United Airlines expects its Greenland flights to resume on Saturday after problems at the territory's main airport led to a handful of flight cancellations across multiple airlines — and stranded dozens of passengers at the Arctic destination.
Nuuk International Airport (GOH) in Greenland's capital city temporarily halted all international flights on Wednesday amid concerns about security personnel training.
News of the disruption prompted United to turn around an aircraft that was headed to Nuuk at the time. That plane landed back at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), a spokesperson for the Chicago-based carrier said, confirming an earlier report from One Mile at a Time.
United ultimately canceled both that northbound flight and a return flight from Nuuk to Newark that had been scheduled for Wednesday.
The suspended service in Nuuk led other carriers, including Scandinavian Airlines, to shutter midweek flights as well — leaving passengers on the ground in Greenland with few departure options.
United: Flights to resume Saturday
By early Wednesday afternoon, things appeared to be getting back on track.
Greenland Airports announced that international departures would resume on Thursday, with extra security personnel from Danish airports.
United on Wednesday afternoon told TPG that the airline planned to move forward with its scheduled Saturday service to Nuuk.
However, the airline does still have a travel waiver covering its Greenland flights in place, allowing customers to reschedule their trip or rebook to Keflavik Airport (KEF) in Iceland.
Passengers who don't rebook on a different flight can claim a refund instead under the U.S. Department of Transportation's flight refund policy.
Passengers stranded
If United's Saturday departure from EWR to GOH does depart as planned, the carrier will ultimately shutter just one full round trip to Greenland since it operates the route twice each week.
Still, with very few flight options to and from Greenland — and no other regular service between the territory and North America — travelers who had planned to return to the U.S. on Wednesday faced limited options for getting home quickly.
The carrier told TPG it's working with passengers currently in Greenland to assist with rebooking on a case-by-case basis.
At best, that may involve a traveler connecting back to the U.S. via Iceland or Europe.
When United launched service to Nuuk in June, it became the first airline to operate regularly scheduled flights between the U.S. and Greenland since Air Greenland's short-lived route in the late 2000s.
Nuuk opened a brand-new terminal and runway last November, setting the stage for the increase in international commercial air service.
For all the fanfare, part of what makes Greenland such an epic destination — and such an innovative new route — is its remoteness.
Earlier this month, Greenland tourism officials told TPG that the increase in tourism this summer proved to be a “learning process,” given the region's limited infrastructure and lodging.
“Of course, there’s things we have to learn. But I think it’s been promising,” Tanny Por, head of international relations at Visit Greenland, told me. “It’s the first time we’ve had any airline come from outside Copenhagen or Iceland, ever, so it’s really a big milestone and a big historical moment.”
This week's disruptions to United's Greenland service came just days after United announced its nonstop service to Greenland would return for a second summer season in 2026.
Its 2025 Nuuk flights are scheduled to run through late September.
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