Pond Inlet Airport – YIO Pond Inlet

Pond Inlet Airport (YIO) is situated at Pond Inlet, Nunavut in Canada and is operated by the Nunavut government. This small public airport services two major airlines, Canadian North and First Air with flights to Clyde River, Igloolik, Iqaluit, and Arctic Bay. The longest flight and most popular destination from YIO is Iqaluit Airport (YFB) with an average of nine flights weekly and a flight duration of 2 hours and 35 minutes. The Pond Inlet-Iqaluit route accounts for more than 65% of weekly flights.

Best Time to Visit

YIO mainly serves the town of Pond Inlet, a small community occupied predominantly by the Inuit in the Qikiqtaaluk Region located in the northern part of Baffin Island. As of 2016, Pond Inlet has a total population of 1,617. People visiting Pond Inlet can access this town through a connecting flight from Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut. 

Food supplies are mostly flown in from Montreal a couple of times a week while cargo shipments carry other goods to Pond Inlet. Due to the distance, supplies tend to be more expensive than the rest of southern Canada. Nonetheless, the tourism sector of Pond Inlet continues to grow and therefore, attracts visitors to fly into Pond Inlet, which is tagged as one of the Jewels of the North.

What to Do & Area Attractions

Pond Inlet does not have an international airport nor airport hotels. Visitors, however, can find basic accommodations that are still accessible to YIO Airport. The Sauniq Hotel is a popular choice for visitors. The Black Point Lodge is also another excellent choice for visitors.