Air Greenland and United Airlines positive about cooperation

For now, you can’t fly on the same ticket between the US and Greenland outside of Nuuk. But that may change in the future, both airlines say after the opening of the New York route.

On the United Airlines website you can search for a ticket from New York to Sisimiut or Ilulissat. You just can’t buy such a ticket. There are only tickets from United Airlines’ own destinations to Nuuk without further connection to the coast.

On United AirlinesAnnouncement

Patrick Quayle, senior vice president of planning and alliances for United Airlines, confirmed this at the opening of the new route to the US recently. These kinds of things take time to get right, he stressed. 

However, United Airlines is open to a future collaboration, so that consumers on both sides can book a connected trip with United’s new route and a domestic flight with Air Greenland. 

United Airlines’ first flight became one of the most followed flights

“The response to our new route to Nuuk has been remarkable. It was our fastest-selling inaugural flight ever, which tells us that United customers are eager to experience all the unique adventures Greenland has to offer,” said Patrick Quayle. 

According to Patrick Quayle, there are already a number of United passengers who are traveling further into the country from Nuuk.

– And there is no better way to do that than by continuing to travel with Air Greenland. I am excited about the new opportunities this route can open up between our two companies and travel between the US and other locations in Greenland, he says. 

For the benefit of all of Greenland 

An agreement between Air Greenland and United Airlines will have clear benefits for air passengers who want to travel between the United States and the Coast. 

They will then be able to make do with a single check-in, and they will be better off in the event of cancellations or delays on part of the trip.

Air Greenland also takes into account other perspectives in such a solution: 

– This will potentially benefit all of Greenland and contribute to Air Greenland being able to continue operating domestic routes on a commercial basis, says CEO Jacob Nitter Sørensen. 

Naalakkersuisoq welcomes new flight route

– That is why it is also gratifying that United and Air Greenland are in close dialogue about cooperation, which will hopefully open up the possibility of booking and traveling on through tickets. Partnerships are the way forward, he emphasizes. 

Air Greenland believes and hopes that the new opportunities will be established by the summer of 2026 at the latest. United Airlines flies the route from New York Newark as a summer route with departures from June to September.

United Airlines also states that it was due to a technical error that it was already possible to find Greenlandic destinations in the booking system. This will be corrected in a future update, the press team writes.