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Ilulissat International Airport opens with new Copenhagen flights

By Drooid · Oct 31, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

Greenland Airports opened Ilulissat International Airport on 29 October 2026, completing the three-airport expansion.
The airport has a 2,200-metre runway for larger passenger aircraft.
Air Greenland started a Copenhagen-Ilulissat route with Jettime’s Boeing 737-800 on opening day.
Icelandair will run a seasonal Keflavík-Ilulissat flight 3 June–16 October 2027.
The airport should cut travel times, boost Icefjord tourism and support regional business.

Summary

Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the new airport is a key step toward Greenland’s independence.
President Donald Trump signed a September security pact with Denmark and Greenland, heightening Arctic strategic interest.
Finance Minister Peter Hummelgaard called the airport opening a hopeful sign lifting a shadow over Denmark and Greenland.
Former regional mayor Palle Jerimiassen warned that unchecked visitor numbers could strain Ilulissat’s environment and infrastructure.

History

Construction of Svalbard Airport began in 1973 and the new runway opened on 2 September 1975, giving the remote archipelago its first year-round jet facility. Operated by state-owned Avinor, the airport quickly supported Scandinavian Airlines flights and served the Russian settlement of Barentsburg, handling 154,261 passengers by 2014 and reinforcing Norway’s strategic presence in the High Arctic.

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Construction of Svalbard Airport began in 1973 and the new runway opened on 2 September 1975, giving the remote archipelago its first year-round jet facility. Operated by state-owned Avinor, the airport quickly supported Scandinavian Airlines flights and served the Russian settlement of Barentsburg, handling 154,261 passengers by 2014 and reinforcing Norway’s strategic presence in the High Arctic.

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