New Greenland airport opens up Arctic region once reached only by boat or helicopter

Qaqortoq is now the main gateway to South Greenland, with year-round flights from Nuuk and seasonal links from Iceland opening up one of the island’s least-visited regions

A new airport has opened in Greenland, making one of the Arctic’s most remote and least-visited regions far easier to reach.

The new hub in Qaqortoq gives travellers direct access to South Greenland for the first time, opening up an area known for its fjords, green valleys, sheep farms and Inuit and Norse history.

Until now, Qaqortoq – the main town in the south – could only be reached by helicopter or boat. The new airport replaces Narsarsuaq as the region’s main access point, cutting journey times into the area.

It also changes how visitors can reach a corner of Greenland better known for expedition-style travel than straightforward arrivals. 

The region includes Tasermiut Fjord, often called the “Patagonia of Greenland”, as well as Kujataa, the UNESCO World Heritage Site where farming traditions stretch back more than 1,000 years.

Anne Nivika Grødem, director of Visit Greenland, said: “South Greenland offers a rare combination of powerful nature and a living culture shaped over generations. 

“Improved access allows us to welcome visitors with greater intention—encouraging travel with curiosity, while creating lasting value for local communities and more meaningful experiences for our guests.”

The opening is part of a wider expansion of Greenland’s airport network, following Nuuk’s airport and ahead of Ilulissat’s new airport later this year, as the island becomes easier to visit as more than a one-stop destination.

Miki Jensen, chief executive of Innovation South Greenland, said: “This is a big day for the community. 

“The airport connects South Greenland more closely to both the rest of the country via Nuuk and the world via Keflavik. It creates new opportunities for tourism and business, while strengthening everyday life in the area.”

The airport opened on 16 April and has a 1,500-metre runway able to handle Dash-8 Q200 and Q400 turboprop aircraft.

Air Greenland expects around two daily flights between Nuuk and Qaqortoq year-round, rising to as many as 17 weekly rotations in summer. Icelandair plans four weekly summer flights between Keflavík and Qaqortoq.

Jens Lauridsen, chief executive of Greenland Airports, said: “With the opening of Qaqortoq Airport, we are taking an important step in the development of South Greenland. 

“We are proud to contribute to the development of Greenland’s infrastructure and look forward to seeing how these new opportunities translate into tangible growth.”

READ MORE: ‘The fight for Greenland begins…again’. Greenland became a strategic prize during the Second World War, when the United States occupied the island to block Nazi advances, shield Atlantic convoys and gather the meteorological intelligence that helped time D-Day. It later formed the backbone of NATO’s Arctic early-warning system during the Cold War. Trump’s latest claim that America “has to have” Greenland has revived that history, alarmed Denmark and unsettled the alliance. Yet Greenland’s future remains a matter for Greenlanders, not Washington, writes historian Dr Linda Parker.

Do you have news to share or expertise to contribute? The European welcomes insights from business leaders and sector specialists. Get in touch with our editorial team to find out more.

_{Main image: Qaqortoq, the main town in South Greenland, which is now becoming easier to reach following the opening of the region’s new airport | Credit: Kim Hansen/CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.}