October 30, 2024, 10:58 am | Read time: 3 minutes
With its arctic nature, vastness, and living Inuit culture, Greenland holds great appeal for many people. That’s why some of them take on a relatively planning-intensive journey to visit the largest island in the world. But this is now set to become easier. Greenland is getting its own international airport this year.
The island nation of Greenland is truly one-of-a-kind in numerous ways. This expansive territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, which is geographically part of the North American continent, is inhabited only along its coasts due to an extensive ice sheet blanketing the interior. With population density figures rounded off, it stands at a staggering 0.0 individuals per square kilometer!
Overview
There are many more exciting and sometimes bizarre facts about Greenland that should make a visit a unique experience. However, depending on the starting point, a relatively lengthy adventure can begin as soon as you arrive. A new international airport is set to enhance Greenland’s capital’s connectivity to the global air traffic network.
A new international airport for Greenland
On November 28, 2024, an international airport is set to open in the capital, Nuuk, for the first time in Greenland. The aviation portal “Aviation“, among others, is currently reporting on this. The newly established direct flights between Nuuk and Copenhagen are described as a major innovation. After the opening in November, this will be offered five times a week and even more frequently during vacation periods. According to “Aviation”, there will also be five daily domestic flights from Nuuk. A new feature is a seasonal flight from Nuuk to Billund, which is also intended to improve the business exchange between Greenland and Denmark.
Improved connections to destinations in Europe and North America
The new international airport will make it easier to travel to Greenland from destinations in Europe and North America. The report indicates that travelers can expect two weekly flights from the capital to Keflavik in Iceland. There will also be a direct weekly flight from Iqaluit in Canada to Nuuk. Starting next summer, United Airlines is slated to commence flights between Nuuk and New York.
Until now, there has been no direct flight connection from Germany to Greenland. Although the international airport will not change this, it will at least make the journey more flexible and faster overall. Previously, it had to be done either via Iceland or Denmark; from Copenhagen, it was possible to fly to the Greenlandic settlement of Kangerlussuaq. Now, Nuuk is becoming an increasingly easily accessible hub for Greenland. Furthermore, the expanded flight options and enhanced infrastructure are expected to make travel to Greenland more affordable.
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Environmental concerns are being raised
It is, above all, Greenland’s unspoiled nature that attracts visitors from abroad. But the island’s environment is already being damaged by climate change – between 1985 and 2022, Greenland lost 5,091 square kilometers of ice, according to a publication in the journal “Nature“. The current expansion of air traffic continues to put resources at risk.
According to a BBC report, around six million cubic meters of rock had to be removed and leveled for the construction project. After Greenland only had around 130,000 visitors from outside the country in 2023, according to the tourist board, a real tourist boom is now expected. To accommodate this surge, a robust infrastructure, including lodging, dining, and additional tourist services, will be necessary. This will require extensive investment.