Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport
Serbia's largest and busiest international airport, serving Belgrade from its location near Surčin and operating as Air Serbia's principal hub.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport is the principal international gateway to Belgrade and the largest airport in Serbia. It is located approximately 18 kilometres west of central Belgrade, near the municipality of Surčin, on the lowland plateau west of the Sava River. The airport uses the IATA code BEG and the ICAO code LYBE. Its name commemorates Nikola Tesla, the Serbian-American inventor and scientist. The present airport opened in 1962 after the relocation of Belgrade's air transport facilities from the former Dojno Polje airport, whose site was needed for the development of New Belgrade. Construction at the Surčin site began in 1958. The initial complex included a 3,000-metre runway, a parallel taxiway, aircraft aprons, an 8,000-square-metre passenger terminal, cargo facilities, a technical block and an air-traffic-control tower. Its navigation equipment gave it a high international civil-aviation classification for the period. The airport is the main hub of Air Serbia, the country's flag carrier, and is also an operating base for Wizz Air. Several air-taxi operators, including Air Pink, Eagle Express and Prince Aviation, have also used the airport as a base. Its scheduled and charter network connects Serbia with European destinations and selected long-haul markets, while cargo operations support the wider Serbian economy. The airport has two passenger terminals with a combined area of about 93,651 square metres. Terminal 1, the original terminal, was initially used for domestic services in the former Yugoslavia and later became associated largely with international low-cost and charter operations. It underwent a substantial interior renovation in 2016 and 2017. Terminal 2 was built in 1979 in response to rising passenger demand and has a stated capacity of approximately five million passengers. It contains airline offices, transfer facilities, retail areas and the expanded C concourse. The terminals are connected by an internal passageway and together provide 90 check-in counters and 32 gates, including jetway-equipped and bus-served gates. Airport infrastructure has been modernized in several stages. Terminal 2 was extensively rebuilt between 2004 and 2006, while expansion and refurbishment of the A and C departure and transit areas took place from 2012. The airport's runway was upgraded to CAT IIIb instrument-landing capability in 2005, improving operations in fog and severe weather. A new air-traffic-control centre was completed in 2010. More recent passenger-processing changes include a centralized security hall introduced during the 2020s modernization program and the introduction of automated passport-control gates in December 2024. The airport's development was severely interrupted during the 1990s, when the Yugoslav wars and international sanctions imposed restrictions on air travel. Traffic was minimal and parts of the facility required repair. Normal civil aviation gradually resumed after the political changes of 2000 and the lifting of international restrictions. In 2018, the Serbian government granted VINCI Airports a 25-year concession. VINCI formally assumed operational control on 21 December 2018. In April 2024, the Serbian government announced an 18-month extension to the concession, reportedly intended to offset the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; the concession is expected to run until 1 July 2044. The airport is connected to Belgrade and surrounding areas by the A3 motorway and scheduled bus services. Licensed taxis serve the terminal, while a proposed railway connection between Belgrade and the airport has been announced by Serbian infrastructure authorities. Business, VIP and airline-operated lounge facilities are available. The airport remains Serbia's central aviation hub and an important regional gateway for the Western Balkans.
History
Belgrade's aviation history predates the present airport by more than half a century. The city's first airfield opened at Banjica in 1910, and a wooden Serbian Air Force hangar was added two years later. After the First World War, Banjica supported airmail routes linking Belgrade with Novi Sad, Niš, Skopje, Sarajevo and Mostar. Another airfield opened near the Kalemegdan Fortress in 1911. An airport near Pančevo began operating in 1923. It became an international stop on the Paris–Istanbul route inaugurated by the French-Romanian airline CFRNA and was associated with one of the earliest recorded night flights. Pančevo also served the Royal Yugoslav Air Force academy and later the Yugoslav Air Force before becoming linked to the Utva aviation industry. Because Pančevo was separated from central Belgrade by the Danube, authorities selected a more convenient site across the Sava, in what is now New Belgrade. Dojno Polje Airport, officially called Belgrade International Airport, opened on 25 March 1927. Aeroput began operating from it in 1928. A reinforced-concrete hangar was designed by scientist Milutin Milanković, a modern terminal opened in 1931, and low-visibility landing equipment was installed in 1936. Before the Second World War, the airport handled a broad international network operated by carriers such as Air France, Deutsche Luft Hansa, KLM, Imperial Airways, LOT and airlines from Central and Southeast Europe. Imperial Airways used Belgrade on routes connecting London with India. German forces occupied and used Dojno Polje during the Second World War. Allied bombing damaged the airport in 1944, and German forces destroyed remaining facilities during their withdrawal. The site was rebuilt by October 1944 and used by Soviet and Yugoslav forces during the remainder of the war. Civil transport resumed in late 1945, and JAT Yugoslav Airlines and JUSTA assumed domestic and international services in 1947. Western European airlines returned from 1948. Growing traffic, the arrival of passenger jets and the planned construction of New Belgrade made a new airport necessary. The Surčin site was selected west of the city, where planners could provide room for long-term expansion. Construction began in April 1958. The new airport opened on 28 April 1962 in a ceremony attended by President Josip Broz Tito. Its original infrastructure included a 3,000-metre runway, taxiway, aircraft aprons, passenger terminal, cargo facilities and air-traffic-control installations. The last flight left the old airport in early 1964. The airport suffered a long period of decline during the Yugoslav wars and the United Nations sanctions of the 1990s, which included restrictions on air travel to Serbia and Montenegro. Passenger traffic fell sharply and much of the infrastructure needed repair. Regular international operations resumed after the political changes around 2000 and the normalization of Serbia's international relations. Terminal 2 was built in 1979 as passenger numbers increased. It was reconstructed between 2004 and 2006, while later works expanded and modernized the A and C gate areas. The runway received CAT IIIb instrument-landing capability in 2005, and a new air-traffic-control centre was completed in 2010. The airport adopted the Nikola Tesla name in 2006. Its shares began trading on the Belgrade Stock Exchange in 2011. A new phase began in January 2018, when Serbia awarded VINCI Airports a 25-year concession for 501 million euros. VINCI assumed control in December of that year. In 2024, the government announced an 18-month extension to the concession, placing its expected end date at 1 July 2044. Recent modernization has included centralized passenger security screening and automated passport-control gates. The airport continues to function as Air Serbia's principal hub and Serbia's most important international aviation facility.
