Ilulissat International Airport in Greenland opened on October 29, after final operational approval from the Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority (Trafikstyrelsen).
The airport, on Greenland’s west coast about 250km north of the Arctic Circle, has a new 2,200m runway, replacing the previous 845m runway, and a terminal building of approximately 5,000m2 .
The airport will be able to welcome larger aircraft and direct international flights from Copenhagen. Previously, travelers flying from Copenhagen to Ilulissat needed to transfer through Nuuk or Kangerlussuaq. Air Greenland plans to operate direct flights taking approximately five hours.
Air Greenland marked the opening with an inaugural direct flight from Copenhagen on October 29 on board its Airbus A330neo, named Tuukkaq. From November 2026, the route will be operated by Jettime using a Boeing 737-800, with an initial schedule of one weekly direct flight and additional departures during selected periods. Air Greenland expects to introduce its new Airbus A320neo, Unaaq, on the route in In April 2027. During the peak summer season of 2027, the airline plans to operate up to six weekly direct flights between Copenhagen and Ilulissat.
Icelandair also connects Ilulissat with Keflavík International Airport in Iceland during the summer season. Its published 2027 schedule includes three weekly flights between Keflavík and Ilulissat from June 3 to October 16.
Visit Greenland says that Ilulissat is one of the country’s most visited destinations. It is Greenland’s third-largest town, with a population of around 5,000, and is home to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ilulissat Icefjord.
The opening is the final stage of Greenland’s three major airport infrastructure projects, following the openings of Nuuk International Airport in November 2024 and Qaqortoq Airport in April 2026.
Linda Kleist, CEO of Visit Greenland, said, “The opening of Ilulissat International Airport marks another important milestone for Greenland. Together with the new airports in Nuuk and Qaqortoq, it creates new opportunities for tourism across our regions.
“But infrastructure alone does not create lasting value. What matters is how we build on these opportunities together – strengthening local businesses, creating opportunities across our communities and shaping tourism development that respects our nature, culture and way of life.”
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