On 29 October 2026, the first wide-body Airbus A330neo from Copenhagen landed in Ilulissat. The new airport, with a runway 2200 metres long, opens direct access to one of the Arctic's most famous natural sites — the Ilulissat Icefjord, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Until now, reaching Greenland's third-largest town required a connecting flight. The new runway replaced the previous one, which was 845 metres long, and allows significantly larger aircraft to be handled. Together with a modern terminal, it is transforming transport accessibility on the island's west coast.
The first flight on the Airbus A330neo was a special opening event. Scheduled service from Copenhagen will initially be operated with a Boeing 737-800 — one direct flight a week is planned for the winter. From April 2027, the route will pass to Air Greenland, and in summer the frequency is planned to increase to six flights a week. Direct Icelandair flights from Keflavík are also expected in the summer season.
The final stage of Greenland's airport upgrade
Ilulissat has completed a large-scale programme to modernise the air infrastructure of the autonomous territory. Nuuk International Airport opened in 2024, and Qaqortoq Airport in the south of the island in April 2026. The three new airports lay the foundation for more direct connections between Greenland, Europe and North America, reducing dependence on transfers via Kangerlussuaq.
The new route to the ice fjord
The region's main attraction is the Ilulissat Icefjord, where the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier produces enormous masses of icebergs. They drift slowly through the fjord towards Disko Bay, creating a constantly changing Arctic landscape. Travellers come here for boat trips among the icebergs, wildlife watching and encounters with Inuit culture.
The new airport expands opportunities not only for tourism but also for freight transport and local business. However, the increase in flights will require a careful approach to the region's development: the glacial ecosystem and the culture of local communities are especially sensitive to outside change.
The opening of the airport makes Ilulissat noticeably more accessible to international travellers. But the main change is not simply a shorter journey time. One of the Arctic's most impressive landscapes is becoming part of the wider world tourism map, and with greater accessibility comes greater responsibility for its preservation.
