Flight changes come from your airline · Bring a passport: Greenland is outside Schengen · Greenland Police +299 701448

How to get to Greenland: every scheduled route, 2026–2027

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You fly to Greenland, or you come on a cruise. There is no passenger ferry from Iceland, Denmark or Canada. Scheduled flights run from Copenhagen and Aalborg in Denmark, from Keflavík and Akureyri in Iceland, and in summer from Newark in the US. Since the new Nuuk airport opened, Nuuk has replaced Kangerlussuaq as the main gateway. [1] [2]

Visit Greenland lists six international airports: Kangerlussuaq, Ilulissat, Nuuk, Qaqortoq, Kulusuk and Nerlerit Inaat. [1] The newest three are Nuuk (opened 28 November 2024), Qaqortoq (16 April 2026) and Ilulissat, which Greenland Airports says opens on 29 October 2026. [1] [3]

Which gateway? The shift to Nuuk

Visit Greenland's Tourism Statistics Report 2025 (based on Statistics Greenland data) shows how fast the gateway changed. International passengers through Nuuk rose from 11,306 in 2024 to 93,753 in 2025. Kangerlussuaq fell from 69,447 to 8,179 over the same period. [2] The same report counts 179,873 tourists in 2025, up 8% on 2024. It warns that the nationality of 91.4% of outbound travellers was not registered, so the figures carry considerable uncertainty. [2]

Air Greenland calls Nuuk its main hub and Ilulissat its second international hub. [4] Its 2027 schedule notice describes four hubs for 2027: Qaqortoq in the south, Nuuk, Kangerlussuaq and Ilulissat. [5]

From Denmark (Air Greenland)

Copenhagen – Nuuk

The main route. Air Greenland flies non-stop from Copenhagen Airport (Terminal 2), in about 4 hours 30 minutes. It flies year-round and up to daily: 5 times a week in winter and up to 8 times a week from June to August. The plane is an Airbus A330-800neo with 305 seats. Economy includes 20 kg of checked baggage and 8 kg of hand baggage. Check-in opens 3 hours before departure and closes 60 minutes before. [6]

Nuuk Airport is 4 km from the city centre, about 10 minutes by taxi or local bus (see Nuuk Airport to the city). [6] For fares, see our cost page. Air Greenland's seasonal one-way "from" fares start at DKK 2,995 in low season, and they change daily. [6]

Copenhagen – Ilulissat (new)

Air Greenland starts direct Copenhagen–Ilulissat flights on 29 October 2026. In winter they run mainly on Wednesdays on a Jettime Boeing 737-800. From April 2027 an A320neo takes over, with up to 6 weekly flights in peak summer. [4] Details are on our Ilulissat airport page.

Copenhagen – Kangerlussuaq

In 2026, Air Greenland flew Kangerlussuaq–Copenhagen once a week (Tuesdays) from 10 February to 20 October, on a Jettime Boeing 737-800. [7] Air Greenland's 2027 schedule notice says the route continues weekly, with extra flights in some periods. [5] Visit Greenland gives the 2026 season as ending on 17 November. That does not match Air Greenland's date, so check before booking. Unverified [1]

Aalborg and Billund

Air Greenland says it will fly Aalborg–Nuuk twice a week in 2027, and that it ended Nuuk–Billund from October 2026. [5] Visit Greenland still mentions summer flights from Billund. Trust the airline's own schedule. [1]

Qaqortoq (South Greenland)

Air Greenland says Qaqortoq has daily flights to Copenhagen via Nuuk in its 2027 schedule, plus connections with Icelandair via Keflavík. [5]

From Iceland (Icelandair, Air Greenland, Norlandair)

Icelandair flies from Keflavík. Its published 2027 schedule: Nuuk 2–3 times a week all year; Ilulissat 3 times a week from 3 June to 16 October; Kulusuk 4 times a week from 1 June to 15 September; and Qaqortoq 3 times a week from 1 June to 30 September. [8] Most Nuuk flights use a Boeing 737 MAX 8. Other routes use Dash 8 turboprops, which have no Wi-Fi. [9]

Visit Greenland says Air Greenland also flies Keflavík–Nuuk year-round and Keflavík–Ilulissat in season. [1] We could not confirm this on an Air Greenland page. Unverified From Akureyri in North Iceland, Norlandair flies to Nerlerit Inaat in East Greenland a few times a week. [1] Flight times from Iceland are about 2 hours to Kulusuk, and about 3.5 hours to Ilulissat or Nuuk. [1]

All the details are on our page on flights from Iceland to Greenland.

