Munich Airport (Flughafen München „Franz Josef Strauß“) (IATA:MUC,ICAO:EDDM) is aninternational airport servingMunich and the surrounding region ofUpper Bavaria. Located 28.5 km (17.7 mi) northeast of Munich near the town ofFreising, it is named after former Bavarian minister-presidentFranz Josef Strauss.
Munich Airport is a hub forLufthansa and also hosts several of its subsidiaries. It has two passenger terminals, a midfield terminal, two runways, and extensive cargo and maintenance facilities capable of handling wide-body aircraft such as theAirbus A380.
Munich's previous airport,Munich-Riem Airport, operated from 1939 to 1992. By the mid-1950s, rising passenger numbers and the airport’s location near residential areas prompted plans for a relocation. On 5 August 1969 the Bavarian government decided to build a new airport on the Erdinger Moos plain northeast of the city. Construction began on 3 November 1980. The village of Franzheim was demolished and about 400 inhabitants resettled.[6] The airport grounds extend across four municipalities:Oberding (site of the terminals) in thedistrict of Erding, andHallbergmoos,Freising, andMarzling in thedistrict of Freising.
AnAir ToulouseSud Aviation Caravelle at Munich Airport in 1993. The construction site of today’s Hilton Munich Airport is visible in the background.
The new airport opened on 17 May 1992, when all flights were transferred overnight from Munich-Riem, which closed the previous evening.
The facility was named afterFranz Josef Strauss, Minister-President of Bavaria from 1978 until 1988, who had supported the project and promoted Bavaria as an aviation hub. Strauss, a private pilot, also served as the first chairman of the Airbus supervisory board.[7]
During construction the site was referred to as "Flughafen München II." The airport operator, Flughafen MünchenGmbH, is jointly owned by the State of Bavaria (51%), the Federal Republic of Germany (26%), and the City of Munich (23%).[6]
In 1996 Munich overtookDüsseldorf Airport as Germany’s second-busiest airport.[6] Passenger traffic more than doubled between 1995 and 2006, from under 15 million to over 30 million annually, despite the impact of theSeptember 11 attacks.[8]
To accommodate growth, Terminal 2 opened in June 2003 as a dedicated facility forLufthansa and itsStar Alliance partners. In 2015, more than 40 million passengers passed through Munich Airport for the first time.[9] In 2018 the airport recorded 46.2 million passengers and 413,000 aircraft movements, serving 266 destinations.[10]
Because of capacity constraints atFrankfurt Airport, Lufthansa developed Munich as a second hub in the 1990s, adding both short-haul and long-haul services. Munich now offers more European destinations than Frankfurt, although Frankfurt retains more intercontinental routes.[6]
In 2015Condor announced a new long-haul base at Munich, followed later that year byTransavia opening a base with four aircraft; Transavia closed the operation in 2017.[11] In 2016Eurowings established a base with routes operated byAir Berlin under a wet-lease agreement.[12] In 2021, Lufthansa announced it would take over most of Eurowings’ Munich services.[13]
In November 2013 the airport introduced a newcorporate design. The stylized "M" remained but adopted a different typeface and a colored dash, with animated versions installed at prominent locations such as the Terminal 2 satellite.[14]
Munich Airport covers 1,575 hectares (3,892 acres) of land.[15] Most facilities are located in the central area between the two parallel runways. The western zone contains cargo and maintenance facilities, administrative buildings, parking areas, and the Visitors’ Centre. Moving east are the west apron, Terminal 1, the Munich Airport Center (MAC), Terminal 2, and the east apron. The airport has two passenger terminals, each designed to handle tens of millions of passengers annually.[16]
Map of Munich Airport (including planned expansion)
Terminal 1 is the older of the two passenger terminals and began operation when the airport opened on 17 May 1992. It is subdivided into five modules (A–E). Modules A–D provide facilities for both departures and arrivals, while module E handles arrivals only, making each module a largely self-contained unit. Modules A and D are used for flights within the Schengen Area, while modules B and C handle non-Schengen destinations. A separate facility, Hall F, is located near Terminal 2 and serves flights requiring additional security measures, such as those toIsrael. Some check-in counters for Terminal 1 flights are also located in the central areaZ (German:Zentralbereich), which houses much of the terminal’s shopping, dining, and the airport’s suburban railway station.
