Greenland opened a new international airport in Ilulissat, the 'City of Icebergs,' on October 29, 2026, with an inaugural 4.5-hour direct flight from Copenhagen operated by government-owned Air Greenland on an Airbus A330neo carrying 169 passengers, including Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

According to the Associated Press via CNN, Nielsen called the airport 'one of the biggest investments' in the island's history, and Danish Finance Minister Peter Hummelgaard, also aboard, said it marks 'hope and optimism' after months of tension over President Trump's threats to acquire the territory.

Reaching Ilulissat previously meant arriving by cruise ship, taking a small plane from Iceland, or connecting through Greenland's hubs onto smaller aircraft, with no road links between major towns, the Associated Press reports.

For decades the territory's international gateways were former U.S. military bases at Kangerlussuaq and Narsarsuaq, until Nuuk opened its own international airport in late 2024.

The new Ilulissat facility has a 53,820-square-foot terminal and a 1.37-mile runway that can take larger jets, letting visitors fly directly to one of Greenland's most-visited destinations for sled dog tours and icefjord cruises in Disko Bay.

The airport is as much politics as tourism.

Prime Minister Nielsen told the AP that 'if Greenland wants to be independent, we need to have a strong foundation, both economically and in terms of industry and business,' framing tourism growth as groundwork for eventual independence from Denmark for the island of roughly 56,000 people.

The Guardian's Pass notes column reports that Trump's threat to acquire Greenland filled inhabitants with anger and apprehension, while climate-driven melting threatens the traditional fishing industry, shifting local perspectives on welcoming more visitors.

The boom remains elusive, the Los Angeles Times reports. International visitors have grown at least 65% since 2018, reaching almost 150,000 in 2024, and The Guardian says nearly 180,000 visited in 2025, but tourism accounted for less than 5% of GDP in 2024 and hotel capacity is limited.

Aalborg University professor Carina Ren told the LA Times that some U.S. tourists canceled bookings over the Trump standoff, fearing they would not be welcomed, and former regional mayor Palle Jerimiassen warned the city's environment and infrastructure could be overwhelmed, asking 'how many can we invite?'.

Air Greenland has committed to as many as six weekly Copenhagen–Ilulissat flights during next summer's peak, and Icelandair will fly large jets from Keflavik, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Greenland Airports chief executive Jens R. Lauridsen said the company hopes to attract airlines from the U.S. and mainland Europe to serve Ilulissat.

The airport joins new international gateways in Nuuk (2024) and Qaqortoq (April 2026), which The Guardian notes made Greenland 'extremely open for tourist business,' with this year expected to beat 2025's record visitor numbers.