CLEVELAND, Ohio - Icelandair, the rapidly growing airline based in Reykjavik, will start service between Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and Iceland, starting in May.

The airline will fly between Hopkins and Keflavik International Airport four times a week, connecting Cleveland travelers to cities in more than two dozen European destinations, including London, Paris, Frankfurt and many others.

The airline is known for its low fares to Europe.

It is the first trans-Atlantic flight from Cleveland since 2009, when United Airlines canceled a nonstop flight between Hopkins and London's Heathrow Airport.

Related: Costing of flying to Europe from Cleveland expected to plummet, thanks to new, competing service to Iceland

Since then, airport officials, in partnership with the business community, have worked to reinstate airline service to Cleveland - both to Europe as well as domestic destinations cut when United eliminated its hub at Hopkins in 2014.

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson called the announcement "a clear indication of the growing interest in our city as an international business and tourist destination."

Added airport director Robert Kennedy: "Icelandair brings great service and a global reach which is a big win for the corporate community in Cleveland looking to do business in Europe and beyond. We're pleased they see the potential of the Cleveland market and put transatlantic service back in Northeast Ohio."

Tickets are not yet on sale, and it's not clear which four days of the week the route will fly. On Twitter, the airline said tickets would be available "soon."

Travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt called Icelandair's announcement "a vote of confidence for Cleveland and the airport."

He described Icelandair as a long-established, well-run airline, known for its low fares to Europe.

Despite those low fares, the airline is not categorized in the industry as a low-cost carrier, in part because it continues to offer business-class seating.

He said the service is likely to be most popular with leisure travelers who will stop in Iceland for a day or two and then head to mainland Europe.

Many business travelers, he predicted, will remain loyal to frequent-flier programs with legacy carriers, offering connections to continental Europe via New York City or Chicago.

Joe Roman, president of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, however, believes the business community will support a new path to Europe: a six-hour flight to Iceland, followed by a short, three-hour flight to London, Paris or elsewhere.

"I think people will see Reykjavik as a tremendous destination in itself, but also a great connection to Europe," said Roman, who flew to Iceland five weeks ago to check out the city and the airport.

"It's a new option. I think it will be very well received."

In addition, he said, he hopes the arrival of Icelandair to Cleveland leads other airlines to take another look at Hopkins. "What I think this does is stimulate the marketplace. Others will take notice."

Harteveldt, the founder of Atmosphere Research Group, agreed that service to Reykjavik, if successful, could boost Cleveland's chances with other airlines. "The airline industry has a lemming-like mentality," he said. "What this announcement does is validate Cleveland as a long-haul gateway.

In a

on its website, Icelandair CEO Birkir Holm Gudnason said:

"Cleveland is the perfect destination for our route network. We are happy to be the first carrier to provide service to Europe in 8 years. This addition also strengthens our route network and bridges Europe and Cleveland together by providing direct service to Iceland in addition to quick and convenient connections to 30 destinations in Europe."

The release goes on to say: "Located on the shores of Lake Erie, in the heart of the Midwest, Cleveland will be Icelandair's 19th gateway in North America. With a population of 2.2 million inhabitants, the city has a vast industrial history and is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Sports enthusiasts will also recognize Cleveland's basketball team, the Cavaliers, led by one of the brightest stars of the NBA, LeBron James."

Other U.S. cities with Icelandair include Boston, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Orlando.

A quick look at fares for next June show rates as low as $257 one way from Minneapolis, for example. Basic economy rates generally include one checked and one carry-on bag, complimentary in-flight entertainment and 32 inches of legroom.

The airline typically offers a free "stopover" for up to seven days in Iceland for passengers en route to another destination.

The airline owns a fleet of 31 airplanes, mostly 183-passenger Boeing 757-200s. In 2013, it ordered another 16 planes from Boeing, which will be delivered starting in 2018.

In 2016, the airline served 3.7 million passengers, up nearly 20 percent over 2015.

It's not the only growing airline in Iceland. Earlier this year, Wow Air, a low-cost carrier also based in Reykjavik, started flying between Iceland and Pittsburgh International Airport.

Cleveland Hopkins bid on that route, lost out, but will offer similar service next year.