Iceland Airwaves 2026 runs from November 5 to November 7 in downtown Reykjavik.

What Iceland Airwaves is

Iceland Airwaves is a multi-genre music festival held across a number of venues in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. Iceland Airwaves describes itself as the world's most northerly music showcase and industry festival.

Sena Live promotes and produces the festival in cooperation with the City of Reykjavik. Iceland Airwaves was launched as a one-off event in an airplane hangar.

Icelandair is the founding sponsor of Iceland Airwaves.

When it happens

Iceland Airwaves is held in November every year in Reykjavik. The official 2026 programme runs from November 5 to November 7 in downtown Reykjavik.

The 2026 special events take place on November 4, November 5 and November 8. A conference programme runs alongside the music festival.

How an evening works

Iceland Airwaves states that all its official venues are indoors and within walking distance of one another. The programme at the official venues starts in the evening.

A wristband is needed to enter the official venues. All shows are subject to venue capacity, and no more people are admitted once a venue is full.

Shows take place in settings ranging from record stores and dedicated venues to bars, churches, nightclubs and large-scale venues. Reykjavik's nightlife is concentrated in the compact downtown area, and most bars and venues there are within walking distance of one another.

Tickets and passes

Iceland Airwaves sells a Festival Pass for the official programme and a Festival Day Pass for a single day of it. It also sells a Pro Pass, which combines a conference pass, a festival pass and an Airwaves Plus upgrade.

The festival sells a Conference Pass and a Conference Day Pass. Airwaves Plus is a ticket upgrade that provides priority access to venues, discounts at bars, restaurants and experiences, plus priority access and discounts to the special events.

The special events are ticketed separately from the festival passes. Festival Pass holders receive a discount on the special events.

Tix is the festival's ticket provider, and Iceland Airwaves directs ticket questions to Tix. Refunds are not issued for Iceland Airwaves tickets, and all sales are final.

A cancelled performance by an individual artist does not entitle a ticket holder to a refund. All performances are subject to change.

An Iceland Airwaves ticket may be given away or sold on as long as no profit is made. The name on the ticket must be changed through Tix to the name of the new holder.

The name on an Iceland Airwaves ticket must match the name on the photo ID shown when the wristband is collected. Icelandair sells travel packages that combine a flight with a festival pass, with a hotel and an airport transfer as options.

Age rules at licensed venues

At a venue licensed to serve alcohol, Icelandic law prohibits young people under 18 from staying after 22 in the evening until the venue closes unless accompanied by a parent, another guardian, a relative or a spouse who is 18 or older.

The accompanying adult must stay with the young person the whole time. Guests must be able to show valid photo identification.

A payment card carrying a name but no photograph does not count as valid identification. Icelandic law prohibits selling, serving or providing alcohol to anyone under 20.

Guests under 20 may not buy or consume alcohol at Iceland Airwaves venues, whether accompanied or not. Some festival venues are licensed to serve alcohol and others are not.

The venues

The official Iceland Airwaves venues are Kolaport, City Hall, Idno, NASA, Frikirkjan, LEMMY and Rosenberg. Iceland Airwaves lists these venues as fully accessible.

The accessible way into LEMMY is the side entrance, and the festival says to ask for it. Iceland Airwaves publishes a venue map and tells festival-goers to save it to find the route to their next venue.

Harpa and the special events

The 2026 special events are Shygirl at City Hall on November 4, Dadi Freyr with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra in Eldborg at Harpa on November 5, and The Streets in Eldborg at Harpa on November 8.

Harpa is a concert hall on the Reykjavik waterfront that hosts music performances.

Off-venue and extra events

Extra events are organised and hosted by third parties that team up with Iceland Airwaves to offer benefits to ticket holders, from special discounts to priority access.

Iceland Airwaves labels each extra event as wristband needed, no wristband needed, separate ticket needed, or free for wristband holders.

The festival lists extra events at City Hall, Harpa, Hallgrimskirkja, Austurbaejarbio and Bio Paradis. The schedule of extra events is published ahead of the festival and is added to as events are confirmed.

Iceland Airwaves also publishes the extra events programme from the previous edition.

Getting in from the airport

Keflavik Airport is on the Reykjanes peninsula, outside Reykjavik. Flybus runs between the airport and the BSI bus terminal in Reykjavik, and the airport recommends booking tickets in advance.

Regular Straeto public transport buses run between the capital area and Keflavik Airport.

Daylight between shows

November falls outside Iceland's midnight sun period and inside the season when the northern lights can be seen.
Use the Daylight Calculator to help plan your trip.

Comparing Reykjavik tours around the festival

You can compare Reykjavik tours to see the current options.