Boarding gate area at Terminal 1D
The terminal’s pier is 1,081-metre (3,547-foot) long and has 21jet bridges, including one gate equipped with three jet bridges for theAirbus A380, used byEmirates. There are also around 60 apron stands, some with specially designed bridges that allow boarding via bus transfer.
Terminal 2 opened on 29 June 2003 with an initial capacity of about 25 million passengers per year.[17][needs update] In January 2009 an additional transfer level was introduced in response to new European Union security requirements, allowing separation of passenger flows.[18]
Terminal 2 is arranged around a central plaza rather than modules, as in Terminal 1. It has two main departure levels: Level 4 (G) for Schengen flights and Level 5 (H) for non-Schengen flights, plus bus gates on Level 3. The main pier is about 980 m (3,220 ft) long and includes 24jet bridges, with more than 70 aircraft stands on the east apron. Additional west apron stands are sometimes used, with passengers transferred by bus. The terminal is equipped to handle large aircraft such as theAirbus A380, particularly after the opening of the Terminal 2 Satellite building.[18][needs update]
The facility is operated byTerminal-2-Betriebsgesellschaft (Terminal 2 Operating Company), a joint venture betweenFlughafen München GmbH (60%) andLufthansa (40%), making it the first German terminal co-operated by an airline.[18]
Terminal 2 Satellite under construction, February 2016
Terminal 2 was projected to reach full capacity of about 27.5 million passengers per year by 2013. Plans for an expansion were developed in cooperation with Lufthansa and itsStar Alliance partners. The design allowed for additional capacity while retaining shared facilities such as check-in and baggage claim in Terminal 2, to simplify transfers within the Lufthansa and Star Alliance network.[19][20] Preparations for the project began soon after Terminal 2 opened in 2003.
The €650 million project was funded 60% by Munich Airport and 40% by Lufthansa.[21] Construction was approved in 2010 and began in 2012. The building was completed in late 2015, followed by trial operations in January 2016. It was inaugurated on 22 April 2016 and opened for passengers on 26 April 2016.[22][23][24][25]
The satellite building is 609 m long and has 125,000 m² of floor space. It provides 52 additional gates and 27 aircraft stands, 11 of which can accommodate wide-body aircraft including theAirbus A380. Facilities are divided by function: Level K for Schengen flights, Level L for non-Schengen, and a J area for apron bus boarding. The terminal includes 44 passport control stations, 24 security lanes for transfer passengers, five Lufthansa lounges, and additional restaurants and shops. As an airside-only facility, all check-in, baggage claim and public arrivals functions remain in Terminal 2. A fully automated undergroundpeople mover system byBombardier Transportation connects Terminal 2 and the satellite.[26][27] The terminal handled its one millionth passenger in July 2016, less than three months after opening.[28][needs update]
Plans for further expansion include extending the satellite into a T-shaped layout and a possible third terminal to the east.[29] In December 2019 Lufthansa and Flughafen München GmbH signed aletter of intent to expand the facility, with goals of supporting fuel-efficient aircraft and reachingcarbon neutrality by 2030.[30][needs update]
The Munich Airport Center (MAC) is a shopping, business and recreation complex that links the terminals. The older Central Area (Zentralbereich), originally built as part of Terminal 1, contains a shopping mall and theMunich S-Bahn station. The newer MAC Forum, completed with Terminal 2, is a covered outdoor area with a large transparent roof.
