Fire engines, police and the North West Ambulance Service were all at the crash, which caused traffic to tail back as far as junction 41 for the B5305.
The crash happened as many families began their journeys for the start of the school summer holidays.
A spokeswoman for Cumbria Police said that a Citroen C1, a Jaguar XE and a BMW 120D were all involved.
Lanes were closed temporarily while debris was removed and the vehicles were recovered.
The BMW was being driven by a 54-year-old man and the Jaguar by a 34-year-old woman. Neither sustained any injuries.
Lanes were closed temporarily while debris was removed and the vehicles were recovered.
An emergency response doctor said that a female passenger in the Citroen - a 55-year-old woman, was airlifted to the James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough.
The driver, a 58-year-old man, was taken to the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle.
While returning from the scene, the doctor was also asked to attend a second crash involving two cars on the A66 near Centre Parcs.
All those involved, including four children and three adults, were assessed at the scene and did not require hospital treatment.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here