The Danish Civil Aviation and Railway Authority has approved the opening of the new international airport in Ilulissat. This puts the final piece in place in Greenland’s historic airport expansion, giving North Greenland and Disko Bay a new gateway to the rest of the world.

The new international airport has a 2,200-meter (7,200-foot) runway that can accommodate larger passenger aircraft. This makes direct international connections possible to Greenland’s third-largest city and the natural hub for Disko Bay and North Greenland.

“We can now welcome the first passengers at the new Ilulissat International Airport. We have been looking forward to this for years, and hundreds of people have worked hard so that we can now complete a historic expansion of Greenland’s infrastructure,” says Jens Lauridsen, CEO of Greenland Airports.

“The opening is a historic milestone for Ilulissat, for North Greenland, and for all of Greenland. The three new airports in Ilulissat, Nuuk, and Qaqortoq fundamentally change how the country is connected internally and how Greenland is connected to the rest of the world,” he adds.

New opportunities in Disko Bay

The new airport gives residents and businesses in the region shorter travel times and better connections.

For tourism, the new airport means that international visitors can travel directly to the Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The airport also creates new opportunities for business, cargo, and regional development throughout North Greenland.

Security approved without restrictions

As part of the approval of the new airport, security has been approved without restrictions. This is an important result and a strong starting point for the opening of Ilulissat Airport.

“This is a great day for all of us, and we have every reason to be proud of what our colleagues have achieved. They have worked incredibly hard, and it is fantastic to see their efforts pay off. But the work doesn’t stop just because we open the doors. We will keep training our procedures, optimizing staffing, and strengthening collaboration across teams to ensure smooth, well-functioning operations and give passengers the best possible experience,” says Jens Lauridsen.

The airport will ramp up gradually, with opening hours and activity expanding as operations are phased in. The goal is for the airport to be fully operational by the summer 2027 season.

Strengthening Greenland’s infrastructure

Ilulissat Airport is the last of Greenland’s three new airports, following the new airports in Nuuk and Qaqortoq, which opened in November 2024 and April 2026, respectively. Together, they form a new backbone for the country’s infrastructure.

“Infrastructure is a long-term investment, and its real impact is measured in decades. With the three new airports, Greenland has a foundation that future generations can build on. Now the task is to ensure that the new facilities benefit the entire country, including the towns and settlements around the airports, as part of the future development of business and tourism,” says Jens Wittrup Willumsen, Chairman of the Board of Greenland Airports

“With Ilulissat, we complete a construction programme that has changed how Greenland is connected. Nuuk, Qaqortoq and Ilulissat each open their own part of the country, and together they give Greenland a different starting point for development. In the Disko Bay region, people have welcomed visitors for generations, and the airport gives that work room to grow. Building the capacity to match will take time and investment from many hands, but the foundation is in place, and so is a strong team to run it from day one,” says Jens Lauridsen.

“Ilulissat is already one of Greenland’s strongest international destinations. The new 2,200-metre runway fundamentally changes the airport’s market reach and route potential. Airlines can operate larger aircraft directly across the Atlantic, passengers can travel with fewer connections, and new opportunities emerge for air cargo and local businesses. Our task now is to convert that infrastructure into commercially sustainable routes and year-round connectivity that creates lasting value for tourism, fisheries and communities across North Greenland, adds” René von Ahm Laursen, Chief Commercial Officer, Greenland Airports.

“The terminal is built for the place it stands in. From the moment you step inside, the building opens towards Disko Bay, and arriving passengers see the ice before they see anything else. We have waited a long time to show it. But a terminal is not just the building itself; it is the people working in it, and our colleagues know their job and are well prepared to give visitors a great experience – whether they are seasoned Arctic travellers or arrive in Greenland for the first time,” says Ole Damgaard, Airport Manager, Ilulissat Airport.

“An airport does not become operational on the day it opens. It becomes operational in the months before, when all procedures are tested, tested and tested again, and when the whole organisation learns to work as one. Our colleagues have trained intensively and professionally, and they are well equipped for the task ahead. We have prepared thoroughly, and our team is taking ownership of an airport that is theirs to run,” notes Anna Villefrance, Head of Commissioning, Ilulissat and Qaqortoq, Greenland Airports.

All images credited to Greenland Airports