Sofia Airport is Bulgaria’s main international airport, located 10 km east of the country’s capital, Sofia. In 2019, the airport exceeded 7 million passengers for the first time and broke its own record.
The aerodrome serves as a home base for BH Air, Bulgaria Air and Bulgarian Air Charter, and as a base for Ryanair and WizzAir. Vrazhdebna Air Base of the Bulgarian Air Force is located in this airport. The airport is a facility that is frequently used by private aircraft charter companies.
Sofia private jet charter prices
Although Sofia 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 → Sofia are as follows.
| Light Jet | 9.000 EUR |
| Midsize Jet | 12.500 EUR |
| Heavy Jet | 16.000 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 Sofia Airport was established?
On September 16, 1937, Tsar Boris III signed a decree announcing that the land within the Village of Vrazhdebna was allocated for the construction of an airport. Later, construction began on the site, which is 11 km from the city center. Two years later, in 1939, Sofia Airport opened its first passenger waiting room, and two years later, the airport began serving passengers with a fully operational runway and terminal building. The facilities are one of the oldest airports in Europe that give importance to private plane charter services.
During the World War II, the facilities were used by the military as a military base. Postal, perishable freight and passenger operations began in 1947 from the buildings on the north side of the airport. At the same time, private jet flights, which were canceled due to the war, started to become active. The passenger terminal (now Terminal 1) on the south side was designed by architect Ivan Marangozov during the World War II like a modern European railway terminal. It was officially inaugurated in 1947, after a delay of years.
Cargo facilities increased density
The terminal reached a capacity of approximately 600.000 passengers per year in the late 1960s and increased its capacity through a series of renovations that began in the spring of 1968. During this period, the use of private aircraft increased in the region. Between 1975 and 1980 operations were accelerated and facilities expanded. With the added VIP lounges, the facilities for private jet landings have been made more convenient. In 1990, it went to the visual and traffic restructuring phase, and new renovations were made. With a major road expansion in 2000, the use of the facilities was greatly increased.
On August 31, 2006, Sofia Airport put the new runway system into operation, replacing the old facilities. The new runway was specially built at the eastern end of the 3.600 m long strip, 210 m north of the old runway. New fast and connected taxiways were built to open at a high level of safety for 20 aircraft movements per hour. The new runway enables landing operations in low visibility conditions in category IIIB of ICAO standards.
How far is Sofia Airport from the city center? How to reach?
Sofia Airport Metro Station 1 is located next to Terminal 2 of the aerodrome and provides connections to the city centre. A free shuttle bus is available from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 and the Metro Station between 05:00 and 23:00. Sofia Metro provides a fast connection between the airport and Sofia Business Park.
Three bus routes serve the airport since 2015, two of which are connected to Sofia University from the terminal and the third to Tsarigradsko shose Metro Station.
Brussels Boulevard is the easiest way to reach Sofia Airport. There is a quick connection from Terminal 2 to Brussels Avenue. Sofia Airport is connected to the city center and to the east by the Trakia motorway (A1) via Brussels Boulevard and Tsarigradsko shose.
In April 2015, a train station was put into service, connecting the airport to Bulgaria’s national railway system. Located approximately 2,5 km from Terminal 2, the train station is linked by Iskarsko shose Metro Station, which is the second metro station after Sofia Airport Metro Station.
Places to visit in in Sofia
Sofia, whose tourism revives in June and August, is located in the Sofia Valley at the foot of Vitosha Mountain. Aleksander Nevski Cathedral, which is shown as the symbol of Bulgaria, is one of the most visited places in Sofia by tourists. The other most visited point of the city, which is famous for its churches, is Boyana Church, which has been included in the World Heritage List by UNESCO.
One of the most important streets of the city, Maria Luiza, is an important location to be seen on the lion bridge. Banya Bashi Mosque, built by Mimar Sinan in 1567 and located in Sofia, where Ottoman traces are intensely found, is one of the most frequently visited points by Muslim visitors.
Kashkaval cheese and wine stand out among the local delicacies of Sofia. Snezhanka, bean soup and Biberchushki byurek, which are a local delicacy, are among the must-taste delicacies of tourists who care about their palate.
