A new chapter in Greenland–USA travel began this week with the launch of the first direct commercial flight between the United States and Greenland. Operated by United Airlines, the route connects Newark Liberty International Airport near New York City with Nuuk International Airport, reducing travel time between the two destinations to just over four hours.
This is the first time Greenland is directly connected to the United States by air, bypassing traditional layovers in Iceland or Denmark. United will run two weekly flights during the summer season, which continues until 24 September. The inaugural flight landed in Nuuk on Friday evening at 21:45 Danish time, symbolizing a breakthrough in Arctic connectivity.
A boost for Greenland’s tourism economy
Local entrepreneurs in Nuuk have welcomed the new route as a step forward for business and cultural exchange. Mala Johnsen, co-owner of the streetwear shop California in Nuuk, sees it as mutually beneficial: “We get tourists from the USA, and we now have the chance to travel there without detouring through Europe.”
Experts agree on the economic potential. Carina Ren, a tourism researcher at Aalborg University, describes the direct link as a “game changer” for Greenland’s tourism and trade sectors. “It opens up a huge market, much like what we’ve seen in Iceland. Travellers between North America and Europe can now consider stopping in Greenland, expanding its visibility and appeal,” she explains.
According to Ren, tourists who arrive by plane spend significantly more than cruise visitors, who typically eat and sleep on board. Air travellers, by contrast, invest in local hotels, experiences, and services — a crucial difference for small economies.
Strategic relevance and economic diversification
Greenland’s Minister for Industry, Resources, Energy, Justice, Equality and Tourism, Naaja Nathanielsen, expressed enthusiasm for the new route. She highlighted not only its commercial advantages but also the increased mobility for Greenlanders, who often face long and costly trips via Reykjavik or Copenhagen.
“This isn’t just about attracting American tourists and businesspeople. It’s about Greenlanders being able to access the world more efficiently,” she said.
Tourism has become an increasingly important pillar of Greenland’s economy. Over the past two years, the sector has generated a gross value added exceeding 1 billion DKK (approx. €134 million). According to Nathanielsen, this is the first time a non-fishing sector has played such a significant role in the country’s economic development.
“It’s an economy that generates value immediately and spreads across the community,” she added, contrasting it with slower-yielding sectors like mineral extraction.
A changing image of Greenland
For many U.S. travellers, the new route may provide an accessible gateway to a place they have long found intriguing but distant. As Texas-based tourist Denise Furness noted upon arriving in Nuuk, “People are always curious about Greenland, but they don’t really know what it is. This is a wonderful opportunity.”
Her husband Jim added, “We see the world as a much more connected place today — and the more connected, the better.”
With the ability to fly from the neon lights of Manhattan to the northern lights over Nuuk Fjord in a single day, Greenland may now find itself playing a more central role in the Arctic tourism map — one direct flight at a time.
