New Nuuk airport opens, transforming Greenlandic tourism
Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, is aiming to become a central hub for Arctic travel with the inauguration of its expanded international airport. The new facility, featuring a 2,200-meter runway and a modern terminal, will commence operations November 28.
Greenland is expecting large future growth in tourism with passenger traffic expected to double to over 100,000 from more than 50,000 annually in the first year, Greenland Airport’s Chief Executive Officer Jens Lauridsen told Danish media Finans. In 2023, just under 65,000 tourists arrived to Greenland by air, with about 5,000 of them flying through the capital’s existing small, domestic airport, according to Visit Greenland.
At 12:35 PM on the opening day, the inaugural direct flight from Copenhagen will arrive, marking a milestone in Greenland’s enhanced accessibility to international destinations. Later in the day, a grand celebration will take place in the capitol featuring local artists and culminating in a fireworks display.
The extended runway will accommodate larger aircraft, enabling direct flights from Europe and North America. Air Greenland plans to shift its hub to Nuuk, introducing direct flights to Copenhagen using Airbus A330-800 aircraft. Additionally, routes to Billund and Aalborg in Denmark are slated for 2025, with a stopover at Keflavík International Airport in Iceland. Icelandair intends to enhance its service to Reykjavík-Keflavík International Airport, initially deploying De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 aircraft, and transitioning to Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in the summer of 2025.
U.S. carriers are also entering the market. United Airlines has announced a direct route from Newark to Nuuk, operating twice weekly starting June 14, 2025. Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) will reintroduce flights to Greenland with a new route from Copenhagen to Nuuk, offering three flights per week during the summer 2025 season.
The airport’s expansion is expected to boost tourism and economic development in Greenland, providing travelers with more convenient access to the island’s unique landscapes and cultural experiences.
Air Greenland CEO Jacob Nitter Sørensen wrote about the importance of the new airport on his LinkedIn page:
