Roberta Aguirre
Frankfurt Airport is Germany's largest airport and the fourth-largest in Europe. It is centrally located in Germany, with almost half of the country's population living within 200 km of the airport. Frankfurt is also well-connected to the nation's railroad network, making it easily accessible to millions. The airport has grown since its early days as Lufthansa's hub and continues to expand, with construction of its third terminal currently underway. The airport is also deeply connected to the transportation network of Europe, with frequent local trains into the city and a high-speed rail stop.
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What You'll Learn
Frankfurt Airport is a major transport node
Frankfurt Airport is the busiest airport by passenger traffic in Germany and the fourth busiest in Europe. In 2018, the airport handled nearly 70 million passengers. As of 2022, Frankfurt Airport serves 330 destinations in 5 continents, making it the airport with the most direct routes in the world. The airport is also the busiest airport in Europe by cargo traffic, with a freight throughput of 2.076 million metric tonnes in 2015.
Frankfurt Airport's central location within Western Germany made it a useful hub for flights around the country. Frankfurt has been the main hub of Lufthansa since 1955. The airport grounds were previously home to the Rhein-Main Air Base, which served as a major air base for the United States from 1947 until 2005, when the air base was closed and the property was acquired by Fraport, now occupied by Terminal 3. Frankfurt Airport is deeply connected to the transportation network of Europe, with frequent local trains into the city and a high-speed rail stop that is so efficient that some nearby cities do not even have air service anymore.
Frankfurt Airport has continually grown since its early days as Lufthansa's hub. The airport's current Terminal One was opened in 1972, followed by the airport's third runway in 1984 and the second terminal in 1994. The airport is currently working on the construction of its third terminal, with the first part due to open in 2021 and all currently planned construction to be completed by 2023.
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It's centrally located in Germany
Frankfurt Airport is Germany's largest airport and the fourth-largest in Europe. It is centrally located in the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region, Germany's third-largest metropolitan region, which itself has a central location in the densely populated region of the west-central European megalopolis. This central location, along with a strong rail and motorway connection, makes the airport a major transport node for the greater region. Less than two hours by ground to Cologne, the Ruhr Area, and Stuttgart, the airport is easily accessible to millions.
Frankfurt Airport's central location in Germany can be traced back to the end of World War II. The American Army made Frankfurt a key hub within Western Germany. The airport was located fairly centrally within Western Germany, making it a useful hub for flights around the country.
At the time, Berlin was located within East Germany, so the airline Lufthansa spread its footprint over a larger portion of West Germany. Frankfurt has been the main hub of Lufthansa since 1955. Lufthansa's headquarters are in Cologne, chosen for its proximity to the West German capital city of Bonn. Frankfurt's central location, good traffic connections, and historical significance as the place of the first German parliament and a crowning place for German emperors also contributed to its selection as a major hub.
Frankfurt Airport has continued to expand since its early days as Lufthansa's hub. In 1961, it was already Europe's second busiest airport behind Heathrow Airport, London. A new, larger terminal was built in 1965, and the airport's third runway opened in 1984. The airport's second terminal opened in 1994, and construction on a third terminal is currently underway, with the first part due to open in 2021.
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It's the aviation capital of Germany
Frankfurt Airport is Germany's aviation capital and one of the largest airports in Europe. In 2016, it was the sixth busiest airport in Europe, handling 60.786 million passengers. In 2018, this number grew to nearly 70 million passengers. As of 2022, Frankfurt Airport serves 330 destinations across five continents, making it the airport with the most direct routes in the world.
Frankfurt Airport is located 12 km (7.5 mi) southwest of central Frankfurt. It is centrally located in the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region, Germany's third-largest metropolitan region, which itself is centrally located in the densely populated region of the west-central European megalopolis. This central location, along with its strong rail and motorway connections, makes it a major transport node for the greater region. Almost half of Germany's population lives within 200 km of the airport, and it is easily accessible to millions. Frankfurt Airport is also deeply connected to the transportation network of Europe, with frequent local trains into the city and a high-speed rail stop that is so efficient that some nearby cities do not even have air service anymore.
