D.C. has been hot, hot, hot, recently - or should we say ice cold? Beginning on May 17, 2011, Icelandair will launch their eighth North American gateway with seasonal service from Washington Dulles International Airport. From May through mid-September, the airline will offer four weekly flights.

Early bird fares begin as low as $429 round trip, perhaps giving travelers reason to hop the pond and hit up the Blue Lagoon.

"Icelandair is very familiar with the Baltimore-Washington market and looks forward to serving the metropolitan area that Icelandair called home for nearly 15 years," said Thorsteinn Egilsson, General Manager – The Americas. "Dulles Airport will offer convenient connectivity for U.S. travelers and will serve the large International market surrounding Washington, D.C. The launch of service from Washington, D.C. will serve our passengers traveling to Iceland and beyond well into the future and we look forward to welcoming them aboard."

Currently, the airline services more than 20 destinations in Europe, making Iceland an ideal stopping point for travelers looking to spend a few days (perhaps in an ice cave?) before heading off to other cities. Conveniently, Icelandair allows passengers to stopover in the country with no additional airfare, further adding to its attractiveness.

[Image courtesy of Icelandair]

Filed under: Europe, Iceland, Airlines