Kraków Airport invests PLN 4.2 billion: bigger terminal and new runway ahead
Kraków Airport has launched the largest investment plan in its history, worth about PLN 4.2 billion. It includes expansion of the passenger terminal, construction of a new runway, and modernization of existing facilities. The first results are already visible – faster security checks, more comfort, and smoother passenger flow.
Record year, new challenges
According to ACI EUROPE, Kraków Airport ended 2025 as the European leader among large airports handling 10–25 million passengers per year. Passenger traffic grew by 19.5% compared to 2024.
The terminal, opened in 2015 for four million passengers a year, now serves nearly six times as many. The management, led by Łukasz Strutyński, accelerated key investments to improve capacity and service quality.
Faster checks, better experience
Ten modern CT scanners with automatic tray return reduced average screening time from 30 to 20 seconds. Travelers no longer have to remove electronics or liquids from their hand luggage.
The “Fast Temporary Passport” point was moved closer to the airport information desk, and two new security lines were added – 16 in total.
Two additional baggage carousels increased arrivals capacity to 18 operations per hour and 2,700 passengers from the Schengen area.
Restrooms in the Non-Schengen area were modernized, with numbers rising from 38 to 48. Schengen facilities will follow – from 43 to 70.
More space and modern facilities
In 2025, the Aviation Education Center was upgraded to host eight groups at once instead of five. New rooms for adult training were also created.
A new cargo terminal worth over PLN 80 million opened in May, boosting capacity from 3,300 to 8,000 tons per year and allowing six vehicles to be handled simultaneously.
The former cargo building is being converted into a Pre-Boarding Zone for non-Schengen passengers. The PLN 24 million project adds 4,560 m² of space, six gates, and commercial areas, raising annual capacity by up to 2 million passengers.
Other projects include a Central Waste Collection Facility (PLN 9 million, completion in October 2026) and a water treatment plant (PLN 7 million, completion in September 2026).
The largest project in airport history
The west terminal expansion (T6) will cost PLN 537.7 million – the biggest investment ever at Kraków Airport.
The new 45,000 m² section will feature 32 passport booths, 10 automated gates, six baggage carousels, and 11 departure gates.
Once complete in 2029, capacity will rise to 16 million passengers annually and 20 million by 2032.
A temporary VIP terminal worth PLN 8.5 million will also be built nearby.
New runway plans move forward
Environmental approval for the new runway is expected by February 18, 2026. Documentation has been reviewed multiple times by authorities.
At the same time, an emergency runway renovation plan is being prepared.
Another project, rerouting the Olszanicki Stream, valued at PLN 99.5 million, will take 22 months once the contract is signed.
Planning for decades ahead
Kraków Airport’s board is preparing long-term infrastructure plans, including a new administrative building by 2029. This will free space for another passenger terminal in the future.
As CEO Strutyński stresses, the goal is to anticipate future regional needs rather than react to them.