Frankfurt Airport has been the main hub of Lufthansa since 1955. Lufthansa placed its headquarters in Cologne, as it was close to the West German capital city of the day, Bonn. However, Frankfurt took off in sheer traffic, and the airline decided to focus on Frankfurt and Munich. Frankfurt was also the headquarters of the US Army in West Germany during the Cold War, giving it a bigger status than Cologne, which was in the British Zone. Frankfurt's central location and strong transport connections also made it a key hub within Western Germany following the Second World War.
Frankfurt Airport has continually expanded since its early days as Lufthansa's hub. In 1972, the current Terminal One was opened, followed by the airport's third runway in 1984 and Terminal Two in 1994. The airport is currently working on the construction of its third terminal, with the first part due to open in 2021 and all construction planned to be completed by 2023. This will increase the airport's capacity by 21 million passengers annually.
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The airport is continually growing
Frankfurt Airport is Germany's largest airport and the fourth-largest in Europe. It is also the world's 15th largest airport, serving more than 70 million passengers annually. The airport is located 12 km (7.5 mi) southwest of central Frankfurt, and it is surrounded by the Frankfurt City Forest. Frankfurt Airport is well-connected to the nation's railroad network, making it easily accessible to millions.
Frankfurt Airport has continually grown since its early days as Lufthansa's hub. In 1961, the airport was Europe's second busiest, behind London's Heathrow. The current Terminal One was opened in 1972, followed by the airport's third runway in 1984 and the second terminal in 1994. The second terminal increased the airport's capacity to 54 million passengers per year.
Frankfurt Airport has continued to expand in recent years. In 2011, a large office building called The Squaire was opened, and it is considered the largest office building in Germany, with 140,000 m2 (1,500,000 sq ft) of floor space. From 2005 to 2007, a large Airbus A380 maintenance facility was constructed at the airport, and both terminals underwent major renovations to accommodate the A380.
The airport is currently working on constructing its third terminal, with the first part due to open in 2021 and all planned construction to be completed by 2023. This new terminal will increase the airport's capacity by 21 million passengers annually. The development will be on the south side of the airport, where the Rhein-Main US Air Force Base was previously located.
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It's a hub for Lufthansa
Frankfurt Airport is one of the three largest airports in Europe, serving approximately 64 million passengers a year. It is also the largest of Lufthansa's six hubs in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Lufthansa has had its hub at Frankfurt Airport since 1955. The airline had originally planned to base itself in Hamburg, but the city's location within East Germany at the time meant that it was not possible. Frankfurt, being centrally located within Western Germany, was a more useful hub for flights around the country.
Frankfurt Airport's Terminal 1 is the hub for Lufthansa and its Star Alliance partners, Condor, and a few other airlines. Terminal 2 is for all other airlines. The airport is easily accessible by car, taxi and public local and long-distance transport, and is well-connected to the transportation network of Europe. It also has a high-speed rail stop that is so efficient that some nearby cities do not have air service anymore.
Lufthansa offers a range of services at Frankfurt Airport, including self-service bag drop kiosks, exclusive lounges for First Class and Business Class passengers, and local service counters where passengers can buy tickets and additional services. The airport also offers facilities such as women-only parking spaces, prayer rooms, quiet zones, children's play areas, and a free buggy-borrowing service.
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Frequently asked questions
Frankfurt Airport is the busiest airport in Germany and the 6th busiest in Europe. In 2018, it handled nearly 70 million passengers. The airport is centrally located in Germany's third-largest metropolitan region, making it a major transport node for the greater region.
Frankfurt Airport is located fairly centrally within Western Germany, making it a useful hub for flights around the country. It is also the main hub of Lufthansa, Germany's flag carrier.
Frankfurt Airport did not emerge as a major international airline hub until 1958 when a new passenger terminal called Empfangsanlage Ost opened. In 1961, the airport was already Europe's second busiest, behind Heathrow Airport, London. In 1962, it was decided to build an even larger terminal with a capacity of 30 million passengers per year.
Frankfurt Airport currently has two terminals, with a third one under construction. The first terminal opened in 1972, the second in 1994, and the third is set to open in 2023.
Some travellers have described Frankfurt Airport as a maze, with its older construction and connection to public transit, high-speed rail, hotels, and shops. However, the terminals are well connected, and the airport is deeply integrated into the transportation network of Europe.
