I flew New York to Paris for less than $500 on Icelandair — here's what my first-ever ride with the airline was like

The INSIDER Summary:

• I recently flew Icelandair for the first time from NYC to Paris.
• I had a five-hour flight to Reykjavik from NYC, where I then had an hour layover, and then a three-hour flight from Reykjavik to Paris.
• All in all, it was an enjoyable experience.
• I was sitting in an exit row, so I had ample leg room, plus there was a great selection of movies, and the plane was clean and relatively on time.
• My only real complaint was that there wasn't a free meal served on the flight.

I recently took a trip to France to visit my sister.

With the help of KAYAK's price alerts, I was able to book a round-trip flight from JFK in New York City to Charles de Gaulle in Paris for just $464.

I booked my flight on Icelandair, so I had a five-hour flight to Reykjavik from NYC, where I then had an hour layover, and then a three-hour flight from Reykjavik to Paris.

Although I've flown internationally multiple times in the past, this was my first time flying Icelandair. I wasn't sure what to expect since my ticket had been so cheap.

Keep scrolling to read about my experience.

As I boarded the flight from JFK to Reykjavik, I was greeted by a friendly flight attendant standing at the front of the plane handing out small water bottles.

It was a nice touch, and the perfect way to begin a long flight — an experience that usually ends in dehydration for me.

A small pillow and blanket were waiting for me at my seat. The pillow was pretty standard as far as airplane amenities go, but the blanket was softer than most I had used.