Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, or Belgrade Airport, as it is commonly known among the people, is an international airport serving the city of Belgrade. It is the largest and busiest airport, 18 km west of Belgrade city center, near the suburb of Surčin, surrounded by the plains of Syrmia. The facilities are operated by Vinci Holding, a French firm.
Serbia’s flag carrier and largest airline Air Serbia uses Belgrade Nikola Tesla as its headquarters. It is also one of the operating bases of low-cost airline Wizz Air. The Serbian police helicopter unit mostly uses this airport as a base, too. The unit has its own hangar within the premises. Private jet hire companies use the airport intensively.
Serbia private jet charter prices
Although Serbia air charter fees depend on variables such as the number of passengers, departure airport, flight time, aircraft position, flight date, the prices for private jet charter from Istanbul → Belgrade are as follows.
Light Jet | 9.950 EUR |
Midsize Jet | 13.600 EUR |
Heavy Jet | 19.400 EUR |
These prices are average amounts and you can contact us on our flight reservation screen or by phone for the most accurate price information.
When was Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport put into service?
The first aerodrome in Belgrade was opened in the Banjica district in 1910 and was initially used by aviation pioneers such as Maslenikov, Simon, Čermak and Vidmar. Two years later, a wooden hangar was built for the Serbian Air Force, which was then participating in the First Balkan War against Turkey. In 1914, Banjica airport became the base for the Serbian Air Force fleet and Balloon Company. After the end of the First World War, Banjica airport began to be used for civil aviation.
An airport on the outskirts of Pančevo, northeast of Belgrade, became operational in 1923 when CFRNA launched the Paris – Istanbul route, which flew over Belgrade. This port was located at a very opposite point for general transport and due to the distance from Pančevo to Belgrade city center, it was decided that a new airport closer to cross the Danube to be built during this period. The aerodrome was planned to be built just across the Sava River, in a neighborhood known today as Novi Beograd. On March 25, 1927, Belgrade International Airport (also known as Dojno polje Airport) was opened under its official name.
Aeroput, Air France, Deutsche Lufthansa, KLM, Imperial Airways and airlines from Italy, Austria, Hungary, Romania and Poland used the airport until the outbreak of the Second World War. From April 1941, the German occupation forces took control of the airport and used it as a base. The airport was bombed by the Allies throughout 1944, and in October of the same year the German army destroyed the remaining facilities as it withdrew from the country. The airport was used by the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia until the end of the war in October 1944.
With the end of the war, the facilities were reopened to civil aviation, primarily with cargo flights. After 1948, Western European airlines resumed flights to Belgrade. Due to the increase in traffic in this period, the airport could not meet the capacity, and for this reason, the government decided to build a new airport. Construction of the new airport began in April 1958 and continued until April 28, 1962, when it was officially opened by President Josip Broz Tito.
Yugoslav wars led to closure
The airport stopped in the 1990s after the outbreak of the Yugoslav wars and United Nations sanctions on Serbia and Montenegro. These sanctions continued until 2001, during which a limited number of flights were made. Normal air traffic resumed in 2001 after the sanctions were lifted. After the facilities became active, private jet hire companies started to use the airport frequently. A few years later, the airport’s 2nd terminal underwent a major restructuring. The runway was upgraded to CAT IIIb in 2005 as part of a major refurbishment project.
In 2012, construction works were started for the modernization and expansion of the airport. Work was carried out on the expansion and reconstruction of the Gate A and Gate C departure and transit areas. Allocation of a section within the facility for Private Aircraft hire companies was brought into the agenda at the same time.
In January 2018, the Serbian Government granted the management rights of Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport to the French airport operator Vinci Holding for a total of 501 million euros for 25 years. On December 21, 2018, Vinci officially took over the airport.
How to get from Nikola Tesla Airport to Belgrade?
The airport does not yet have a railroad to the city. However, the establishment of such transportation is planned for the future.
The airport is connected to the A3 motorway via a nearby junction. The toll station on the A3 is located to the west of the junction and other parts to Belgrade city center and Belgrade main arteries are free.
There are 4 bus lines departing every 15 minutes from the airport facilities to the city center and the trip to the city center takes between 30-40 minutes.
What are the places to visit in Belgrade? What to eat?
Known as the white city of Eastern Europe, Belgrade is one of the most visited locations of the region in terms of tourism. In the city famous for its museums, the first museum to visit is undoubtedly the Museum of Natural History, which was founded in 1895 and is the oldest museum in the region. Also, the Nikola Tesla Museum and the Serbian National Museum are just two of the museums that attract the attention of tourists. Republic Square, Knez Mihailova Street and Terazije Square are among the main squares of the city, whose parks and squares are also flooded by visitors.
The most famous dish of the city is its meatballs called Ćevapčići and served with cream-like Kajmak. Becka Snicla, Pljeskavica, Riblja Soup are among the dishes unique to the region. Palacinke dessert, which is a local delicacy, is also one of the must-taste delicacies.