Lois Larson
Switzerland has a long history of aviation, with the first plane landing on Swiss soil in May 1910. Since then, several large airports have been established to service all parts of the country. There are 11 commercial airports in Switzerland, 7 of which are international airports. Zurich Airport is the largest airport in Switzerland, with two passenger terminals for domestic and international flights. Geneva Airport, also referred to as Cointrin Airport, is another option for travellers, located only 4 kilometres away from the city centre. Basel Airport, also known as EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg, is an international airport jointly administered by France and Switzerland, situated 3.5 kilometres northwest of Basel.
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What You'll Learn
- Zurich Airport: Switzerland's largest airport, with two terminals for domestic and international flights
- Geneva Airport: Serves the Grand Geneva area, located 4km from the city centre
- Basel Airport: Jointly administered by France and Switzerland, 3.5km northwest of Basel
- Bern Airport: Located near Belp, with a single terminal offering scheduled and seasonal flights
- St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport: One of 11 commercial airports in Switzerland, 7 of which are international
Zurich Airport: Switzerland's largest airport, with two terminals for domestic and international flights
Switzerland has a long history of aviation, with the first plane landing on Swiss soil in May 1910. Since then, several large airports have been established to service all parts of Switzerland. There are 11 commercial airports in the country, 7 of which are international airports.
Zurich Airport is Switzerland's largest airport, with around 30 million passengers passing through each year. It is located 9-13 kilometres north of Zurich city centre and serves the Zurich metropolitan area and, with its surface transport links, much of the rest of the country. The airport is well connected to the whole of Switzerland and the south of Germany by public transport. The city centre is only 15 minutes away by train. Zurich Airport has three runways and four terminals, capable of accommodating the largest aircraft available. It is now a major hub for Swiss airlines and a connecting hub for Star Alliance.
The airport has two terminals for domestic and international flights. Terminal A, which opened in 1971, is used exclusively for flights within the Schengen Area, including domestic flights to Geneva. Terminal B, which opened in 1975 and reopened in 2011 after an extensive three-year reconstruction, can accommodate both Schengen and non-Schengen flights. Terminal E, also known as the midfield terminal or Dock E, is a stand-alone satellite terminal used exclusively for non-Schengen international flights.
Changing flights at Zurich Airport is straightforward, with short transfer times and routes. Dock E is just three minutes away from the other terminals by Skymetro. The airport has two transfer desks for transiting passengers, located in gate areas A and E. There are comfortable lounges in gate areas A, D and E for Business and First Class passengers.
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Geneva Airport: Serves the Grand Geneva area, located 4km from the city centre
Switzerland has a long history of aviation, with the first plane landing on Swiss soil in May 1910. Since then, several large airports have been established to service all parts of Switzerland. Geneva Airport, also referred to as Cointrin Airport, is one of the five major airports in Switzerland. It was established as early as 1920 and converted from a grass aerodrome in 1937. The airport has since undergone several runway and terminal expansions and now serves the Grand Geneva area, located just 4 kilometres from the city centre. Geneva Airport is also a prime destination for shopping and leisure.
Geneva Airport is a hub for Swiss International Air Lines and EasyJet Switzerland. It offers both domestic and international flights, with various international destinations reaching as far as the USA and China. The airport has one large runway and, in non-COVID times, serves around 17 million passengers annually. The airport applies distancing measures and disinfectant dispensers, and offers contactless services such as priority lanes, contactless payments, and online duty-free shops.
Genève Aéroport serves the French region of Switzerland and its largest city, Geneva. It is also too close to France for some travellers who would prefer to fly into Zurich. Geneva Airport is, however, more conveniently located for those travelling to or from Bern.
Switzerland has seven airports that receive regular international travel, and its commercial airports receive more than 57 million passengers each year in total. Zurich Airport is the largest airport in Switzerland, with two passenger terminals for domestic and international flights. It is located 13 kilometres north of central Zurich and serves the Zurich metropolitan area. Zurich is also a major hub for Swiss airlines and a connecting hub for Star Alliance.
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Basel Airport: Jointly administered by France and Switzerland, 3.5km northwest of Basel
Switzerland has a long history of aviation, with the first plane landing on Swiss soil in May 1910. Since then, several large airports have been established to service all parts of the country. There are 11 commercial airports in Switzerland, 7 of which are international airports.
Basel Airport, also known as EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg, is one such international airport. It is jointly administered by France and Switzerland and is located 3.5 kilometres northwest of Basel, Switzerland, and 20 kilometres from Mulhouse in France. The airport is unique in that it is binational and is divided into a Swiss sector and a French sector, connected by an internal border that allows transit between the two sectors. The headquarters of the airport's operations are located in Blotzheim, France, and the airport is governed by a 1949 international convention. The airport is operated via a state treaty established in 1946, which grants both Switzerland and France access to the airport without any customs or other border restrictions. The airport's board has eight members each from France and Switzerland and two advisers from Germany. The airport building is split into two separate sections: Swiss and French.
