Copenhagen Airport
Copenhagen Airport, or Kastrup as the airport is officially known, has the IATA code CPH. It is the biggest airport in Scandinavia and the busiest in Northern Europe having handled almost 29.2 million passengers in 2017. Passenger numbers have grown for eight consecutive years.
Over sixty airlines fly into Copenhagen serving many European, Intercontinental and domestic destinations. The busiest European routes are to London, and New York is the busiest intercontinental destination.
The airport is 8km south of the city centre and, being just 24km west of Malmö via the Øresund Bridge, serves as the major airport for southern Sweden. There are parking stands for 108 aircraft, many with direct airbridge access into the terminal building. There has been a recent expansion of sections of the terminal and runway to enable the handling of the Airbus 380, the world's biggest passenger plane.
Terminal Buildings and Facilities
There were three terminals but Terminal 1, which used to handle all domestic flights, was closed in 2015. Terminals 2 and 3 are housed in the same building and all passengers use the same check-in and arrivals facilities. This has made the transfer from domestic to international flights much easier.
In the check-in area, in addition to the many counters, there are also 133 self-service check-in machines at which you can check yourself in and, with some airlines, you can check in your baggage too and even select your seat on the plane.
Spread between the different areas of the terminal are more than eighty shops selling all types of goods including local delicacies, souvenirs, fashions, electronics and jewellery. There are also almost thirty food and drink outlets from high-end restaurants to fast food takeaways and even an Irish pub. The airport has free unlimited Wi-Fi which can be accessed in all areas.
Parking and Transport
There are a number of parking options at Copenhagen Airport between the twelve main car parks with 8,600 spaces. The ones in use for the terminals are P4 to P12 and P15 to P19. The cheapest option is Budget which is further from the terminal but offers a free shuttle bus service. Standard parking is a five to seven-minute walk from the terminal. Standard+ is a shorter walk. Direct parking has access directly into the terminal.
The car rental centre is located close to the old Terminal 1 and is served by the free airport terminal bus.
Public transportation services are offered by the following:
- Train – The train station is underneath Terminal 3 and has regional and intercity services linking the airport with Copenhagen and other destinations in Denmark and southern Sweden. Read more here.
- Metro – The Metro station is located in an extension of Terminal 3 and connects the airport with Nørreport Station in the centre of Copenhagen.
- Taxi – Taxis offer a door-to-door service and are ideal for families with young children. Taxis are available here.
- Bus – Three bus routes run between the airport and locations in Copenhagen. One of the routes operates throughout the night. A number of express buses also provide links to other parts of Denmark, Sweden and Norway. View all bus services here.
Airport History
Copenhagen Airport was originally named Kastrup Airport after the small town it is next to. It was opened in 1925 and was one of the world's first civilian airports. During the Second World War, the airport survived unscathed and emerged after the war as the most modern airport in Europe.
When Scandinavian Airlines was founded in 1947 and made Copenhagen its main hub, the passenger numbers grew dramatically.
In 1960 the new Terminal 2 opened and through the 1960s traffic continued to grow. 1969 saw the start of an expansion program that saw an extra 3,600 metres of runway built, a new control tower and further extensions to the terminal buildings. By 1972 passenger numbers were up to more than eight million.
A proposal to build another larger airport in Salthom was shelved and it was decided instead to expand Copenhagen Kastrup. Improvements were made in the 1980s and 90s. By 2006 passenger numbers had exceeded twenty million.
There are current plans to increase the capacity of the airport to forty million passengers.