How to Get to Ilulissat: Every Route In
Copenhagen now flies direct to the Icefjord town. Every way into Ilulissat from Canada, the US, the UK and beyond, by air and by sea.
On Thursday 29 October 2026, Greenland Airports opens Ilulissat’s new airport, and Air Greenland flies the first scheduled jet from Copenhagen straight into the town (see our news story). Until now, nearly everyone came in on a turboprop from Nuuk or Kangerlussuaq, or on a seasonal flight from Iceland. The connecting routes still run. What changes is that Ilulissat, which sits at the mouth of a UNESCO-listed icefjord, now has a direct link to Europe once a week. This guide covers every way in, grouped by where your clients start.
The new direct flight from Copenhagen
Air Greenland’s direct Copenhagen–Ilulissat route opens with the A330neo Tuukkaq on the inaugural flight. After that it settles into one flight a week, on Wednesdays. The airline adds a Monday flight over Christmas and New Year, and again from 1 to 27 March 2027, which it calls the winter tourist season.
For the winter, Jettime operates the route for Air Greenland with a 180-seat Boeing 737-800. Air Greenland says its new A320neo, Unaaq, takes over from April 2027, and that at the height of summer there will be “up to six weekly direct flights.” It has not published which days those will be.
The initial timetable, which Air Greenland marks as subject to change, is:
- GL707 leaves Copenhagen at 09:45 and lands in Ilulissat at 11:45 local time.
- GL708 leaves Ilulissat at 13:15 and lands in Copenhagen at 21:00.
With these times, clients can leave Copenhagen in the morning and be at the Icefjord by mid-afternoon. Tickets are on sale on Air Greenland’s website.
From Europe and the UK: via Nuuk or Kangerlussuaq
Via Nuuk. Visit Greenland says Air Greenland flies Copenhagen–Nuuk year-round in about four hours. Air Greenland’s Nuuk–Ilulissat flight takes about 1 hour 30 minutes on a 37-seat Dash 8 turboprop, and the airline lists several flights a day. On the days without a direct flight, Air Greenland times its Ilulissat–Nuuk flights to connect with Copenhagen on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Air Greenland says baggage from international flights is usually checked through to Ilulissat.
Read next · GuideBurbank, LAX or Long Beach: Which Los Angeles Airport?7 min →Via Kangerlussuaq. Kangerlussuaq used to be the usual connecting point, and its role is narrowing. With new runways in Nuuk (opened November 2024) and now Ilulissat, Air Greenland calls Nuuk its main hub and Ilulissat its second international hub. Kangerlussuaq still has a seasonal jet. Air Greenland and Albatros Arctic Circle ran Kangerlussuaq–Copenhagen once a week on Tuesdays from 10 February to 20 October 2026, with Jettime-operated 737-800s, plus six weekly Kangerlussuaq–Ilulissat connections. No 2027 season had been announced when we checked.
From the UK, all of these routes start in Copenhagen or Keflavík.
From Canada and the US
No scheduled flight links North America with Ilulissat directly. There are three ways to connect.
Via Iceland. This is the most practical year-round route. Icelandair’s 2026–27 schedule lists Keflavík–Ilulissat from 3 June to 16 October 2027, with up to three flights a week at the summer peak. Icelandair’s Ilulissat page gives the flight time as about 3 hours 20 minutes. Toronto and Vancouver are year-round Icelandair gateways. Outside summer, both Air Greenland and Icelandair fly Keflavík–Nuuk all year, so clients can connect onward through Nuuk.
Via Newark. United launched Newark–Nuuk in summer 2025, flying twice a week. Visit Greenland describes it as a June-to-September service. United had not published its 2027 schedule for the route when we checked, so confirm before quoting it.
Via Iqaluit. Air Greenland flies Nuuk–Iqaluit once a week, on Wednesdays, in summer only, on a Dash 8. Its partner Canadian North connects through Iqaluit to Ottawa and Montreal on the same ticket. Air Greenland’s own pages give slightly different season dates, so check the 2027 schedule when it appears. Air Greenland also notes that travellers who are visa-exempt for Canada but are not Canadian need an eTA to fly via Iqaluit.
From Australia and New Zealand, the usual route is through Europe to Copenhagen, then either the Wednesday direct flight or a connection via Nuuk.
By sea
Ilulissat is a regular summer call for expedition ships. A few examples from operators’ own 2027 itinerary pages:
- Adventure Canada. Baffin Island and Greenland: Circling the Midnight Sun (14–25 August 2027, Ocean Victory, 175 guests) starts with a charter from Ottawa to Iqaluit, calls at Ilulissat on Day 11, and ends in Kangerlussuaq with a charter to Toronto. Into the Northwest Passage (25 August–10 September 2027) embarks in Kangerlussuaq after a charter from Toronto and visits Ilulissat on Day 4. Charters are priced separately, in US$.
- HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions). Grand Greenland: The Icy Giants of Disko Bay is an 11-day Nuuk round trip on MS Fridtjof Nansen with three departures in June and July 2027. It includes Reykjavík–Nuuk flights and spends Day 3 at the Icefjord.
As with every expedition, the operators say stops depend on weather and ice. Once clients are in Greenland, Arctic Umiaq Line’s coastal ferry Sarfaq Ittuk runs between Qaqortoq and Ilulissat from April to December, according to Visit Greenland, which advises booking early in summer.
At a glance
| Route | How often | Season | Aircraft or ship | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copenhagen–Ilulissat direct (Air Greenland) | Weekly, Wed; Mon + Wed at Christmas/New Year and 1–27 Mar 2027; up to 6 a week in peak summer 2027 | From 29 Oct 2026, year-round | 737-800 (Jettime) this winter; A320neo Unaaq from Apr 2027 | Europe, UK, AU/NZ via Copenhagen; fixed-date trips |
| Copenhagen–Nuuk–Ilulissat (Air Greenland) | Same-day connections Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri | Year-round | Jet to Nuuk, then Dash 8 | Flexible dates; combining with Nuuk |
| Copenhagen–Kangerlussuaq–Ilulissat | Weekly, Tue (2026) | 10 Feb–20 Oct 2026; 2027 not announced | 737-800 (Jettime) + Dash 8 | Combining with the ice sheet near Kangerlussuaq |
| Keflavík–Ilulissat (Icelandair) | Up to 3 a week at peak | 3 Jun–16 Oct 2027 | Not stated | Canada/US via Toronto, Vancouver or US gateways; UK |
| Keflavík–Nuuk–Ilulissat | Several a week | Year-round | Air Greenland or Icelandair, then Dash 8 | North Americans outside summer |
| Newark–Nuuk (United) | Twice weekly | Summer; 2027 unconfirmed | Not stated | US East Coast |
| Iqaluit–Nuuk (Air Greenland, with Canadian North) | Weekly, Wed | Summer only | Dash 8 (37 seats) | Ottawa and Montreal |
| Expedition cruise | Per itinerary | June–September | Ocean Victory, MS Fridtjof Nansen and others | Icefjord plus a multi-stop Arctic voyage |
Arriving in Ilulissat
Air Greenland describes the old airport as a small regional airport with a short runway, close to town and the Icefjord. The new airport has a longer runway that can take jets. We could not confirm from an official source how far the new terminal is from town or what happens to the old strip, so check with the hotel or ground handler.
On getting into town, Air Greenland and Visit Greenland’s Ilulissat page both point to taxis and hotel transfers. The larger hotels run shuttles, Ilulissat Taxi is on +299 94 49 44, and a town bus runs every 20 minutes at peak times.
The Ilulissat Icefjord was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2004. UNESCO describes its glacier, Sermeq Kujalleq, as one of the fastest and most active in the world, calving more than 35 cubic kilometres of ice a year. Visit Greenland says the boardwalk from the Ilulissat Icefjord Centre is the quickest and easiest way to reach it on foot. For the setting, read our editor’s field notes.
When to go
Visit Greenland’s best-time guide says the midnight sun is “in full swing” in North Greenland by June. Its Ilulissat page recommends January to April for northern lights and dog sledding (more in our northern lights guide). The fjord freezes in winter, icebergs are visible all year, and whales are common in summer. After about six weeks of polar night, the sun returns to Ilulissat on 13 January.
For packing, Visit Greenland’s weather and climate page gives Ilulissat’s 1991–2020 monthly means: about -14.7°C in February, -14.6°C in March, and 8.3°C in July. It advises layers, a warm jacket for boat trips among the ice, spiked shoe grips in winter, sunglasses, and a mosquito head net in summer.
Entry rules
Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark but outside Schengen. The Danish Immigration Service says anyone who can enter Denmark without a visa can also enter Greenland without one. A Schengen visa is not valid for Greenland, and a passport is required. Its visa-free list names citizens of Canada, the US, Australia and New Zealand, with a limit of 90 days in any 180. The UK government says British visitors do not need a visa for tourism. Clients flying through Copenhagen or Keflavík pass through Schengen, and Schengen’s own rules apply there.
FAQ
Can you fly directly to Ilulissat?
Yes. From 29 October 2026, Air Greenland flies Copenhagen–Ilulissat once a week on Wednesdays, adding Mondays at Christmas and New Year and in March 2027. In summer, Icelandair flies from Keflavík.
How do I get to Ilulissat from Canada?
Fly Icelandair from Toronto or Vancouver to Keflavík, then connect to Ilulissat (June–October) or to Nuuk year-round. In summer, Air Greenland also connects Iqaluit to Nuuk, with Canadian North links to Ottawa and Montreal.
How long is the flight from Copenhagen to Ilulissat?
Air Greenland’s published times (09:45 departure, 11:45 local arrival) work out to about five hours in the air this winter, because Ilulissat’s clocks are three hours behind Copenhagen’s.
