meeks Field after a young pilot, George Meeks, who died on the Reykjavík airfield. After the war, the airport and the base were returned to Iceland's control and were renamed for the nearby town of Keflavik. In 1951, the U.S. military returned to the airport under a defense agreement between Iceland and the U.S. signed on 5 May 1951. Later, Iceland joined NATO.

With the reestablishment of the military air base at Keflavík during the 1950s, the air terminal found itself in the middle of a secure military zone. Travelers had to pass through military check points to reach their flights, until 1987, when the civilian terminal was relocated.