Air Greenland Copenhagen-Ilulissat flights: launch guide

Air Greenland plans to open its direct Copenhagen-Ilulissat route on October 29, 2026, the day Ilulissat's new international airport opens. The first flight is an inauguration, not the start of a daily service.

Regular winter flying begins in November and is mainly scheduled for Wednesdays. That distinction matters if you are comparing a direct flight with the more frequent one-stop journey through Nuuk.

Ilulissat Icefjord, photographed by Petr Kraumann, CC BY 3.0. Cropped and optimized for OpenSim.

The practical answer: The opening flight is planned for Thursday, October 29, on Air Greenland's A330neo. Jettime then operates the regular winter route with a Boeing 737-800, using flight numbers GL707 and GL708. The published times are 09:45 from Copenhagen to 11:45 in Ilulissat, then 13:15 from Ilulissat to 21:00 in Copenhagen. All times are local and remain subject to change.

This guide was checked on October 1, 2026. The route has been announced and is on sale, but it has not started operating.

The opening flight and winter schedule are different

Air Greenland's current airport-opening page separates the route into clear stages. The A330neo Tuukkaq is scheduled to operate the ceremonial opening flight on October 29. Regular winter service is listed from November 2 through March 2027, with Jettime flying a Boeing 737-800 NG.

Air Greenland's winter schedule announcement describes one direct Wednesday flight each week. It adds Monday flights around Christmas and New Year and from March 1 to 27. On other weekdays, Copenhagen journeys continue through Nuuk.

The timetable is planned rather than operating history. Recheck the airline booking and flight status before arranging a nonrefundable hotel, excursion or separate onward ticket.

GL707 and GL708 use local times

The current schedule lists these times for the Jettime winter operation:

The short difference between the clock readings is not the flight duration. Denmark and Greenland use different local times. Keep the itinerary in local time and let the airline or calendar app handle the conversion for the exact travel date.

From April 2027, Air Greenland plans to use its A320neo Unaaq and change the flight numbers to GL705 and GL706. The airline says frequency will rise gradually, reaching as many as six weekly rotations during the peak summer period. Check a 2027 booking by date rather than carrying the winter Wednesday pattern forward.

North Greenland connections do not all work the same day

The direct arrival is timed for regional connections, but it does not create a same-day link to every northern town. Air Greenland currently lists:

• A same-day Copenhagen to Aasiaat connection on Wednesdays.
• A same-day Copenhagen to Upernavik connection on Wednesdays, but an overnight in Ilulissat in the opposite direction.
• Same-day Copenhagen connections to Qaarsut and Uummannaq on Mondays from March 1, 2027.
• No same-day Copenhagen connection to or from Qaanaaq through Ilulissat.

Book the full Greenland journey together when possible. If the booking includes an overnight, budget for it instead of assuming a short connection shown on a map will work in the timetable.

Air Greenland's irregular-operations guidance draws an important line around separate tickets. It may protect onward travel issued on its own ticket documents, but it is not responsible for a missed flight on another airline's separate document. A once-weekly direct service makes that risk more consequential, so leave a substantial buffer in Copenhagen and Ilulissat.

Baggage and check-in need a ticket-level check

Air Greenland's current Copenhagen-Ilulissat booking page lists 20 kg of checked baggage and one 8 kg cabin bag for Economy on the journey. Premium allowances differ, and a connecting carrier can apply another rule. The issued ticket and operating-carrier notice are the final references for your flight.

Air Greenland's check-in guidance says Copenhagen check-in opens three hours before departure and must be completed at least one hour before the scheduled time. Arrive early enough for bag drop, security and the non-Schengen passport process.

The same guidance says baggage cannot normally be checked beyond Copenhagen to an unrelated international airline. If you have a separate ticket from Copenhagen, plan to collect any checked bag, meet the next carrier's check-in deadline and clear security again. Ask at the counter rather than assuming that two bookings will be linked.

Carry the documents for both sides of the route

Greenland is outside the EU and Schengen Area. Greenland Airports' passport guidance says Nordic citizens need valid photo identification and are advised to carry a passport. EU citizens need a valid passport but do not need a Greenland visa.

Travelers whose nationality requires a visa for Denmark also need permission for Greenland. A normal Schengen visa does not automatically cover Greenland, so the visa must explicitly be valid there. Check the Danish immigration authority for the passport and trip you will use.

On the return to Copenhagen, passengers enter the Schengen area and may pass passport control. Check Denmark's rules as well as Greenland's. A valid Greenland document does not replace permission to enter Denmark.

Plan the Ilulissat arrival before departure

The new airport is due to open on the route's launch day. Ground-transport details can still change during the transition, and an older airport page may describe the construction phase rather than opening-day operations.