Basel Airport is currently the base for EasyJet Switzerland and Corendon Airlines Europe. It features one terminal that caters to both domestic and international passengers. Passengers and visitors can download the EuroAirport mobile application for flights and other information related to the airport. Basel Airport is located near the borders of Germany and serves the cities of Basel (Switzerland), Mulhouse (France), and Freiburg (Germany). The airport is connected to motorway A3, which leads from Basel to the southeast of Switzerland, passing Zurich. There are several bus connections to and from the airport to all three countries. On the Swiss exit, Basel's BVB bus No. 50 connects the airport to the Basel SBB railway station, with a trip duration of about 20 minutes. On the French exit, Saint-Louis' DistriBus bus No. 11 connects the airport to the Saint-Louis railway station in 10 minutes. The German private bus company Flixbus also calls at Zurich, Basel, and Freiburg, Germany, up to five times a day.
Basel Airport is quite exceptional due to its binational status and has three IATA airport codes: BSL (Basel) is the Swiss code, MLH (Mulhouse) is the French code, and EAP (EuroAirport) is the neutral code. The airport welcomed around 8.9 million passengers in 2024, an increase of 10.2% from the previous year.
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Bern Airport: Located near Belp, with a single terminal offering scheduled and seasonal flights
Switzerland has 11 commercial airports, 7 of which are international. The largest airport in Switzerland is Zurich Airport, which is 13 kilometres north of central Zurich and serves the Zurich metropolitan area. It has two passenger terminals for domestic and international flights and is a hub for Swiss International Air Lines and EasyJet Switzerland.
Another major airport in Switzerland is Geneva Airport, also known as Cointrin Airport, which is located 4 kilometres from Geneva's city centre. Geneva Airport has one large runway and is a popular destination for shopping and leisure. It offers contactless services such as priority lanes, contactless payments, and online duty-free shops.
Basel Airport, also known as EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg, is an international airport jointly administered by France and Switzerland. It is situated 3.5 kilometres northwest of Basel and 20 kilometres from Mulhouse in France. Basel Airport is currently the base for EasyJet Switzerland and has one terminal for both domestic and international passengers.
Bern Airport, located near Belp, is a smaller airport with a single terminal offering scheduled and seasonal flights to selected European metropolitan cities and leisure destinations. It also provides charter services and is home to flying schools.
When deciding which airport to land at in Switzerland, factors to consider include your origin airport, your final destination within Switzerland, and your preferred mode of transport to your Swiss destination. For example, Zurich Airport is recommended for overseas direct arrivals, while Zurich or Basel/Mulhouse are good options if you are landing elsewhere in Europe first, as both are 2.5-3 hours by train to Lauterbrunnen.
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St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport: One of 11 commercial airports in Switzerland, 7 of which are international
Switzerland has a long history of aviation, with the first plane landing in the country in May 1910. Today, there are 11 commercial airports in Switzerland, 7 of which are international airports.
St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport is one of the 11 commercial airports in Switzerland. It is a small airport in Altenrhein in the Canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland, near Lake Constance. The airport features a small passenger terminal building, with walk-boarding used in place of jet bridges. The main runway is only suitable for smaller passenger aircraft, such as the Embraer E-Jets or the Bombardier Q Series. Austrian Airlines served St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport from Vienna from 2003 until 2011, when the airport decided to start its own airline, People's (formerly People's Viennaline), to serve the route. Austrian Airlines then decided to continue the route, resulting in up to six daily flights between St. Gallen-Altenrhein and Vienna during that period. The airport is located in eastern Switzerland and offers fast connections to economically important regions such as Bregenz, Vaduz, and St. Gallen, as well as well-known skiing resorts.
The other 4 major airports in Switzerland are:
- Zurich Airport: The largest airport in Switzerland, with two passenger terminals for domestic and international flights. It is located 13 kilometres north of central Zurich and serves as a hub for Swiss International Air Lines.
- Geneva Airport: Also referred to as Cointrin Airport or Genève Aéroport, it is located just 4 kilometres from the city centre of Geneva and serves the French region of Switzerland. It has one large runway and various international destinations, including the USA and China.
- Basel Airport: Also known as EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg, this airport is jointly administered by France and Switzerland and is located 3.5 kilometres northwest of Basel. It is currently the base for EasyJet Switzerland and features one terminal for both domestic and international passengers.
- Bern Airport: Located near Belp, this airport operates with a single terminal and offers scheduled and seasonal flights to selected European destinations. It also has charter services and is home to flying schools.
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