From North America

United, Newark – Nuuk: Greenland Airports announced on 5 May 2026 that United would fly the route twice a week from 7 June to 23 September 2026. Flights leave Newark on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and return from Nuuk on Wednesdays and Sundays. The aircraft is a Boeing 737 MAX 8 with 16 premium economy and 150 economy seats. The airport says more than 6,200 passengers flew the route in its first season, 2025. [10] We have not seen United's 2027 schedule on an official page. Check united.com. Unverified

Canada: Visit Greenland lists a seasonal Nuuk–Iqaluit (Nunavut) route from June to October. [1] We have not yet checked the operator's own schedule. Unverified

By sea

Visit Greenland says there are no ferry connections to Greenland from Iceland, Denmark or Canada. [1] Cruise ships do call: Nuuk had 44,156 cruise passengers in 2025, up from 37,242 in 2024. [2] Once you are in Greenland, Arctic Umiaq Line's coastal ship Sarfaq Ittuk (203 passengers) links towns on the west coast. Its ports include Ilulissat, Aasiaat, Sisimiut, Maniitsoq, Nuuk, Paamiut, Qaqortoq and Narsaq. [11]

Entry rules: passport, not Schengen

Greenland is not in the EU or the Schengen area. A Danish or Schengen visa is not valid for Greenland. [12] Greenland Police say an EU or Schengen national ID card is not valid for Greenland, so bring a passport. Travellers who need a visa usually also need a Schengen visa, because they travel via Denmark or Iceland. Applications are handled as for Denmark. [13] Visit Greenland lists the nationalities that do not need a visa, including citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and EU countries. Nordic citizens can enter, live and work freely. [12]

Plan for weather: buffer days

Icelandair says a Greenland flight can only depart if its diversion airport is open, so a Nuuk flight can be held by weather at Kulusuk. It advises 1–2 days of buffer, and warns that baggage limits are lower than on other routes and bags are sometimes offloaded. [9] Air Greenland rebooks weather cancellations free of charge on the next available departure. A voluntary change costs DKK 750 plus any fare difference on Takuss, Standard and Premium tickets. [6] With some routes only weekly in winter, the next departure can be days away. [4]

  • Leave buffer days before an international flight home, especially if it is on a separate ticket.
  • Pack medicine and essentials in your hand baggage.
  • Book refundable or flexible nights at the end of the trip if you can.

Arriving: money, phones, emergencies

The currency is the Danish krone. Cards are widely accepted, and ATMs take Visa and Mastercard with a PIN. [14] EU roaming rules do not apply in Greenland. Icelandair recommends an eSIM or a local SIM. [9] Greenland Police can be reached on +299 701448. [15] We have not yet confirmed on a current official page how the 112 emergency number works in Greenland. Unverified

Quick checklist

  • Choose your gateway: Copenhagen (Air Greenland), Keflavík (Icelandair) or Newark (United, summer only).
  • Check the schedule on the airline's own site. New airports mean new timetables.
  • Bring a passport, and a Schengen visa if you need one.
  • Check your baggage allowance, especially on small aircraft.
  • Add buffer days for weather.
  • Plan your transfer from the airport and your onward domestic flight or boat.

Related

FAQ

Can you take a ferry to Greenland?

No. Visit Greenland says there are no ferry connections to Greenland from Iceland, Denmark or Canada. You arrive by air or on a cruise ship. [1]

How long is the flight from Copenhagen to Nuuk?

Air Greenland gives about 4 hours 30 minutes non-stop. [6]

Can you fly to Greenland from the USA?

In 2026 United flew Newark–Nuuk twice a week from 7 June to 23 September. We have not seen a 2027 schedule on an official page yet. [10]

Do I need a passport for Greenland if I am from the EU?

Yes. Greenland Police say an EU or Schengen national ID card is not valid for Greenland. Bring a passport. [13]

Sources

  1. How to get to Greenland
    Visit Greenland (national tourism organisation) · accessed 2026-10-27
  2. Tourism Statistics Report 2025
    Visit Greenland (data: Statistics Greenland) · accessed 2026-10-27 · via PDF download, text extracted with pdftotext
  3. New international airport in Ilulissat – what your journey will look like
    Greenland Airports (Mittarfeqarfiit) · published 2026-10-06 · accessed 2026-10-27
  4. The latest new airport ushers in a new traffic pattern
    Air Greenland · transport operator's own page · accessed 2026-10-27
  5. Flightschedule winter 2026 – summer 2027 (agent notice, 24 Jun 2026)
    Air Greenland Agent Help Center · transport operator's own page · accessed 2026-10-27
  6. Flights from Copenhagen to Nuuk
    Air Greenland · transport operator's own page · accessed 2026-10-27
  7. Direct flights between Kangerlussuaq and Copenhagen to continue in 2026
    Air Greenland · transport operator's own page · accessed 2026-10-27
  8. Our flight schedule 2026-27
    Icelandair · transport operator's own page · accessed 2026-10-27
  9. Travel to Greenland: what to know before you go
    Icelandair · transport operator's own page · accessed 2026-10-27
  10. United Airlines resumes flights between New York and Nuuk
    Greenland Airports (Mittarfeqarfiit) · published 2026-05-05 · accessed 2026-10-27
  11. FAQ – Sarfaq Ittuk
    Arctic Umiaq Line · transport operator's own page · accessed 2026-10-27
  12. Visa requirements
    Visit Greenland · accessed 2026-10-27
  13. Turist i Grønland
    Grønlands Politi (Greenland Police) · in Danish · accessed 2026-10-27
  14. Currency and payment in Greenland
    Visit Greenland · accessed 2026-10-27
  15. Greenland Police (English front page)
    Grønlands Politi (Greenland Police) · accessed 2026-10-27