Greenland's 'City of Icebergs' Gets an International Airport

Greenland has opened a new international airport, seeking to lure visitors from around the world as the Arctic island looks toward eventual independence from Denmark. Thursday's inaugural international flight between Copenhagen, Denmark, and Ilulissat, Greenland, was part of the island government's efforts to grow its tourism industry to boost and diversify an economy still reliant on fishing, the AP reports. Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen described the new airport as "one of the biggest investments" in the island's history.

• "If Greenland wants to be independent, we need to have a strong foundation, both economically and in terms of industry and business," Nielsen told the AP before the plane departed.

• Ilulissat, known as the "City of Icebergs," sits along the island's western coast and is home to some 5,000 people. Greenland's third-largest city is also one of the island's most-visited destinations. More than 342 miles north of the capital, Nuuk, its tourism offerings range from sled dog tours to icefjord cruises in picturesque Disko Bay, known for its towering icebergs. Previously, travelers reaching Ilulissat had to arrive by cruise ship, take a small plane from Iceland, or fly to one of Greenland's international hubs and connect to smaller aircraft. There are no road connections from other big towns.
• For decades, Greenland's main international aviation gateways were former US military air bases, distant echoes of World War II, in Kangerlussuaq and Narsarsuaq. Locals and international visitors had to land there before catching smaller aircraft to the island's major towns, including Ilulissat and Nuuk. That changed in late 2024, when an international airport opened in Nuuk. United Airlines last year began a new seasonal route between Nuuk and Newark, New Jersey. The inaugural flight was the first direct flight from the US to Greenland by an American airline.
• The Ilulissat airport, meanwhile, has a 53,820-square foot-terminal and a new 1.37-mile runway, long enough to accommodate larger passenger aircraft. Air Greenland has committed to as many as six weekly flights between Copenhagen and Ilulissat during next year's peak summer months, and Icelandair will also fly large jets from its Keflavik hub. Jens R. Lauridsen, CEO of Greenland Airports, said the company is also hoping to lure airlines in the US and mainland Europe to serve Ilulissat.

• The strategic island, home to roughly 56,000 people, has been a focus of President Trump since his first term, when he initially expressed his desire to acquire Greenland. His repeated threats to seize the territory from Denmark, a NATO ally, during his second term prompted months of tensions with other NATO allies. In September, Trump signed an agreement with the leaders of Denmark and Greenland to strengthen security in the Arctic and North Atlantic.
• "There's no doubt that it has been a shadow over the entire Kingdom of Denmark, but especially Greenland," said Danish Finance Minister Peter Hummelgaard, who also took the inaugural flight. "The opening of this new international airport marks, I think, hope and optimism."
• Ilulissat resident Kirsten Berthelsen, a 35-year-old student who booked a ticket for Thursday's flight without realizing it was the inaugural service, says it's "quite wonderful that you can go directly now." Some locals, however, have concerns about mass tourism. Smuggling might also be an issue. Police say that soon after the inaugural flight landed, a man was arrested for trying to bring just over 1 pound of hashish into the country, the Copenhagen Post reports.