Reykjavík has quietly become one of the more logical business class gateways from the Upper Midwest, and Mitchell International's limited transatlantic footprint makes routing choices matter more than usual. There is no nonstop business class from Milwaukee to Reykjavík; instead, the practical path runs through a domestic connection to a Delta, United, or Icelandair gateway before the transatlantic leg. Delta typically routes travelers through Minneapolis or JFK onto its Delta One product—either the reverse-herringbone suites on 767s and A330s or, on select equipment, the newer Delta One suite with closing doors. United tends to funnel MKE traffic through Chicago O'Hare or Newark, connecting onto its Polaris seats, a solid herringbone layout with direct aisle access from every seat. Icelandair, notably, doesn't operate a true flat-bed business cabin; its Saga Premium is a recliner-style premium economy-plus product, which matters if you're expecting a fully lie-flat experience on that final segment into KEF.
Having flown this connection combination repeatedly, I'd steer serious business travelers toward routing through Minneapolis on Delta when schedules allow—MSP's international concourse has shorter security lines than JFK's Terminal 4, and the connection buffer is more forgiving during Midwest winter weather delays. If Icelandair's Saga Premium is your only option for the final leg, book an aisle seat in the front rows of the cabin, where the recliner pitch feels noticeably more generous than farther back. Keflavík itself rewards early risers: flights from North America tend to land in the pre-dawn hours, and clearing passport control before the bulk of European connecting traffic arrives can save you twenty minutes or more.
Summer (May through September) brings Iceland's long daylight hours and the best award and upgrade availability, since leisure demand pushes airlines to add capacity and, occasionally, loosen upgrade inventory on the transatlantic legs. Given the multi-airline routing complexity here, fares and premium cabin availability shift often—setting up price alerts for this specific city pair is the smartest way to catch the inevitable dips before they disappear.
