The 40th Birthday Surprise: Chasing Northern Lights with Icelandair

For my husband Thomas's 40th birthday, I wanted to pull off the ultimate surprise: a trip to Iceland to hike glaciers and hopefully catch the Northern Lights. Thomas is a tall guy, and squeezing his 6'4" frame into economy for a transatlantic flight felt like a terrible way to start a milestone celebration.

I wanted to upgrade our experience, but looking at standard business class fares from Boston to Reykjavik quickly threatened to consume the budget I had set aside for our glacier tours and boutique hotels. I needed a middle ground—something comfortable and special, but reasonably priced.

I discovered CEOFLIGHTS through a travel blog and reached out. Xavier took my case and was incredibly helpful. He introduced me to Icelandair's Saga Premium product. It wasn't a lie-flat bed, but it offered exactly what we needed: wide recliner seats, premium service, and lounge access. Better yet, Xavier secured the tickets for $1,800 less than I could find online.

"Xavier helped me orchestrate the perfect surprise. He guided me to a product that perfectly fit our needs and budget, proving that you don't always need a fully flat bed to have a deeply premium and enjoyable flight."

The look on Thomas's face when we bypassed the main terminal lines and headed for the lounge at Logan Airport was priceless. The surprise was off to a fantastic start. Boarding the Boeing 737 MAX, the Saga Premium cabin felt exclusive and intimate.

The seats provided ample legroom and width, allowing Thomas to stretch out comfortably—a rare luxury for him on airplanes. The service was distinctly Icelandic, warm and welcoming, with a menu featuring local specialties like Arctic char and a surprisingly good selection of gin.

While it's a relatively short flight from Boston, the elevated experience made the journey feel like an integral part of the vacation rather than just a means of transportation. We arrived in Keflavik feeling refreshed, relaxed, and ready to explore.

CEOFLIGHTS and Xavier didn't just save me money; they allowed me to allocate our travel budget toward unforgettable experiences in Iceland while still treating my husband to the premium travel experience he deserved for his 40th birthday.