Do Americans or Canadians need a visa for Greenland?
No, according to Denmark’s immigration service, for stays of up to 90 days in 180. A passport is required.
Is Kangerlussuaq still the gateway?
It is no longer the only one. Nuuk and Ilulissat now take jets, and Kangerlussuaq’s seasonal Copenhagen service has not yet been announced for 2027.
Sources
- Air Greenland, “New winter flight schedule 2026 for Ilulissat” (24 Feb 2026): https://www.airgreenland.com/news/new-winter-flight-schedule-2026-for-ilulissat/
- Air Greenland, “The latest new airport ushers in a new traffic pattern”: https://www.airgreenland.com/news/the-latest-new-airport-ushers-in-a-new-traffic-pattern/
- Air Greenland, “Direct Flights Between Kangerlussuaq and Copenhagen to Continue in 2026”: https://www.airgreenland.com/news/direct-flights-between-kangerlussuaq-and-copenhagen-to-continue-in-2026/
- Air Greenland, Nuuk–Ilulissat flights: https://flights.airgreenland.com/en/flights-from-nuuk-to-ilulissat
- Air Greenland, Flights to Ilulissat: https://flights.airgreenland.com/en/flights-to-ilulissat
- Air Greenland, Iqaluit: https://airgreenland.com/campaigns/iqaluit/ and https://flights.airgreenland.com/en/flights-from-iqaluit-to-nuuk
- Air Greenland, “Congratulations on the new airport” (Nuuk, 28 Nov 2024): https://www.airgreenland.com/news/congratulations-on-the-new-airport/
- Icelandair, Flight schedule 2026–27: https://www.icelandair.com/flights/campaign/destinations-schedule/
- Icelandair, Flights to Ilulissat: https://icelandair.com/en-ca/flights/ilulissat
- United, Newark–Nuuk: https://www.united.com/en-us/flights-from-new-york-to-nuuk; United newsroom, 10 Oct 2024: https://united.mediaroom.com/2024-10-10-United-Adds-Eight-New-Destinations-in-Largest-International-Expansion-in-its-History
- Canadian North, Nuuk route release (17 May 2024): https://canadiannorth.com/latest_news/canadian-north-air-greenland-launch-new-route-for-thrilling-arctic-adventure/
- Visit Greenland, How to get to Greenland: https://visitgreenland.com/plan-your-trip/how-to-get-to-greenland/
- Visit Greenland, How to get around in Greenland: https://visitgreenland.com/plan-your-trip/how-to-get-around-in-greenland/
- Visit Greenland, Ilulissat: https://visitgreenland.com/destinations/ilulissat/
- Visit Greenland, Best time to visit: https://visitgreenland.com/plan-your-trip/best-time-to-visit/
- Visit Greenland, The midnight sun in Greenland: https://visitgreenland.com/articles/the-midnight-sun-in-greenland/
- Visit Greenland, Weather and climate: https://visitgreenland.com/plan-your-trip/weather-and-climate/
- Visit Greenland, New flight schedule makes Greenland more accessible: https://visitgreenland.com/articles/new-flight-schedule-makes-greenland-more-accessible/
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Ilulissat Icefjord: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1149/ and https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/65
- Danish Immigration Service, Visa to the Faroe Islands or Greenland: https://www.nyidanmark.dk/en-GB/Applying/Short%20stay%20visa/Visa%20for%20Greenland%20and%20the%20Faroe%20Islands
- Danish Immigration Service, Visa-free visits: https://www.nyidanmark.dk/en-GB/You-want-to-apply/Short-stay-visa/Visa-free-visits
- GOV.UK, Denmark entry requirements: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/denmark/entry-requirements
- Adventure Canada, Baffin Island and Greenland 2027: https://www.adventurecanada.com/arctic/baffin-island-and-greenland-circling-the-midnight-sun/bg27-ov
- Adventure Canada, Into the Northwest Passage 2027: https://www.adventurecanada.com/arctic/the-northwest-passage/a127-ov
- HX, Grand Greenland: The Icy Giants of Disko Bay: https://www.travelhx.com/en/cruises/grand-greenland-the-icy-giants-disko-bay/
Where to stay near Ilulissat
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Casie Stewart is Senior Editor at Not An Atlas, usually found in a Toronto coffee shop in a cute outfit, laptop open, coffee in hand and phone (always) within arm's reach. Some of her warmest memories are of fishing and camping in New Zealand's Bay of Islands with her family as a kid. She's a New Zealand citizen, and it will always feel like home. She takes the window seat (she wants to see the world, not the beverage cart), swears by her Trtl travel pillow (comfort over cool, always) and orders whatever the locals are having. Waking up to the sounds of the rainforest in the middle of the Costa Rican jungle is her “this is why I travel” moment, and Arizona's deserts and sunsets are where she'd go back tomorrow. She covers the places, people, food and festivals that make a destination memorable. Friends say funny, effervescent and organized. Her mum adds cuddly. Next stop: Bali.