The MAC also houses a supermarket that is permitted to trade daily from 05:30 until midnight, including Sundays, as an exemption to Bavarian retail hour restrictions (Ladenschlussgesetz).[31][needs update]
The airport has two parallel concrete runways, 08R/26L and 08L/26R, each 4,000 m (13,000 ft) long and 60 m (200 ft) wide, as well as one helipad.[32][needs update] Plans for a third runway have been proposed but remain subject to political and legal debate.[33]
Munich Airport provides five parking garages and six underground car parks with a total capacity of around 30,000 spaces, of which about 16,500 are covered.[34][needs update] The largest facility, garage P20 at Terminal 2, opened in 2003 with 6,400 spaces on eleven levels (four underground) and was the largest in Germany until surpassed by the car park atAllianz Arena in 2005.[35]
A parking guidance system directs drivers to available spaces. Additional premium options are offered, including valet parking, hotel-and-parking packages, oversized spaces, and secure parking areas. Short-term spaces are available east of the central area, with 30 minutes of free parking, and seasonal discounted rates are provided in the P8 garage.[36][needs update]
A second viewing facility is located on the roof of Terminal 2. This free observation deck features a wide glassed balcony with seating areas, offering views of the eastern apron and the Terminal 2 Satellite building. The terrace is accessible from the public (landside) area of the terminal.[38]
Historic aircraft at the Visitors ParkMaintenance hangar of Lufthansa TechnikControl tower at Munich AirportLufthansa aircraft at Terminal 2Headquarters of Flughafen München GmbH
Munich Airport hosts several aviation-related operations.Lufthansa maintains a Flight Operations Center for crews based at its secondary hub,[244] and its subsidiaryLufthansa CityLine moved its administration offices fromCologne to the airport in 2014.[245]Lufthansa Technik operates a maintenance facility able to service wide-body aircraft, including theBoeing 747.[246]
Two hotels are located on the airport grounds. TheHilton Munich Airport, originally opened as the Kempinski Hotel Airport Munich and rebranded on 31 December 2014,[247] is situated near Terminal 2, while aNovotel serves the long-term parking area.[248] Additional accommodation is available in nearby communities.
In 2010Audi opened a training facility for its retailers on airport property, with designated apron areas used for driving instruction.[249]
The German airlineDBA, originally Deutsche BA, previously maintained its head office at the airport and in nearbyHallbergmoos.[250]
The helicopter operations division of the Bavarian State Police (Hubschrauberstaffel Bayern) is based at the airport.[251]
Since November 2005, Munich Airport has held a certified environmental management system underISO 14001 and theEco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS). The airport also participated in the Air Transport Initiative for Germany alongsideFraport,Deutsche Flugsicherung andLufthansa. Within this framework it developed a "four-pillar strategy" aimed at reducing emissions, improving infrastructure efficiency, optimizing operations and creating economic incentives.[252][needs update]
Environmental and nature-conservation aspects were incorporated into the original planning of the site. At the time of opening, about 70% of the grounds were landscaped; today roughly 925 of the airport’s 1,575 hectares remain planted (around 60%).[253][needs update] The design took account of the surrounding Erdinger Moos wetlands while also limiting features that attract birds in order to reducebird strike risk. A 230-acre (93 ha) green belt was established as part of the required compensation areas, which today extend to more than 600 acres (240 ha).[254] Environmental groups, however, have criticised the overall land consumption of the airport and argue that compensation areas are insufficient.[255]
Construction in the Erdinger Moos required lowering local groundwater levels through drainage works, while existing streams were redirected around or under the site. Airport wastewater and rainwater are returned to thewater cycle through an extensive system of sewers, pumping stations and treatment facilities. De-icing chemicals such as glycol are collected in winter and treated biologically before release.[256][needs update]
Runways were built to 4,000 metres to reduce the need forthrust reversal on landing, though this is partly offset by longer taxi times. A dedicated test hall is used for engine runs, and tests after 23:00 require approval by air traffic control. Airport charges are linked to aircraft noise levels, and 16 fixed monitoring stations track compliance.[257][needs update]
Night flights are subject to restrictions. Arrivals and departures are banned between 22:00 and 06:00, with exemptions for mail services, emergency operations and flights authorised by the Bavarian Ministry for Economic Affairs. Limited scheduled flights are permitted under specific conditions between 22:00–24:00 and 05:00–06:00.[258] Local residents have long protested against aircraft noise, particularly at night.[needs update]
Most of the airport’s electricity and heat is supplied by a combined heat and power plant with a generating capacity of 18.5 MW. Surplus heat is stored and reused, and in summer drives absorption chillers. The airport also connects to the regional district heating network.[252][needs update]
A photovoltaic system installed on the roof of Terminal 2 in 2003 generates about 445,000 kWh annually, equivalent to the usage of roughly 150 households.[259][needs update] Additional facilities include a biofuel filling station for airport and service vehicles.[252][needs update]
The northern part of the Erdinger Moos remains an important habitat for grassland birds such as thenorthern lapwing,Eurasian curlew and occasional winter visitors like thehen harrier. This area is designated as abird sanctuary under the EU Birds Directive.
