Traveling to Greenland is about to get easier as new international airport opens

(CNN) — When most people think of Greenland, they think of the cold, the snow and how remote it is.

Two out of three of those things are unlikely to change any time soon, but as of November 28, it’s about to get a lot less remote.

That’s thanks to a new international airport, equipped with a 2,200-meter (7,217-foot) runway, opening in the capital of Nuuk. The new airport will allow larger planes to connect the Arctic territory with the rest of the world.

And starting in June, United Airlines will offer nonstop seasonal flights from Newark, New Jersey, that will take just over four hours.

Already, 130,000 visitors a year come to Greenland on cruise ships or fly in. It’s a number expected to grow as the region opens up to tourism, but one that officials hope will not become too unwieldy.

Before the new airport’s opening, traveling by air to Greenland meant flying into smaller cities such as Kangerlussuaq to the north or Narsarsuaq, further south. As former US military bases built during World War II, both are able to accommodate larger planes.

The new airport will serve as the base for Air Greenland, which will operate an Airbus A330neo plane on a route to Copenhagen, Denmark. It will be able to handle 800 passengers an hour. Flights will also link Nuuk to Reykjavik, Iceland.

Jens Lauridsen, chief executive of Greenland Airports, knows the opening of the new facility at Nuuk will have a big effect on tourism and the economy. The airport operator estimates each flight will add $200,000 to Greenland’s economy.

He says visitors should be aware they’re not in for a standard tourism experience when they arrive in Greenland.

“We’re located in the Arctic,” he tells CNN, and visitors are “in for an adventure when you come here.”

‘Finding the balance’

With more than 400,000 followers on her YouTube channel Q’s Greenland, Qupanuk Olsen is known as Greenland’s biggest content creator. She plans on being on the first flight that lands at the new Nuuk International Airport.

“I’m very excited about it,” she says, “I’m so excited that I’m going to be on the first flight landing on the new airstrip … it’s going to be amazing.”

Anne Nivíka Grødem, the CEO of tourism body Visit Greenland, believes the new airport is a milestone that will boost tourism and have a broader societal impact.

“I believe tourism can drive meaningful change,” Grødem says. “It’s about finding the balance between local opportunities, market trends and human aspirations.”

Two more airports are scheduled to open in Greenland at the end of 2026, connecting Ilulissat in the north and Qaqortoq in the south. In a country with only about 56 miles (90 kilometers) of paved roads, locals and tourists will still need to fly or take boats to other destinations within Greenland, and these airports will significantly open up travel.

“Greenland is not just a destination; it’s an experience that changes how you see the world,” Grødem said.

“Visitors should come with an open mind and a spirit of adventure. The country’s quiet, reflective culture offers a chance to reconnect with nature and yourself.”

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.