- 2024
Automated passport gates introduced
[1]Twenty e-gates are introduced in the departures and arrivals passport-control areas.
- 2018
VINCI concession begins
[1]VINCI Airports assumes operational control under Serbia's long-term concession arrangement.
- 2011
Airport shares begin trading
[1]Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport shares begin trading on the Belgrade Stock Exchange under the AERO ticker.
- 2010
New air-traffic-control centre completed
[1]A new control centre is completed as part of infrastructure modernization.
- 2006
Airport receives Nikola Tesla name
[1]The airport is renamed in honor of inventor Nikola Tesla.
- 2005
Runway receives CAT IIIb capability
[1]The runway is upgraded for instrument approaches in low-visibility conditions.
- 1979
Terminal 2 is constructed
[1]A second passenger terminal is added to accommodate rising traffic.
- 1962
Surčin airport officially opens
[1]The current airport opens on 28 April after four years of construction.
- 1927
Dojno Polje Airport opens
[1]Belgrade International Airport opens on 25 March at the site later incorporated into New Belgrade.
- 1923
Pančevo airport enters international service
[1]The Pančevo airfield becomes a stop on the Paris–Istanbul route and begins supporting airmail operations.
Products and positioning
Serbia's primary aviation gateway and a major Western Balkan passenger hub, combining Air Serbia connectivity with international, low-cost, charter and cargo operations.
Passenger terminal · 1962
Terminal 1
The airport's original passenger terminal. It initially handled domestic traffic in Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro, and later became associated mainly with international low-cost and charter services. Its interior was substantially renovated during 2016 and 2017.
Passenger terminal · 1979
Terminal 2
Opened in 1979 to handle growth in passenger volumes, Terminal 2 is the larger of the airport's two terminals. It houses airline offices, transfer desks, retail facilities and expanded departure areas. Major reconstructions took place from 2004 to 2006 and again during the 2012–2013 expansion program.
Cargo aviation services · 1962
Air cargo facilities
The airport includes cargo storage and handling infrastructure supporting scheduled and charter freight operations. These facilities form part of the airport's broader logistics role in Serbia.
Airport lounge · 2011
Business Club
A business-class lounge operated by Dufry. Opened in 2011, it provides seating and premium passenger services for eligible travelers using the airport.
Airline lounge
Air Serbia Premium Lounge
Air Serbia's dedicated airline-operated lounge is located between gates A4 and A5. A larger additional lounge near gate C10 was planned for the end of 2024, although its completed status is not confirmed here.
Brand decisions
2024
Extension of VINCI concessionStrategyBackground
The COVID-19 pandemic affected airport concession operations and passenger traffic.
Action taken
Serbia announced an 18-month extension of the concession period.
Aftermath
The concession is expected to continue until 1 July 2044.
2024
Introduction of automated passport-control gatesOtherBackground
The airport's passenger-processing arrangements were modernized during the 2020s, including the creation of a centralized security hall.
Action taken
Twenty electronic passport-control gates were introduced in December 2024, split between departures and arrivals.
Aftermath
The gates provide an additional automated processing channel for eligible passengers.
2018
Award of a long-term airport concession to VINCI AirportsM&ABackground
The Serbian government sought a private operating partner for the country's principal airport and awarded VINCI Airports a 25-year concession.
Action taken
The concession was granted for 501 million euros, and VINCI formally took over airport operations on 21 December 2018.
Aftermath
The airport became part of the VINCI Airports operating network. The concession period was later announced as extended by 18 months, with an expected end date of 1 July 2044.
Concession consideration. 501 million euros (2018 concession award)
Sources2 sources
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