Despite preventive measures, conflicts persist between aviation safety and wildlife protection, and rare birds are occasionally killed by aircraft movements. Plans for a third runway would reduce areas of open grassland within the sanctuary, a proposal criticised by conservation groups.[260][needs update]
Eurocopter EC135 of the Bavarian State Police at Munich Airport
Responsibility for passenger and operational security lies with theFederal Police, units of theBavarian State Police (Munich Airport Police Inspection, Police Headquarters Upper Bavaria North), and the security department of Flughafen München GmbH.[261] The airport police station is located at Nordallee 6. Officers are trained for aviation-related incidents.
The Bavarian police helicopter unit is also based at the airport, operating fiveEurocopter EC135 helicopters. A relocation of the unit toSchleißheim Airport was planned for 2020.[needs update]
An explosives disposal chamber is located on the airport grounds.[citation needed]
The airport maintains its own fire department with two stations near the runways and a fleet of 32fire engines. The service is positioned to provide rapid response across the airfield. In major incidents, fire departments from surrounding municipalities can provide additional support; the airport fire service also assists local fire departments in large-scale incidents.
Fire department missions
Year
Total missions*
Fires
Technical assistance
False alarms
2013
3,997
104
1,754
2,139
2012
3,613
107
1,717
1,789
2011
3,582
118
1,831
1,633
2010
3,946
128
2,070
1,748
2009
3,254
118
1,599
1,537
2008
2,999
107
1,389
1,503
2007
2,651
116
1,328
1,207
2006
3,011
123
1,052
1,209
2005
2,095
127
1,103
1,116
2004
2,704
119
950
1,103
*Includes other deployments such as training exercises and guided tours.[needs update]
Emergency medical services at the airport are provided by the Malteser Hilfsdienst under a public service contract. A rescue vehicle is available around the clock and may also respond to calls outside the airport area. Additional regional or supraregional rescue services are dispatched by the regional control center, which coordinates emergency responses across the area.
An emergency physician from the airport medical center is available on site and responds when required.
Munich Airport is accessible via nearbyMotorway A 92, which connects to motorwayA9 (towardsNuremberg) andMunich's ring motorway A99. Bavarian State Road St. 2584 connects A 92's exit 6 (Flughafen München)—an incompleteinterchange that can only be used by traffic to and from the west—to the terminals. Access from the east is possible via exit 8 (Freising Ost) and Bavarian State Road St. 2580, which connects to St. 2584 in the east of the airport.
The north-southbound so-called "Flughafentangente Ost" ( literally: airport tangential road east) between A92 and A94 was finally opened in 2010[262] with a single lane in each direction. Originally, it was planned to be opened as expressway simultaneously with the new Airport. Gradually, the accident-prone road shall be selectively upgraded from 2021 on to two alternating lanes per direction.[263]
It can be reached by bicycle on national highway 301 ("B301") and an airport road branching from this highway into the airport area.
AS-Bahn train leaving the tunnel beneath the apron of Terminal 1
There are two railway stations on the grounds of Munich Airport:Munich Airport Terminal station is located in a tunnel directly beneath the central area between both passenger terminals. A second station calledBesucherpark (German forVisitors' Park) is located in the area that contains the cargo and maintenance areas, long-term parking, administrative buildings and the Visitors' Park from which the station gets its name.
