Flights take off from first EVER international airport on world’s biggest island – will YOU add it to your holiday list?
THE world’s largest island just got a lot closer as flights are finally taking off from its first-ever international airport.
With direct connections to major cities like Copenhagen and Reykjavik — and New York flights coming soon — Greenland is now ready to welcome tourists from around the globe.
The newly inaugurated Nuuk International Airport features a 7,217-foot runway, state-of-the-art facilities, and the capacity to handle up to 800 passengers every hour.
With these upgrades, Greenland is poised to welcome larger aircraft and a growing number of international flights from global hubs such as Copenhagen and Reykjavik, with routes to New York and Newark set to follow in 2025.
Travellers previously had to endure long layovers and connecting flights through remote military-built airstrips like Kangerlussuaq.
But direct flights, including five weekly departures to Copenhagen (soon increasing to six during holidays and eight in summer), are now reducing travel time and costs, making the island more accessible to tourists and locals.
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Nuuk’s new airport is the first of three major airport projects planned to modernize Greenland's travel infrastructure by 2026.
Additional airports in Ilulissat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Qaqortoq in the south will open in the coming years.
Together, these facilities will make Greenland’s fjords, glaciers, and iconic Northern Lights reachable within 1.5 hours from most parts of the island.
Jens Lauridsen, CEO of Greenland Airports, emphasised the transformative potential by saying: “A flight from Europe to Nuuk is a little over four hours. We are placed right in the middle.
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"There is very, very big interest from major carriers in Europe.”
The upgrades also open doors for new tourism opportunities, from whale watching in Disko Bay to witnessing towering fjords and polar bears in Ittoqqortoormiit.
Nuuk itself offers cultural treasures, including colorful houses overlooking fjords, museums, and Arctic culinary experiences.
Beyond tourism, the new airport heralds significant economic and social benefits.
Enhanced air transport will facilitate the export of Greenlandic seafood, expand trade opportunities, and improve access to healthcare and education for the island's 56,000 residents.
Air Greenland’s Airbus A330neo will serve as the backbone of these international connections, operating direct flights to Copenhagen and Reykjavik.
United Airlines also plans to launch direct seasonal flights from Newark starting June 2025, creating the first nonstop link between Greenland and the United States.
Greenland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs celebrated the milestone on X (formerly Twitter), stating: “Today is a joyful day as the first transatlantic flight landed at the new international airport in Nuuk.
"We are excited and look forward to welcoming tourists to our beautiful country.”
