Canadian First Air provides service from Kangerlussuaq to the Thule Air Base. These weekly flights include supplies to the American base, so normally there will be seats for only 54 passengers. The route from Kangerlussuaq to Thule Air Base is almost straight north and is about 1 hour and 40 minutes travel time. On this flight there will be a great opportunity to see the northern part of the Greenland west coast - with thousands of icebergs and glaciers - the Disko Island - the Uummannaq Fiord - and of course the Melville Bay before landing on Thule Air Base (Pituffik).

From Pituffik, Qaanaaq and the settlements are serviced by Greenlandair Charter's small Bell 212 helicopter with seats for 8 passengers. In the summer half year, settlements are usually serviced once or twice a week. In the winter half year, during total darkness, helicopter flying is more difficult so usually there will be only scheduled flights to the settlements twice every second week.

In Qaanaaq there is a short private airstrip for smaller airplanes like DeHavilland turbo-prop Twin Otter (the work horse airplane of the Polar regions). It is usually possible to get fuel if agreed to in advance. In summer and spring, Twin Otters often land here bringing in passengers and tourists directly from Canada. This same traffic is frequent in the spring, but then planes will normally land on an air strip marked with barrels on sea ice right outside Qaanaaq.

In summer 1998 the construction of a new modern airfield near Qaanaaq started up. If not delayed, the airfield, which is about 2640 feet (800 meters) long, will be put in use in the fall of year 2000. This hopefully will lead to improved access and better possibilities for access to the area for both tourists and locals.

Since there is only one weekly flight carrying mail from the "outside" to the Thule Air Base, this of course allows mail delivery only once a week. However in winter, when the weather "grounds" helicopter flights, mail delivery may be delayed for a week or more.

Because of the unstable mail deliveries, high tech communications are well developed and very used. Telephone, fax and Internet are fully functional at any time.

Most heavy freight is usually delivered by ship. The first ship of the year normally arrives at Qaanaaq about the 1st of August. The last ship will usually leave southbound in the middle of September. Two or three ships bring in heavy supplies and machines for construction and all kinds of supplies needed to be stored for the next ten months until the ships return again the following summer.

There is no seaport in Qaanaaq so the handling of ships sometimes is very slow and difficult because of the current and icebergs. The loading and unloading of ships is done with a motorized barge (like the ones for military use) and only in fair weather. Because of a long reef just outside Qaanaaq it is only possibly to work when the tide is high.

The settlements are supplied by smaller ships. Also a tanker shows up once a year in Qaanaaq and the surrounding settlements. Tanks and barrels will be filled up with different kinds of fuel to stand through the long winter.

In the district of Qaanaaq the dogsledge is still very important for transportation For tourists, or anyone else with the time to do it, dogsledging is highly recommended. Besides just being transported from one place to another, you will have an unforgettable adventure in experiencing nature together with the Inuit drivers. One day trips or longer tours with overnights in huts or in tents on the sledge can be arranged through the hotel in Qaanaaq.

In summer from the end of July until the beginning of October no permanent ice is covering the sea. At this time small fast boats with outboard engines are used for transportation. The small boats are fast but of course only used when weather is good and the sea is calm. Trips by boats can also be arranged by contacting the hotel in Qaanaaq.

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