The airport is connected to the city byMunich suburban railway (S-Bahn) linesS1 andS8. The ride takes approximately 45 minutes to the Marienplatz station in the city centre. Line S1 runs from the airport through the northwestern suburbs and reaches the city centre from the west (Hauptbahnhof –Marienplatz –München Ost), while line S8 comes in from the eastern suburbs passing the stations from the opposite direction. The S-Bahn from the airport to the city runs approximately 20 hours a day with a short break between 1:30 a.m. and 4 a.m.[264]
Furthermore, a scheduled regional bus service 635 connects the airport within 20 minutes to theFreising railway station, providing access to regional trains towards Munich as well as toNuremberg,Regensburg andPrague.
A second tunnel beneath the terminals is currently unused. Originally, there were plans to use it forintercity railway, then for aTransrapidmaglev train making the trip toMünchen Hauptbahnhof in 10 minutes. However, this project was cancelled in March 2008 due to cost escalation. Discussions regarding a faster connection between Munich city centre and the airport have fruitlessly taken place for several years, as the journey time of 40–60 minutes faces ongoing criticism.[265] Even a rudimentary express suburban railway service is not in sight.[266]
As of September 2015, construction works to connect the airport with regional railway services ofDeutsche Bahn to and from the north-east had started.[267] This project, calledNeufahrner Kurve (Neufahrn curve after the nearby town ofNeufahrn bei Freising), saw the existing southwest-bound S-Bahn tracks being expanded with a curve leading to the north, connecting them with the already existing tracks of the Munich-Regensburg line. This new connection enabled hourly regional express train services fromRegensburg viaLandshut directly to the airport without the need to use a connecting bus coming from the north or to go to Munich city center at first and then backtracking to the airport. The entire project was completed in November 2018.[268] On 9 December 2018, the new hourly service,Flughafenexpress (airport express) between Regensburg and Munich Airport commenced.
INVG proposes a direct express coach service between the airport andIngolstadt; during the summer season an hourly service is offered whereas a less frequent timetable-based service is proposed during the remainder of the year. Stops served at the airport are terminal 2 and the centrally located Airport Center. In Ingolstadt the service servesIngolstadt Nord station, which allows connection to regional rail services including to and fromNuremberg.[citation needed]
Since the early 1990s, several proposals have aimed to improve rail access to Munich Airport. Deutsche Bundesbahn initially studied four concepts for connecting the airport to theICE network at a cost of 500 million to 2 billionDeutsche Mark, but these plans were abandoned in favor of strengthening regional rail links toMunich Hauptbahnhof.[271]
After the cancellation of the proposedTransrapid maglev link, alternative concepts were developed using existing railway infrastructure with limited upgrades.
One such plan, colloquially known as the "Humpel-Express," would have operated on theMunich–Regensburg railway and S1 line with few intermediate stops.[272] Trains were intended to run at speeds up to 200 kilometres per hour (120 mph) every 15 minutes between Hauptbahnhof and the airport. The proposal faced obstacles including extended road closures at level crossings in Fasanerie and Feldmoching, the need for a new alignment through several municipalities, and the construction of a viaduct over the federal highway B471. Public opposition and funding concerns led to the project being abandoned.[273]
A revised Airport Express service is now planned in conjunction with the construction of thesecond S-Bahn trunk line. Trains would stop only at Marienhof between Hauptbahnhof and Ostbahnhof, reducing travel time to about 30 minutes. Deutsche Bahn has also proposed a four-track underground extension from Leuchtenbergring to Hallbergmoos, which would eliminate bottlenecks at intermediate stations and further reduce journey times to an estimated 15–18 minutes.[274]
Extensions of theMunich U-Bahn to connect with S-Bahn lines serving the airport have also been considered. These would shorten travel times from northern districts of Munich by providing faster access to the S1 line.
