One of the world’s most remote countries just opened a new airport

A top destination to see the Northern Lights, Greenland, the world’s largest island, is famous for being almost entirely covered by ice (80%, that is).

But until now, Greenland has largely been closed off to international flights connecting it to the rest of the world, simply because the airports didn’t have the infrastructure to land sufficiently large planes, which need longer runways in order to take off and land.

But this week, that’s all changed as Greenland has unveiled the revamped Nuuk Airport. The airport, in the capital, now has a special runway measuring 2,200 metres to allow larger jets from more global destinations to land.

The previous runway at Nuuk was just 950 metres in length, and could only support small planes. By comparison, the Northern runway at London Heathrow measures 3,902 metres, while the Southern Runway is slightly shorter at 3,658.

But from summer 2025, there will be direct flights connecting Nuuk to the US, Canada, Iceland and Denmark, for the first time ever.

However, those wanting to fly directly from the UK will need to wait a little longer, as at present there isn’t a direct line between the two countries.

Travelling via Iceland or Denmark remains the best route, and there are flights between Heathrow and Keflavík, which then connects to Nuuk.

So, what kind of flights will now operate out of Nuuk?

And there will be bi-weekly services to Reykjavik Keflavik Airport, as well as five per week to Copenhagen Airport – on planes that can typically accommodate up to 305 passengers. Direct routes to Billund and Aalborg, both in Denmark, are expected to begin in March 2025.

When it comes to more international destinations, United Airlines is set to introduce its non-stop service to the Big Apple – New York’s Newark Liberty International Airport – from June 15.

Services will run twice each week, making it the only direct connection between the US and the entirety of Greenland.

Before Nuuk Airport was finalised, most international flights to Greenland stopped at Kangerlussuaq – a small town in western Greenland – where those looking to travel onwards to Nuuk would connect onto another flight.

It’s no wonder that connecting Nuuk to the rest of the world has taken some time, as the capital is relatively small by capital city standards with a population of just 18,000. By comparison, there are some 8.86 million people living in London.

There are also two more airports set to open in the south of Greenland ( Ilulissat and Qaqortoq) in 2026. 

For Greenlanders, this means unprecedented access to the rest of the world, and for a travellers, a remote destination is about to get that little bit easier to visit.

‘This is a truly historic milestone that will create a world of new opportunities for the entire country, as it will, for the first time, enable direct flights across the Atlantic to the nation’s capital,’ said Greenland Airports CEO Jens Lauridsen.

‘Imagine leaving Nuuk in the morning to savour French cuisine in Paris the same night. Today marks the start of a new era for Greenland,’ Air Greenland CEO Jacob Nitter Sørensen added, describing the move as a ‘gamechanger’ for Greenland that’ll no doubt boost economic growth.

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