In the summer of 2024, Air Greenland launched what might just be one of the coolest airline routes ever, connecting Greenland to the Canadian Arctic. While this was initially a seasonal route for one year, it’s cool to see that this route will be returning in 2025, with a long season, no less, as flagged…
Continue reading: Air Greenland’s Fascinating Flight To Iqaluit, Canada
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
I hope we get a trip review of this route and PPT-RAR on a prop. Probably close to the two coolest routes on the planet.
I am trying to plan something for this route next summer.
Aeroplan has decent mile redemption from Ottawa to Iqaluit, from there purchase ticket for this flight to Nuuk. From Nuuk you can fly to Iceland using Alaska miles with on wards connection to EU. Finnair also flies from Iceland with great availability.
Cool route…
But not as cool as the shortest Transatlantic route Akureyri - Constable Point (Nerlerit Inaat) on Norlandair’s Twin Otter/Kingair
I just flew this, this past Wednesday, Iqaluit to Nuuk. I avoided booking Ottawa to Iqaluit to Nuuk on one ticket as I was able to get an award ticket for LGA-YYZ-YOW-YFB, booked through Aeroplan for 10,000 points. I found booking it from Ottawa quite expensive and I am coming from New York anyway so I would’ve had to book NYC-YOW separately. My booking necessitated an evening in Iqaluit which I found fascinating. My flight had a load factor of about 16, I’d say. I talked to a lot of people who were making other plans to get back to North America via Iceland, mostly, or to continue onward travels to Europe via Air Greenland’s flight to Copenhagen. It seems a lot of people aren’t looking to spend a whole week in Greenland to get the flight back to Iqaluit. I’ve only been in Nuuk for less than 2 days but so far I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for a slow (slow, slow) paced trip. I’ve been enjoying boat tours to icebergs and slow walks around town. It’s a fascinating place to be.
Of all the cool and silly routes you love to write about. This is one of them MANY readers want a review of
It sounds like the perfect location to "get away from it all".
I felt much the same when I was in Reykjavik.
I got it even better later in the trip, in the Russian arctic and then Siberia.
I wouldn't make the trip in the current age, but things were different in 2004.
We took this route round trip this summer (August). Be warned that there were multiple cancellations and delays due to Nuuk's airport not having the proper security clearances yet. We were lucky to have made the round trip, although the return trip to Iqaluit had to go through another airport in Greenland to satisfy security concerns, adding more time and hassle (but gorgeous views of the ice sheet!) Also be aware that lodging in Iqaluit can be very pricey, and there was no coverage for American phones. I would say this trip should be attempted by intrepid travellers only who understand the risks and cultural context. It's not for the casual person. If a flight gets cancelled for weather or mechanical issues, you may be in a difficult position. Finally, you did not mention that these flights are also an important connection opportunity for Inuit communities who have been separated for too long. Do diligent research about these communities, both in Canada and Greenland, before thinking about going. This is not Disneyland.
Thank you for this article. With my wife we started to discuss when to finally visit Greenland (and beyond), before it gets overcrowded like most of the Iceland.
We did this one a few years ago although the departure was from FGI back then, not APW. What made it even more interesting is that we did this as a daytrip meaning on the calendar the return leg took place before the outbound leg and that's how it had to be booked.