Eight Years Since the Concession Agreement Signing: Belgrade Airport Achieves Record-Breaking Results, Expanded Capacities, and Continues Investments

• Increase in passenger numbers by nearly 60 percent
• Reconstruction of the main runway after 60 years
• Over 360 million euros in investments
• Over 100 destinations

An increase in passenger numbers by nearly 60 percent compared to 2018, an expansion of the number of destinations from approximately 60 to over 100, and nearly 90,000 airport operations (take-offs and landings), representing about 36% growth compared to eight years ago, are among the key achievements since the concession agreement was signed on this day in 2018, making Belgrade Airport a part of the VINCI Airports network.

Over the past eight years, Nikola Tesla Airport has undergone a visible and significant transformation, including infrastructure upgrades, increased capacities, improvements in service quality and passenger experience and upgraded commercial offerings. Today, the airport uses a fully reconstructed main runway, marking its first renovation in the past 60 years, as well as a completely new runway located between the main runway and the taxiway. Additionally, four rapid exit taxiways have been constructed, enabling more efficient runway clearance to further enhance the flexibility of airport operations.

Also, since the beginning of the concession, 12 new gates and 11 aircraft parking positions have been constructed. To enhance passenger efficiency and comfort, the number of car parking spaces has doubled, and 29 new check-in counters have been added, bringing the total to 90. Centralized security control has been introduced, along with nine new passport control counters, and electronic passport scanning for departing and arriving passengers has been made possible in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure. A commercial zone three times larger than the previous one has been built, and the terminal has been modernized. Improved operational processes and modern technological solutions have enabled the airport to meet increasing traffic demands with higher efficiency and predictability.

In total, over the past eight years, more than 360 million euros have been invested in the development of Nikola Tesla Airport, in addition to the 501 million euros paid at the time by VINCI Airports for operations’ takeover.

"We continue to develop Nikola Tesla Airport under VINCI Airports' management, with the aim of strengthening our position as a regional hub. The trust of passengers and airlines validates level of investment that we made to modernize and expand the airport and has made us one of the most dynamic airports in Europe in terms of traffic growth. We have a clear ambition to reach level of traffic of 15 million passengers annually by the end of the concession period. Investments in infrastructure are continuing, and work is currently underway on the expansion of the airport complex’s C-side. The new section of the terminal will feature three new gates, three new passenger boarding bridges, and four entirely new aircraft parking positions," stated Chivoine Rem, CEO of Belgrade Airport. 

Significant progress has also been made in sustainability and energy efficiency: Belgrade Airport has implemented notable sustainable initiatives including the construction of a 1 MW solar power plant, the commissioning of a 44 MW trigeneration plant for heating, cooling, and electricity, and continuous improvements in energy efficiency across its operations. Together, these measures have contributed to an overall reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 36% compared to 2018 levels.

Belgrade Airport, as part of the VINCI Airports network, will continue investing in Nikola Tesla Airport, strengthening its position as a modern and reliable regional hub. Airport’s teams remain focused on passengers, service quality, and overall working conditions, including safety, while further developing the airport as Serbia's leading air gateway.