Nuuk Airport serves the capital of Greenland, Nuuk. This airport serves as the base and focal point for Air Greenland, Greenland’s national airline. It connects the capital with several cities in the west and southwest of the country, including the hub airport in Kangerlussuaq.
The airport also provides international flights to Iceland, but mainly serves domestic destinations in Greenland and Iceland. International flights include flights to Keflavik International Airport in Iceland and Kangerlussuaq Airport.
In the early 1960s, seaplanes from the new airline Air Greenland landed at the port of Nuuk. In 1965, the company invested in the development of a fleet of aircraft based on large Sikorsky S-61 helicopters, which served for several decades in transportation, despite the emergence of an airport in Nuuk designed for short takeoffs and landings (STOL) of aircraft such as de Havilland Canada Dash 7, which became mainstream in the 1970s.
Although Nuuk Airport was created to serve Greenland’s largest city, its geographic location and difficult climatic conditions limit its ability to serve major airliners or international flights other than destinations in Iceland.
Sometimes, for special events, planes are chartered for VIP flights that cannot directly reach Nuuk, and in such cases transfers are made to local small planes. A major expansion of the airport is planned, sparking debate due to its proximity to the urban areas of Nuuk, although the issue remains a matter of internal discussion in Greenland.
A new international airport is currently under construction, scheduled for completion in 2024.