Ask your accommodation whether it provides a transfer, or prearrange a local taxi with a confirmed pickup point. Keep the hotel name, address and telephone number offline. Do not depend on a ride app unless its current service area explicitly includes Ilulissat.

Weather is part of travel in Greenland, especially in winter. A disruption may move you to the next available seat, not simply to a flight later the same day. Keep medication and cold-weather essentials in your cabin bag, make sure the airline has a working email address and mobile number, and avoid a tightly timed separate connection.

Mobile data for Greenland and Denmark

An OpenSim Greenland eSIM is the destination-specific option for mobile data after arrival. An OpenSim Denmark eSIM covers time on the Copenhagen side. These are separate destinations, so compare the live coverage list if you want one plan for the whole trip.

Read the product card before purchase for its allowance, validity, network generation, speed conditions and top-up eligibility. Not every plan can be reloaded. An eSIM provides data where its listed network has service; it does not include inflight connectivity, guarantee coverage on remote excursions or protect a missed connection.

Install the profile while you have reliable Wi-Fi, but follow its activation instructions before switching it on. Save the itinerary, accommodation details, passport guidance and airline contact information offline too.

Ten questions about Air Greenland Copenhagen-Ilulissat flights

Does the direct Copenhagen-Ilulissat route start on October 29?

The October 29 flight is the planned inauguration with Air Greenland's A330neo. The regular Jettime winter program starts in November, so do not treat the opening flight as the first day of a daily schedule.

Which day does the direct flight operate in winter?

The base winter pattern is Wednesday. Selected Monday departures are added around Christmas and New Year and from March 1 to 27, 2027. Other dates may require a connection through Nuuk.

What are the GL707 and GL708 times?

GL707 is published at 09:45 from Copenhagen and 11:45 in Ilulissat. GL708 is published at 13:15 from Ilulissat and 21:00 in Copenhagen. These are local times and can change.

Is Air Greenland operating the winter flights itself?

The tickets and flight numbers are Air Greenland's, while Jettime is scheduled to operate the regular winter service with a Boeing 737-800. Air Greenland's A320neo is due to take over from April 2027.

Can I fly direct on a Monday?

Only on selected Mondays in the published winter program, including extra holiday departures and the March 1 to 27 period. Search the exact date; Monday is not the year-round base pattern.

Can I connect to Upernavik or Qaanaaq on the same day?

Wednesday arrivals have a same-day northbound connection to Upernavik, but the southbound journey requires an Ilulissat overnight. Qaanaaq has no same-day Copenhagen connection in either direction through Ilulissat.

How much baggage does an Economy ticket include?

The airline's current route page lists 20 kg checked and 8 kg cabin baggage for Economy. Confirm the allowance on the ticket, particularly if another airline or a different fare is involved.

How early should I arrive at Copenhagen Airport?

Air Greenland opens check-in three hours before departure and closes it one hour before. Give yourself time for bag drop, security and passport control rather than aiming for the cutoff.

Is a Schengen visa enough for Greenland?

Not necessarily. Greenland is outside Schengen, and travelers who need a visa must obtain one that is valid for Greenland. Check the requirement for your nationality before booking.

Should I book a same-day separate connection in Copenhagen?

It is safer to leave a wide buffer or an overnight. Air Greenland does not accept responsibility for a missed onward flight on another airline's separate ticket, and checked baggage may need to be collected and rechecked.

Before you travel

• Confirm whether your date is the opening flight, a regular direct service or a journey through Nuuk.
• Match the date to the published Wednesday or selected Monday pattern.
• Recheck the flight number, local time and operating carrier.
• Read the baggage allowance on the issued ticket.
• Arrive before the one-hour Copenhagen check-in cutoff.
• Carry the passport and any Greenland-specific visa required for your nationality.
• Check Denmark entry permission for the return journey.
• Confirm every regional connection and planned overnight.
• Leave a buffer around flights on separate airline tickets.
• Save the itinerary and essential contacts offline.

Source basis and next review

Air Greenland's current campaign and route announcement support the launch date, aircraft, winter days, times, flight numbers and regional connections. Its passenger guidance supports the check-in, baggage and separate-ticket boundaries. Greenland Airports supports the passport and Greenland-specific visa guidance.

Public traveler discussions were used to identify recurring questions about frequency, connections, weather buffers, baggage and the airport transition. They were not used as evidence for the timetable, border permission or airline policy.

We will update this guide after the first operation and when Air Greenland materially changes the timetable, aircraft, regional connections, baggage, check-in or disruption policy. Travelers should still use the issued itinerary and current government advice for their own departure.

Airline, border and OpenSim catalog details were reviewed on October 1, 2026.