How do you get to Greenland? Flights from the US, Europe and Iceland

You fly to Greenland or arrive on a cruise ship: there are no ferries from Iceland, Denmark or Canada.¹ The routes have changed fast. Nuuk's 7,200 ft (2,200 m) runway opened to jets on November 28, 2024, and Nuuk replaced Kangerlussuaq as the country's hub.² Qaqortoq's airport opened on April 16, 2026, and Ilulissat's new international airport opens on October 29, 2026, with direct flights from Copenhagen.³⁴ International passenger numbers show the shift: Nuuk handled 93,753 in 2025, up from 11,306 in 2024, while Kangerlussuaq fell from 69,447 to 8,179.⁵

This guide covers every scheduled route into Greenland as of October 15, 2026, the 2027 schedules published so far, fares, getting around once you land, and entry rules for US citizens. Prices in Danish kroner (DKK) are converted at Visit Greenland's April 16, 2026 rate of DKK 634.28 to $100.⁶ For the country itself, start with our Greenland guide.

Flights to Greenland at a glance

Four airlines fly scheduled routes into Greenland: United from Newark, Air Greenland from Denmark, Iceland and Iqaluit, and Icelandair and Norlandair from Iceland.

Icelandair's dates are its 2026 schedule; its 2027 Greenland schedule was not in any version of its pages we could read.¹³ Air Greenland's Nuuk to Billund route ends in October 2026.¹⁷

Can Americans fly directly to Greenland?

Yes, in summer: United flies nonstop between Newark and Nuuk, and it is the only airline linking the United States and Greenland directly.⁷ In 2026 the route ran twice a week from June 7 to September 23, leaving Newark on Tuesdays and Saturdays and Nuuk on Wednesdays and Sundays, on a Boeing 737 MAX 8 with 16 premium economy and 150 economy seats. It carried more than 6,200 passengers in its first summer, 2025.⁷ When United launched the route it scheduled the Newark departure at 11:30, arriving in Nuuk at 18:45, and the return at 08:00 from Nuuk, landing in Newark at 09:30, a flight of "just over four hours."⁸

United has not published 2027 dates or fares in any source we could read: its August 25, 2026 release on summer 2027 international routes does not mention Nuuk or Greenland.¹⁸ Check united.com before planning a summer 2027 trip around it.

How do you get to Greenland from the US the rest of the year?

Connect in Reykjavík or Copenhagen. Icelandair flies from US gateways through Keflavík to Nuuk all year in 2 hours 20 minutes, and to Ilulissat, Qaqortoq and Kulusuk in season.¹² All its Greenland flights use Keflavík International, not Reykjavík's domestic airport.¹³ Icelandair's site blocked our reader, so we have no current fare. As a dated example only: the archived copy of its US Greenland page from March 1, 2026 showed Economy Light round trips to Nuuk from $936 from New York (May 9 to 13, 2026), $999 from Washington Dulles (April 7 to 15) and $1,884 to $2,168 from Boston, Chicago and Seattle (March dates), fares it had collected in the previous 72 hours.¹²

Through Copenhagen, Air Greenland's flight to Nuuk takes about 4 hours 30 minutes, and Nuuk is four hours behind Copenhagen.⁹ From Canada, Air Greenland's seasonal Iqaluit route returns in 2027 with weekly Sunday flights from late June to late September.¹¹ In 2026 it ran Wednesdays from June 24 to September 30 on a 37-seat Dash 8-200, and on October 15, 2026 Air Greenland showed one-way fares from DKK 2,029 ($320) for departures between June 27 and July 18, 2027.¹⁶

How long is the flight to Greenland?

From 2 to 4.5 hours, depending on where you start.

How much does it cost to fly to Greenland?

From DKK 2,395 ($378) one way between Copenhagen and Nuuk: that was the lowest fare on Air Greenland's route page on October 15, 2026, for departures between July 29 and August 22, 2027. For October 2026 to March 2027 departures the lowest it showed was DKK 3,195 ($504).⁹ The same page's seasonal guide gives one-way fares from DKK 2,995 ($472) from October to March, DKK 3,795 ($598) in April, May and September, and DKK 4,995 ($788) from June to August, and advises booking at least 60 days ahead, or 4 to 6 months ahead for summer.⁹ When the jet route opened, Visit Greenland put the average ticket at around DKK 4,000 ($631).¹⁰

Economy fares include 44 lb (20 kg) of checked baggage and 18 lb (8 kg) of hand baggage; Visit Greenland warns that excess weight is charged at a very high rate per kilo.⁹¹⁹ Packages can bundle the hotel: Air Greenland's Keflavík to Nuuk package, with a direct flight and 4 nights at Hotel Hans Egede Express, starts at DKK 5,895 ($929) per person sharing.²⁰ Ground costs are in things to do in Greenland.

What changed when Nuuk's runway opened?

Nuuk became the gateway. Air Greenland's Airbus A330neo Tuukkaq was the first large aircraft to land on the 2,200 m runway on November 28, 2024, and passengers now change planes in Nuuk for the rest of the country, as they used to in Kangerlussuaq.² The airport is about 2.5 miles (4 km) from the center, roughly 10 minutes by taxi or local bus.⁹ In 2027 Air Greenland's main Copenhagen flight leaves at 10:00 and lands in Nuuk at 12:00 local time, returning at 13:45 to reach Copenhagen at 21:30; from June 23 to September 9, 2027, extra flights leave Copenhagen on Thursday and Sunday evenings.¹¹ More on the capital is in our Nuuk guide.

Can you fly directly to Ilulissat?