In 1996 the opening of the U2 terminus at Feldmoching improved access from Milbertshofen-Am Hart and Feldmoching-Hasenbergl. In 1998 an additional connection was completed near Neufahrn, and in 2010 the extension of the U3 to Moosach linked Schwabing-West and Neuhausen-Nymphenburg directly to the S1 line.[275] A further extension of the U6 from Garching to Neufahrn remains under discussion.
Map of the Erdinger Ring connections with the Walpertskirchen link andNeufahrn LinkConstruction work on theNeufahrn Link
The Erdinger Ring project extends the S2 line from Erding towards the airport and provides a connection toFreising via theNeufahrn Link. It is intended to create a regional rail link between eastern Bavaria—including cities such asMoosburg andLandshut—and Munich Airport. Although the project does not reduce travel time to the city center, it establishes a direct link toMesse München by routing the S2 north of the exhibition center.
Formal planning for both projects began in 2006. In October 2012 approval was granted for the Neufahrn Link, and on 29 August 2013 the Bavarian Administrative Court dismissed legal challenges, clearing the way for construction. A financing agreement was signed in April 2013, and the 2.5 km electrified double-track section was completed by December 2018, when direct services to Regensburg and Landshut commenced.[276]
Plans have been advanced for the construction of a third runway at Munich Airport. The new 4,000-metre (13,000 ft) runway would run parallel to the existing ones and be located northeast of the current north runway.
Between 1997 and 2006 air traffic at Munich grew on average by about 7% per year, and capacity at the two existing runways was reported to be exhausted during peak hours. Airlines seeking new slots at Munich were often denied.[277] A forecast by Intraplan Consult GmbH projected 58.2 million passengers by 2025, assuming continued growth.[278]
According to Flughafen München GmbH (FMG), the operator, a third runway would increase maximum capacity from about 90 to 120 aircraft movements per hour and help position Munich as Germany’s second major hub afterFrankfurt Airport.[279]
The plan approval decision by the government of Upper Bavaria in 2011 was supported by the airport’s shareholders (the State of Bavaria, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the City of Munich) and by several business associations, who argued that the expansion was important for regional transport and the economy.[280]
The proposal has been controversial, especially in the districts ofFreising andErding, but also in other surrounding counties.[281][282] Critics questioned the airport’s traffic forecasts, arguing that demand could be met by operating larger aircraft rather than building new infrastructure.[283]
Opponents formed the alliance *aufgeMUCkt*, an umbrella organization of more than 80 groups including citizens’ initiatives, church groups, and environmental organizations. The campaign was supported by the Bavarian branch ofBUND.[284] Demonstrations have been held regularly, including a protest in Munich’sMarienplatz on 29 October 2011 with an estimated 7,000 participants.[285] The Catholic Church, which owns some affected land, also announced that it would not sell property for the project.[286]
The airport operator submitted its application for planning approval in 2007. During the public review period, more than 60,000 objections were filed. In July 2011 the government of Upper Bavaria granted zoning approval, confirming the need for additional capacity. At the same time, the Bavarian Administrative Court rejected lawsuits against the decision, allowing the plan to proceed. The permit is valid for up to 15 years.[287]
In 2012 a local referendum in Munich rejected the project, leading the city (one of the airport’s three shareholders) to withhold approval. In 2015 Germany’s Federal Administrative Court dismissed all remaining complaints and confirmed the legal validity of the expansion plans.[288] However, construction cannot begin without the consent of all three shareholders: the State of Bavaria, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the City of Munich.
In September 2020 the Bavarian government suspended all progress on the third runway until at least 2028, citing the sharp decline in passenger numbers during theCOVID-19 pandemic.[289]
If built, the new runway would be designated 08L/26R underICAO rules (renaming the current north runway 08C/26C). Plans also include a satellite terminal at Terminal 2, which opened in April 2016.
^"ADV Monthly Traffic Report 12/2022"(PDF).adv.aero (in German). Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutscher Verkehrsflughäfen e.V. 13 February 2023. Retrieved17 February 2023.
^"AIP VFR online".dfs.de. DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH. Retrieved21 February 2023.
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