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Flights from Iceland to Greenland (Icelandair and Air Greenland)

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Iceland is one of two main gateways to Greenland; the other is Copenhagen. From Keflavík, Icelandair flies to Nuuk all year and to Ilulissat, Kulusuk and Qaqortoq in summer. Build in spare days: weather delays are common enough that the airline itself advises a buffer.

Icelandair's Greenland schedule for 2027

Icelandair's published 2027 schedule for Greenland, all from Keflavík (KEF): [1]

DestinationCodeFlightsSeason 2027
NuukGOH2–3 per weekYear-round
IlulissatJAV3 per week3 June – 16 October
KulusukKUS4 per week1 June – 15 September
QaqortoqJJU3 per week1 June – 30 September

Qaqortoq's new airport (JJU) opened in April 2026 and replaces Narsarsuaq (UAK) for South Greenland. Guides that still describe flights from Iceland to Narsarsuaq may be out of date. [2] Visit Greenland gives the opening date as 16 April 2026. [3]

Aircraft

Icelandair says most Nuuk flights use a Boeing 737 MAX 8 with 160 seats. Other Greenland routes use the Dash 8-400 (76 seats) or Dash 8-200 (37 seats), which have no Wi-Fi or in-flight entertainment. [2]

Air Greenland from Iceland

Visit Greenland says Air Greenland also flies Keflavík–Nuuk all year and Keflavík–Ilulissat seasonally. We could not open a full Air Greenland route page to confirm this. Unverified [3]

A search result for Air Greenland's Reykjavík–Nuuk page showed one-way fares from DKK 8,482 in March 2027, and no fares from October 2026 to February 2027. We saw this only as a search snippet, so check it on airgreenland.com before relying on it. Unverified [4]

Air Greenland says its 2027 network has four hubs (Qaqortoq, Nuuk, Kangerlussuaq and Ilulissat). Qaqortoq connects with Icelandair via Keflavík. [5]

From North Iceland: Akureyri to Nerlerit Inaat

Visit Greenland says Norlandair flies from Akureyri to Nerlerit Inaat (Constable Point) in East Greenland a few times a week, all year. [3] This is the gateway to the Scoresbysund area. Visit Greenland notes that permits are needed for the National Park and for parts of East Greenland. [3]

Flight times

Visit Greenland gives approximate flight times from Iceland: about 2 hours to Kulusuk, and about 3.5 hours to Ilulissat or Nuuk. [3] Air Greenland gives the time difference between Copenhagen and Nuuk as −4 hours. [6]

What Icelandair tells Greenland passengers

Icelandair has a separate help page for travel to Greenland. The key points: [2]

  • Weather and diversion airports: a flight can only leave if a diversion airport is open, so a Nuuk flight can be delayed by weather at Kulusuk.
  • Buffer days: leave 1–2 days between your Greenland flight and any onward connection or fixed booking.
  • Baggage: limits on Greenland flights are lower than on Icelandair's other routes, and bags are occasionally offloaded. Check your allowance on your booking before you pack.
  • Phone roaming: EU "roam like at home" rules do not apply in Greenland. Icelandair recommends an eSIM or a local SIM.
  • Small airports: regional airports have limited food and Wi-Fi.
  • Airport codes: some come from the old Danish names: GOH (Godthåb, now Nuuk), JAV (Jakobshavn, now Ilulissat), JJU (Julianehåb, now Qaqortoq).

Before you book

  • Book on the airline's own site and compare it with what a comparison site shows. Schedules for new airports are still changing.
  • If you book the Icelandair flight and an onward Air Greenland or domestic flight on separate tickets, ask both airlines what happens if you miss the connection, and leave buffer days.
  • Bring a passport. Greenland is not part of Schengen, even when you arrive from Iceland (see below).

Entry: passport needed

Greenland is outside the EU and the Schengen area, and a Schengen visa is not valid for Greenland. [7] Greenland Police say an EU or Schengen national ID card is not valid for entry to Greenland, so bring a passport. Travellers who need a visa usually also need a Schengen visa, because the trip goes through Denmark or Iceland. [8] Visit Greenland says Nordic citizens may enter freely. [7]

Related

FAQ

Which airlines fly from Iceland to Greenland?

Icelandair flies from Keflavík to Nuuk all year and seasonally to Ilulissat, Kulusuk and Qaqortoq. Visit Greenland also lists Air Greenland from Keflavík and Norlandair from Akureyri to Nerlerit Inaat. [2] [3]

How long is the flight from Iceland to Greenland?

Visit Greenland gives about 2 hours from Iceland to Kulusuk and about 3.5 hours to Ilulissat or Nuuk. [3]

Do Icelandair flights to Greenland leave from Reykjavík city airport?

Icelandair's 2027 Greenland schedule lists its flights from Keflavík (KEF). [1]

Why are flights to Greenland often delayed?

Icelandair says a diversion airport must be open for a flight to depart, so a Nuuk flight can be delayed by weather at Kulusuk. It advises leaving 1–2 days of buffer. [2]

Sources

  1. Our flight schedule 2026-27
    Icelandair · transport operator's own page · accessed 2026-10-27
  2. Travel to Greenland: what to know before you go
    Icelandair · transport operator's own page · accessed 2026-10-27
  3. How to get to Greenland
    Visit Greenland (national tourism organisation) · accessed 2026-10-27
  4. Flights from Reykjavik to Nuuk
    Air Greenland · transport operator's own page · accessed 2026-10-27 · via search-result snippet
  5. Flightschedule winter 2026 – summer 2027 (agent notice, 24 Jun 2026)
    Air Greenland Agent Help Center · transport operator's own page · accessed 2026-10-27
  6. Flights from Copenhagen to Nuuk
    Air Greenland · transport operator's own page · accessed 2026-10-27
  7. Visa requirements
    Visit Greenland · accessed 2026-10-27
  8. Turist i Grønland
    Grønlands Politi (Greenland Police) · in Danish · accessed 2026-10-27
  9. Greenland Police (English front page)
    Grønlands Politi (Greenland Police) · accessed 2026-10-27