Yes, from Copenhagen from October 29, 2026, when Ilulissat's new airport opens, and from Keflavík with Icelandair in summer.⁴¹² Air Greenland opens the route with its A330neo, then flies it mainly on Wednesdays through the winter with a Jettime Boeing 737-800. From April 2027 its own Airbus A320neo, Unaaq, takes over, building to as many as six flights a week at the height of summer.⁴¹¹ Ilulissat becomes Greenland's second international hub, a gateway to Disko Bay, the Icefjord and North Greenland.⁴

Is Kangerlussuaq still an international airport?

Yes, but with far fewer flights. Greenland Airports still calls it "Greenland's international gateway."²¹ Air Greenland flew Copenhagen to Kangerlussuaq every Tuesday from February 10 to October 20, 2026, and says the route will continue in 2027 with one weekly flight; the published 2027 schedule runs Tuesdays from June 16 to September 13, plus charters on Mondays and Thursdays.²²¹⁷¹¹ A number of West Greenland cruises still begin at Kangerlussuaq; see Greenland cruises.²³

How do you get to South and East Greenland?

Fly to Qaqortoq for the south, Kulusuk for the southeast and Nerlerit Inaat for Scoresby Sund. Qaqortoq's airport opened on April 16, 2026, and Icelandair says it replaces nearby Narsarsuaq; Icelandair flew there from Keflavík from June to September 2026.³¹² Kulusuk, in East Greenland, is Icelandair's closest Greenland destination, under two hours from Keflavík.¹²

For Scoresby Sund, Norlandair flies twice a week to Nerlerit Inaat (Constable Point), once from Akureyri and once from Reykjavík.¹⁵ From there it is about 25 miles (40 km) to Ittoqqortoormiit by helicopter, boat or snowmobile, since the town has no domestic flights.²⁴

How do you get around Greenland?

By plane, helicopter or boat, because no roads connect any two towns.²⁵ Air Greenland's domestic network uses Dash 8-200 planes with up to 37 seats, and helicopters serve settlements without runways, especially in South, North and East Greenland.²⁵²⁶ With the three new airports, Visit Greenland says, most parts of the country are within 1.5 hours.¹⁰

• Coastal ferry. Arctic Umiaq Line's Sarfaq Ittuk sails weekly between Qaqortoq and Ilulissat under a government contract for 2026 and 2027, calling at Nuuk on the way.²⁷²⁸ It holds 203 passengers in four-berth cabins, couchettes and suites.²⁹ A sailing from Ilulissat on Sunday, October 18, 2026 reaches Qaqortoq on Wednesday afternoon, about three days.²⁸ Its schedule runs into January 2028 but lists no sailings between January 21 and March 5, 2027; Visit Greenland gives the season as April to December, so check dates.²⁸²⁵ Fares appear only in the booking flow.
• Disko Bay boats. Disko Line links Ilulissat with Qasigiannguit, Aasiaat, Kangaatsiaq and Qeqertarsuaq, but not from November 15 to May 15, when Air Greenland's helicopters take over. Late October 2026 one-way adult fares were DKK 730 ($115) to Qasigiannguit, about 1 hour, and DKK 990 ($156) to Qeqertarsuaq.³⁰³¹
• In town. Nuuk, Ilulissat, Sisimiut and Qaqortoq have taxis, and Nuuk has four bus lines, including route 3 to the airport.²⁵³²

Can you take a ship to Greenland?

Only a cruise ship or a chartered boat: there are no ferry connections from Iceland, Denmark or Canada.¹ Expedition cruises start in Iceland or board at Kangerlussuaq or Nuuk, and in 2027 big ships sail to Greenland from US ports including Boston and Cape Liberty, New Jersey, and from Reykjavík.¹³³³⁴ Our Greenland cruises guide compares them.

Do US citizens need a passport or visa for Greenland?

A passport, yes; a visa, no, for stays under 90 days. The State Department says your passport should be valid for at least 90 days beyond your planned departure, with room for entry and exit stamps.³⁵ Greenland is outside the EU and the Schengen area, so a Schengen visa does not cover it, but if you connect through Copenhagen or Keflavík, Schengen rules apply there: your passport should be valid at least three months beyond your stay.³⁶³⁵ The State Department also lists a currency restriction of DKK 50,000 or its equivalent when leaving Greenland.³⁵

Is it safe for US citizens to travel to Greenland?

Yes, with the weather in mind. The State Department rates Greenland Level 2, "exercise increased caution," because of extreme weather and limited emergency services, and has done so since October 2024; Denmark carries a separate Level 2 advisory for terrorism.³⁷ It advises comprehensive travel, medical and evacuation insurance and traveling with a professional guide or an organization such as an AECO member, or being self-sufficient on a private expedition. The US consulate in Nuuk does not provide routine consular services, so contact the US Embassy in Copenhagen.³⁷³⁵ Weather also moves flights: Air Greenland rebooks weather cancellations free on the next available departure and recommends a flexible fare in winter.⁹

Which way in is best?

For most Americans, Icelandair through Keflavík, which flies to Nuuk all year; United's Newark nonstop is the summer option once it publishes 2027 dates.¹²¹⁸ By starting point and destination:

• From the US in summer: United to Nuuk, once United publishes a 2027 season.¹⁸
• From the US the rest of the year: Icelandair through Keflavík to Nuuk, or to Ilulissat, Qaqortoq or Kulusuk in season.¹²
• From Europe: Air Greenland from Copenhagen to Nuuk all year, or to Ilulissat from October 29, 2026.¹¹
• For the Ilulissat Icefjord: fly direct to Ilulissat.⁴
• For South Greenland: Icelandair to Qaqortoq in summer.¹²
• For East Greenland: Kulusuk from Keflavík, or Norlandair to Nerlerit Inaat for Scoresby Sund.¹²¹⁵

When to go is in Greenland weather by month, and the wider region in our Arctic guide.