5 Ways To Save Money on a Visit to Iceland’s Blue Lagoon [2024]

While there are other options for thermal baths in Iceland these days, the Blue Lagoon remains the most famous. It’s also the most expensive, due to this fame and the multiple amenities available, such as a spa and restaurant. And if you don’t plan ahead, you could wind up spending more than you need to on a visit to the Blue Lagoon.

That’s the situation my wife and I found ourselves in during a recent trip to Iceland, so I want to help you avoid our mistakes.

What Is the Blue Lagoon?

Iceland has several thermal baths, the most well-known being the Blue Lagoon. Opened in 1992, the Blue Lagoon is a heated pool of geothermal seawater with a surrounding complex of buildings that include a restaurant, café, spa, locker rooms, and a store selling the Blue Lagoon’s own line of wellness products.

While the Blue Lagoon touts its health benefits quite frequently, there’s been scant scientific study to evaluate these claims. Even still, the Blue Lagoon was named to National Geographic’s 25 Wonders of the World in 2012, and the lagoon remains one of Iceland’s most visited sites.

The Blue Lagoon is around 20 minutes from Keflavík Airport (KEF) and 50 minutes from Reykjavík. Bus transportation can be arranged via Destination Blue Lagoon for around $29 each way.

1. Purchase Tickets in Advance

The Blue Lagoon’s ticket page advertises “prices from,” with the cheapest ticket start around $73. The Comfort ticket includes entrance, use of a towel, and a complimentary drink at the in-water bar. All tickets also include the use of the locker rooms (including lockers), a shower, and toiletries. Unfortunately, the Blue Lagoon is no longer advertising the Standard ticket, which cost around $45 per person.

The Comfort ticket also provides a Silica mask you can pick up from a stand in the middle of the lagoon.

Flip-flops aren’t included with any tickets, but the Premium ticket also comes with an extra drink at the bar, use of a bathrobe, and 2 additional masks in the lagoon. It’s also worth mentioning the minimum age to enter the waters is 2 years old. However, children ages 2 to 13 get in free.

Now, let’s get back to those “prices from” numbers. The closer you get to the day of your visit, the higher the prices go. Booking far in advance will help you lock in the cheapest price. By booking only 24 hours in advance, we paid $93 — $20 each above the starting price. Moral of the story: Book early.

Booking directly with Blue Lagoon is likely your best bet. While multiple third-party sites advertise tickets, these all come with a markup — often between 12% and 15%. Unless you find a shopping portal offering sufficient cash-back or bonus points, the extra cost won’t be worth it.

2. Go Early

On top of dynamic pricing for the day you visit and how far in advance you book, you’ll pay more to visit at popular times. Take this example from April 3, 2024. The cheapest admission is available at 8 a.m., but that’s the only time of the day with the “starting at” price. As the day wears on, admission gets more expensive.

Going early (and sometimes the last time slot of the day) can provide considerable savings. Luckily, there’s no time limit. You can stay at the lagoon as long as you’d like, though you’ll need to exit the waters 30 minutes before closing time.

While reserving in advance isn’t necessary — you can simply show up and purchase admission, if the lagoon isn’t sold out — you do have to show up during the time slot you reserved to get guaranteed entry. You can’t purchase the cheapest time at 8 a.m. and then arrive after lunch. You must enter within 1 hour of your reserved time for guaranteed access.

The positive side to going early is a smaller crowd at the lagoon, which we enjoyed.

3. Pay With Points

Using credit card rewards can be an option to reduce out-of-pocket costs. You can find Blue Lagoon Comfort tickets in 2 credit card travel portals.

Citi Travel with Booking.com lets you pay for entrance tickets with your ThankYou Points. Points are worth 1 cent apiece here. The price for 2 adults is nearly $20 higher booking this way, however.

The Chase Travel portal offers the same option Citi has, plus another choice. You can add transportation for $1 more, and bundling like this could be worthwhile. Points will be worth anywhere from 1 cent to 1.5 cents in the portal, depending on which Chase Ultimate Rewards credit card you have.

4. Pack Appropriately

Since flip-flops and robes aren’t included in the cheapest tickets, bringing your own can save money. We brought the sandals and robes from our hotel. If you know you’ll be visiting the Blue Lagoon, putting flip-flops in your suitcase is a good idea. That way, you won’t need to walk around barefoot in the communal showers.

While a towel is included with each ticket, a robe can cost around $14 to rent if you have a Comfort ticket.

5. Hydrate

Yes, the Comfort and Premium tickets include drinks at the in-lagoon bar. Options include sodas, beer, wine, water, and juice. However, the hot, salty water of the lagoon left us really thirsty. By hydrating before and after your visit, you can avoid the hefty prices for drinks beyond what’s included with your ticket.

Final Thoughts

By planning ahead, you can save money on a visit to the Blue Lagoon. We learned some of these tips the hard way, booking our tickets at the last minute and paying extra as a result. If you buy in advance, go early, and pack to avoid extra expenses, you can reduce your costs when visiting this tourist hotspot in southwest Iceland.

When visiting Reykjavík, Iceland, consider staying at one of several properties Upgraded Points’ writers have reviewed: