Exploring Düsseldorf Airport: Size, Scale, And Significance

Düsseldorf International Airport (DUS) is Germany’s third-largest airport, located in the municipality of Düsseldorf in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The airport is 7-9 kilometres from the city centre of Düsseldorf, the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia. Düsseldorf Airport has three terminals (A, B, and C) and two runways with a total length of 18,700 ft. The airport's terminal capacity is 22 million passengers, and it handled 20.34 million passengers in 2011 and 25.5 million passengers in 2019. The airport offers various facilities, including free Wi-Fi, postal services, baby care facilities, food and drink options, retail concessions, an information desk, luggage storage, a pharmacy, and ATMs.

Terminals and runways

Düsseldorf Airport, also known as Düsseldorf International Airport, is one of the biggest and busiest airports in Germany. It is located 7 to 9 kilometres from the downtown area of Düsseldorf, the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Terminals

Düsseldorf Airport has three passenger terminals (Terminals A, B, and C) located in the main airport building. Terminal A was opened in 1977, followed by Terminal B in 1973, and Terminal C in 1986. Terminal C, with 8 gates, is considered the executive terminal, offering relative privacy and comfort for business travellers and VIPs. It is also the only terminal with parking positions equipped with three jet bridges to handle the Airbus A380.

The airport's terminal capacity is 22 million passengers, and it handled 20.34 million passengers in 2011, recording a 7.1% increase from the previous year. In 2019, the airport served 25.5 million passengers, making it one of the 25 busiest airports in Europe.

Runways

Düsseldorf Airport has two or three runways, depending on the source. The main runway, Runway South 05R/23L, is 3,000 metres long, and there are plans to extend it to 3,600 metres. The second runway is 2,700 metres long. The airport can accommodate wide-body aircraft, including the Airbus A380.

Passengers can reach the airport by car, train, or taxi. The SkyTrain monorail provides a convenient connection between the railway station and the airport terminals.

Transport links

Düsseldorf Airport (DUS) is located in the municipality of Düsseldorf in Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia. It is one of the bigger airports in Germany, serving the largest metropolitan area in the country.

Düsseldorf Airport is very easy to reach by public transport. The airport is connected to the city's S-Bahn and several public bus lines that take passengers to Düsseldorf city centre and the surrounding areas. The SkyTrain, a fully automatic cabin railway, connects the airport terminal with the Düsseldorf Flughafen railway station. The SkyTrain takes seven minutes and runs from 3:45 am. The S-Bahn S11 is the only train that stops at the Düsseldorf Airport Terminal station in the basement of the terminal building.

Düsseldorf Airport is also accessible by road via exit 31 Flughafen Düsseldorf of the A44 motorway. It takes 20 minutes to drive from the airport to the city centre. Car rental companies operating at the airport include Avis, Europcar, Enterprise, Alamo, Hertz, Budget, Sixt and local providers.

Taxis are available at the airport and can be booked in advance. The price for a taxi ride from the airport to the centre of Düsseldorf is about €28.

Düsseldorf Airport is also served by the Weeze Airport (NRN), located about 80 km away and mostly used by low-cost airlines. A bus runs between Weeze Airport and Düsseldorf up to seven times a day, with a travel time of about one hour and 15 minutes.

Location

Düsseldorf Airport (DUS) is located in the municipality of Düsseldorf in Germany, Europe. The airport is located about 7 kilometres from the downtown area of Düsseldorf, the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia. By car, it takes 20 minutes to get to the centre of Düsseldorf. The airport is located north of Düsseldorf and east of the Rhine River. By road, you can reach the airport via exit 31 Flughafen Düsseldorf of the A44 motorway. Düsseldorf International Airport is the third-largest airport in Germany, serving North Rhine-Westphalia, the largest metropolitan area in the country.

Düsseldorf Airport has the luxury of a railway station (Düsseldorf Flughafen) and a metro station (Düsseldorf Flughafen Terminal / S-Bahnhof). The airport's terminal capacity is 22 million passengers. The airport handled 20.34 million passengers in 2011 and recorded 221,671 aircraft movements in the same year. In 2019, the airport handled 25.5 million passengers. Düsseldorf Airport is a hub for German airlines Eurowings, Condor and TUI fly Deutschland.

The airport has three terminals (A, B and C), all located in the main airport building. The SkyTrain monorail connects the landside of Terminal A/B and Terminal C with car park P4/P5 and Düsseldorf Flughafen railway station. The SkyTrain automated train service provides a transport link to the Düsseldorf International Airport terminal from the railway station. The airport has three runways. Runway South 05R/23L is the main runway with a length of 3,000m.

Düsseldorf Airport offers various official parking options, from premium to low cost. In addition, alternative parking options are available near the airport. The airport has several bus routes to downtown Düsseldorf. A taxi is the quickest and most comfortable way to get to and from Düsseldorf Airport. The price for a taxi ride from the airport to the centre of Düsseldorf is about €28.

Passenger capacity

Düsseldorf Airport has three terminals—Terminals A, B, and C—that are connected by a central spine. The airport's terminal capacity is 22 million passengers per year. In 2019, Düsseldorf Airport served more than 25.5 million passengers, making it the fourth-busiest airport in Germany. In 2021, the airport handled almost 8 million passengers, while in 2022, it served around 16 million passengers. In 2024, the airport handled over 20 million passengers.

The airport's first international route was inaugurated by SABENA in 1929 between Brussels, Antwerp, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg. Lufthansa started services between Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, and Munich in 1955, which still exist today. In 1959, the first scheduled jet aircraft landed in Düsseldorf on Scandinavian Airlines' Copenhagen-Khartoum route. In 1961, LTU relocated its base from Cologne Bonn Airport, and that year, Düsseldorf Airport handled more than one million passengers for the first time.

In 1969, the main runway was lengthened to 3,000 metres while a new second terminal was under construction. The new Terminal 2, which is today's Terminal B, opened in April 1973. Terminal A, which was opened in 1977, has 16 gates (A01–A16) used by Lufthansa and Eurowings, its airline partners, and Star Alliance members. Terminal C, the last annex, opened in 1986. On 11 April 1996, a fire broke out at the airport, causing damage estimated to be in the hundreds of millions. Terminals A and B had to be completely reconstructed, and Terminal C was redeveloped with three lightweight construction halls serving as departure areas.

Düsseldorf Airport is a hub for Eurowings and a focus city for several airlines, including Condor, Corendon Airlines, SunExpress Deutschland, and TUI fly Deutschland. The airport serves almost every country in Europe and some destinations in Africa, the Middle East, and North America. It is the largest and primary airport for the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region, the largest metropolitan region in Germany. The airport extends over a compact 6.13 square kilometres (2.37 sq mi) of land, which is small compared to airports of similar capacity.

Awards

Düsseldorf International Airport is one of the biggest and busiest airports in Germany, serving North Rhine-Westphalia, the country's largest metropolitan area. The airport has received numerous awards and accolades over the years, recognising its excellence in various aspects of airport operations and customer service.

In 2009, Düsseldorf Airport won the 'Best Cargo Airport' award in the category of freight handling up to 100,000 tons per year, presented by the leading professional magazine Air Cargo News. This award acknowledged the airport's efficient cargo handling capabilities, reinforcing its reputation as a key logistics hub.

The airport has consistently performed well in the prestigious Skytrax World Airport Awards, which are based on independent passenger surveys. In 2021, Düsseldorf Airport ranked fifth in the "Best Regional Airports in the World" category, an impressive feat on a global scale. Even more impressively, in the 2024 Skytrax World Airport Awards, the airport was awarded second place in the category of "Best Regional Airport in Europe," further solidifying its position as one of the premier aviation hubs on the continent.

In addition to its success in the Skytrax Awards, Düsseldorf Airport has also excelled in recognising and rewarding the outstanding contributions of its front-line retail and dining teams through the DUS Excellence Awards. These awards honour individuals and teams in categories such as Retailer & Services, Food & Beverage, and Travel Market. The winners of these awards are determined through independent mystery shopping, where assessors evaluate various aspects of the airport's commercial areas, including food quality, staff service, and overall appeal. The DUS Excellence Awards not only showcase the airport's commitment to excellence but also foster a culture of competition and improvement among its commercial partners.

Düsseldorf Airport's success in these awards reflects its dedication to continuous improvement, high standards of operations, and exceptional customer service. By consistently ranking among the best airports in Europe and the world, Düsseldorf International Airport has solidified its reputation as a leading aviation hub, catering to the needs of travellers, businesses, and the local community.

Frequently asked questions