Greenland opens Ilulissat airport in tourism push as it eyes independence from Denmark

The 4.5-hour flight from Copenhagen carried Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, among 169 passengers on the government-owned Air Greenland Airbus A330neo. Nielsen called the airport “one of the biggest investments” in the island's history. He said: “If Greenland wants to be independent, we need to have a strong foundation, both economically and in terms of industry and business.”

The opening comes amid heightened attention on the island, home to roughly 56,000 people, from US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to seize Greenland from Denmark, a NATO ally, prompting months of tension 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.

Danish Finance Minister Peter Hummelgaard, who took the inaugural flight, described the standoff as "a shadow over the entire Kingdom of Denmark, but especially Greenland," and said of the airport: "The opening of this new international airport marks, I think, hope and optimism."

Ilulissat, known as the “City of Icebergs,” sits on the island's western coast with about 5,000 residents and is one of its most-visited destinations. Until now travelers had to arrive by cruise ship, take a small plane from Iceland, or fly to one of Greenland's hubs and connect on smaller aircraft; there are no road connections from other big towns. The new airport has a 5,000-square-meter terminal and a 2,200-meter runway long enough for larger passenger jets.

Air Greenland has committed to up to six weekly flights between Copenhagen and Ilulissat during next year's peak summer months, and Icelandair will fly large jets from its Keflavik hub. Jens R. Lauridsen, CEO of Greenland Airports, said the company hopes to attract airlines from the US and mainland Europe.

The airport follows an opening in the capital Nuuk in late 2024, after which United Airlines began a seasonal Nuuk-Newark route, the first direct US-Greenland service by an American airline.

Tourism growth has so far fallen short of a boom: international visitors have grown at least 65% since 2018, reaching almost 150,000 in 2024, but tourism accounted for less than 5% of GDP that year, and infrastructure such as hotel capacity remains limited. Aalborg University associate professor Carina Ren, who specializes in Arctic tourism, said some US travelers were deterred by the standoff with Trump, with a few canceling their flights: "I've heard of people canceling their bookings, but also others canceling because they were afraid that perhaps they would not be welcomed."

There are also local concerns about mass tourism. Palle Jerimiassen, a former regional mayor, said he fears Ilulissat's environment, population and infrastructure could be overwhelmed by too many visitors: "How many can we invite? We are welcoming all the tourists, it's a possibility to earn some new money." He added: "But we have to be careful."