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Flights to Iqaluit

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Although the capital and largest city of the Canadian territory of Nunavut, Iqaluit is really a tiny town accessible only by air, and sometimes by sea. It’s located on the southern coast of Baffin Island in the North of Canada, and before 1987 it was named Frobisher Bay.

Flights to Iqaluit

Though remote, the Iqualuit Airport (airport code: YFB) is fairly modern and handles domestic flights in Canada. You can get a flight to Iqaluit from the UK with Continental Airlines or Virgin Atlantic, and travel through New York City and Montreal. Air Canada takes a different route, making connecting stops in Halifax and Ottawa. Depending on which airline you choose, the total flight to Iqaluit will take between 23 and 30 hours, and because there are no roads to the town, a flight is usually the only way to get here.

Iqaluit Tourist Attractions

Despite being the territorial capital Iqaluit is not big on tourist attractions because it’s such a small place. The permanent population is only around 7,000 people and for many visitors the reason for visiting will be for the novelty! If you have made the fairly long trip to Iqaluit there are a few things you can look out for while staying.

Iqaluit Architecture

Most of Iqaluit’s architecture is plain and practical, built to serve a purpose rather than to win any architectural awards! Shaped like a giant igloo with a spire on top, St Jude’s Anglican Cathedral was the exception, and was probably the most striking piece of architecture in Iqaluit. Unfortunately the cathedral was severely damaged by fire in 2005 and had to demolished the following year.

Other than the cathedral, the Legislative Building of Nunavut stands out above the rest with its glass and steel structure. You can view the main floor of the building.

Iqaluit Public Library

As well as being the town’s source for literature, Iqaluit Public Library is home to the Nunavut tourism office, making this a good place to start your visit to Iqaluit. While here, you can also visit a small museum featuring arctic animals.

The Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum

Iqaluit’s main museum is certainly worth the visit as it houses a large collection of Arctic and Inuit objects and arts that you’re unlikely to see in any other museums around the world.

Parks and Reserves Nearby to Iqaluit

You can of course use Iqaluit as a base to explore more of Nunavut and Baffin Island. There are several parks and reserves nearby such as the Qaummaarviit Territorial Historic Park, and the Soper Heritage River Park. Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park Reserve is centred around the Sylvia Grinnell River and features scenic waterfalls and a visitor centre.

When Should You Visit Iqaluit?

Whatever time of the year you visit Iqaluit you should be prepared for cool to cold temperatures as the city has an Arctic climate. For any sort of sightseeing or outdoor activities you’ll want to visit in the summer, i.e. July or August when average high temperatures are between 10.3C (51F) and 11.6C (53F). January is the coldest month – the average high is -22.5C (-9F) while the average low is -30.6C (-23F) i.e. very cold!