Greenland will open its first international airport in its capital Nuuk on Thursday, part of a push for international tourism in the region.
Nuuk International Airport will feature an extended runway, able to accommodate large planes, and a new terminal building. New airports in southern and western Greenland are also scheduled to open by the end of 2026.
“These developments promise more frequent, cost-effective travel options, making Greenland an increasingly accessible destination for adventurers and explorers,” according to Greenland’s government-owned tourism company Visit Greenland.
As Greenland sits between North America and Europe, “there's great opportunities to grow tourism from both sides,” Greenland Airports CEO Jens Lauridsen said in October. "We're seeing an increasing interest from North American tourists at the moment."
Greenland’s tourism sector brought in EU€245.8 million in 2023, around 10% of Greenland’s GDP. About 140,000 travellers visited Greenland that year, a 36.5% increase over 2022.
Nuuk International Airport will initially be served by Air Greenland and IcelandAir.
United Airlines will operate direct flights from the United States to Nuuk beginning in June, launching from Newark, New Jersey. SAS, Denmark’s flag carrier, will run direct flights from Copenhagen to Nuuk during the summer.
Travellers to Nuuk previously had to transfer flights at Kangerlussuaq Airport, a former United States Air Force base near Greenland’s western coast.
Another international airport is planned for Ilulissat, the region’s third-largest city, located in western Greenland. A regional airport will open in Qaqartoq, on Greenland’s south coast.
These airport projects are expected to cost more than US$800 million, partly financed by Denmark. Greenland is an autonomous Danish territory.
Greenland also passed a law this year that will require tour companies in the region to be majority-locally owned, and add a tax of DKK30 (US$4.21) per day for each visitor. This will enter into effect in January.