Which is your closest international airport? In Europe, it could be over the border in another country! Since it’s a relatively small continent with 44 countries, there are many instances where one airport is quite close to another. With the Schengen Agreement in the European Union making travel more accessible than ever, people from other countries can travel between borders just to get on a flight.
Closest International Airports In Europe
We’ve compiled a list of the closest airports that function internationally and are very close to each other:
Vienna – Bratislava
The two cities of Vienna and Bratislava are just an hour away and are even served by a train that crosses the border every day. The distance between the two airports is just 58km. Therefore, many people from the region may choose to go to Vienna or Bratislava, depending on their destination. Vienna International Airport (VIE) is much larger and more developed, offering intercontinental flights, such as ones to India or the US, serving the western part of Slovakia as well; however, Bratislava Airport (BTS) may be used for low-cost flights, as they are slightly more affordable.
Copenhagen – Malmo
Although the two cities are separated by water, they are only a 30-minute drive away from each other. Thanks to the famous engineering wonder of Øresund Bridge, Denmark is linked to Sweden, so citizens of the two countries can move freely between the two cities. Malmö Airport (MMX) is the more affordable of the two, although Copenhagen Airport (CPH) is much larger and covers a wider choice of flights, including flights to the US.
Lyon – Geneva
The beautiful French and Swiss destinations are just 144km between each other and serve the population of Southern France and Switzerland and the Northern part of Italy. For travellers on a budget, Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport (LYS) might prove to be the better choice when travelling to Switzerland. However, Geneva Airport (GVA) could offer much better links to other destinations than Lyon. They are just an hour and a half away by car.
Ostrava – Katowice
With just 148km between them, the two airports in the Czech Republic and Poland serve a large number of people between the two countries. Although Leoš Janáček Airport Ostrava (OSR) isn’t large, having just a few flights usually scheduled per day, it can prove to be a better choice than Katowice Airport (KTW) regarding costs when travelling. The Czech airport provides an excellent base to travel between the two countries and further in Slovakia and maybe even Austria.
Brussels – Eindhoven – Dusseldorf
The three airports form a triangle between the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany and serve a population of at least 20 million people. Their distances are relatively small, ranging from one hour to two hours. People living in the Rhine-Ruhr, but also Belgium and the Eastern part of the Netherlands, have quite a variety of choices when flying. Brussels Airport (BRU) is by far the largest, while Eindhoven Airport (EIN) provides lower costs to travellers and is right in the middle of the two. Dusseldorf Airport (DUS) is the third option, just in case two weren’t enough.
Have you had a similar experience where you chose a close airport over your nearest one? Or do you know of other such instances? Let us know in the comments down below!
