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Greenland’s new international airport in Ilulissat opened on October 29, 2026, bringing direct flights from Copenhagen to the town beside the UNESCO-listed Ilulissat Icefjord. If icebergs and Disko Bay are the reason for your trip, you can now reach your destination without changing planes elsewhere in Greenland.
Lena Hartley
Updated Nov 4, 2026
6 min read
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Nuuk remains the main hub for the capital and onward domestic connections. Copenhagen and Iceland are the principal connecting points for many international visitors, while North American routes add seasonal options.
The useful starting question is where you want to spend your time. Landing in Greenland and reaching your chosen region can be two separate journeys.
| Where you want to go | Airport to start with | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Ilulissat, the Icefjord and Disko Bay | Ilulissat (JAV) | Direct Copenhagen flights reduce transfers; the Iceland route is seasonal. |
| Nuuk, its museums and the surrounding fjord | Nuuk (GOH) | Year-round international links and the country’s main domestic hub make it a practical starting point. |
| South Greenland | Qaqortoq (JJU) | The new airport opened in April 2026. Compare connections through Nuuk with seasonal flights from Iceland. |
| East Greenland around Kulusuk | Kulusuk (KUS) | Look at the seasonal Iceland connection before building an itinerary through western Greenland. |
Ilulissat and Nuuk offer different trips. Ilulissat puts you beside the icefjord, with boat excursions and access to the wider Disko Bay region. Nuuk combines Greenlandic city life, museums and restaurants with trips into its fjord system.
We would start with Ilulissat for a trip centered on the Icefjord. Nuuk makes more sense if the capital itself interests you or its flight connections suit a wider itinerary. Visiting both is possible, but budget for the journey between them before committing to the international ticket.
Previously, flying from Copenhagen to Ilulissat required a connection through Nuuk or Kangerlussuaq. The new direct route removes that transfer on operating days.
Its launch schedule is modest. During winter 2026–27, the Copenhagen–Ilulissat service runs mainly on Wednesdays, with selected additional Monday departures around Christmas, New Year and in March. Jettime operates the winter flights for Air Greenland.
Summer brings a different timetable. Air Greenland plans to introduce its Airbus A320neo on the route from April 2027 and increase service to as many as six weekly flights during the peak summer period. Those are future plans, distinct from the winter service now operating.
Use the Copenhagen–Ilulissat route programme to match your dates to the direct flights. If your preferred day requires a connection through Nuuk, compare the complete itinerary with moving your departure by a day or two.
The biggest gain is a simpler journey to North Greenland. Any saving depends on the full price of flights, accommodation and onward transport for your dates.
Copenhagen offers Air Greenland’s year-round route to Nuuk alongside the new Ilulissat service. It is a useful connection point for visitors arriving from mainland Europe or combining Greenland with time in Denmark.
Iceland gives you another way into Greenland, particularly if you can reach Keflavík on a convenient connecting flight. Icelandair serves Nuuk year-round, with seasonal routes to Ilulissat, Qaqortoq and Kulusuk.
All Icelandair flights between Iceland and Greenland use Keflavík International Airport (KEF). Reykjavík’s domestic airport, RKV, is a different airport; older itineraries that direct Greenland passengers there can be misleading.
Icelandair’s published summer 2027 schedule lists Ilulissat service from June 3 to October 16, with three flights per week at the summer peak. Qaqortoq and Kulusuk also have seasonal operating windows. Pick the Greenland destination and travel dates together, especially if your trip falls outside summer.
United’s Newark–Nuuk route provides a seasonal direct option from the United States. Canada also has a seasonal Air Greenland connection between Iqaluit and Nuuk. Neither should be treated as a year-round shortcut.
Outside the operating season, compare connections through Iceland and Copenhagen. If Ilulissat is your final destination, price the complete journey there: a flight arriving in Nuuk still leaves a domestic leg to arrange.
Greenland has no road network linking its towns. You cannot land in Nuuk, hire a car and drive to Ilulissat. Inter-town journeys rely on aircraft, helicopters and boats, depending on the destination and season.
Flights are usually the first option to examine when you need to connect distant parts of an itinerary. Coastal passenger services can be part of the trip itself, but their routes and sailing days need to fit your plans.
International arrivals by sea are a different proposition. There are no scheduled passenger ferries connecting Greenland with Iceland, Denmark or Canada. Cruises and chartered voyages are the alternatives for arriving by water.
On a shorter visit, staying in one region gives you more time on the ground. Adding another region means allowing for the transport leg, its cost and the possibility of a weather delay.
Weather can disrupt flights and boat departures in Greenland. Build spare time into an itinerary with several transport legs, especially before the flight taking you home. We would avoid placing a weather-sensitive boat trip immediately before an international departure.
Compare the whole journey when booking: connecting flights, baggage allowances, any overnight stop and the conditions attached to separate tickets. A lower fare to the first airport can become more expensive once the final domestic flight and an extra hotel night are added.
In Ilulissat, arrange the airport pickup with your accommodation or a local taxi provider before arrival. There is no public bus serving the airport. The local taxi app requires a Greenlandic phone number, so a hotel-arranged transfer can be simpler for an arriving visitor.
Greenland has entry requirements separate from the Schengen area. If your nationality requires a visa, a standard Schengen visa alone does not authorize entry to Greenland: the permission must explicitly cover Greenland. Your route through Denmark or Iceland may also require Schengen permission.
Visa-exempt visitors do not automatically need a Greenland visa. Check the Danish Immigration Service’s Greenland entry guidance for the rules applying to your nationality and residence status before buying non-refundable travel.
Keep your flight details, accommodation address and pickup arrangements saved offline. You can arrange mobile data before departure with a Roafly Greenland eSIM, while retaining downloaded copies for journeys away from coverage.
