Airport Guide

History of Munich International Airport

A relative newcomer to the European airport network, Munich International has quickly established itself as one of the main gateways to Germany, both for business travellers and leisure travellers, particularly in September when the world-famous Oktoberfest beer festival is in full swing.

Established in 1992 by German national carrier Lufthansa as a solution to overcrowding at Frankfurt Airport, the major Bavarian terminal was named after airplane-loving politician Franz-Josef Strauss.

Steady increases in passenger numbers saw the construction of a new terminal for Lufthansa and Star Alliance passengers only in 2003, while plans for a third runway are currently being considered, with developers at loggerheads with local residents who feel Munich International has expanded sufficiently over the past two decades.

Travelling to Munich International Airport

Located around 20 miles north-east of Munich, the airport benefits from excellent links with the city centre, both by public and private transport.

Germany's famous public transport efficiency can be witnessed first-hand by travellers opting to go between the two points by the Munich S-Bahn, with both the S1 and S8 services serving the airport, taking about 40 minutes from the city airport.

Significantly more expensive, numerous taxi firms compete for business outside the two terminals, though regular passengers are known to complain of possible traffic jams, often making public transport alternatives the cheaper and faster option.

There are also regular links to the nearby cities of Erding and Freising, both by bus and taxi, both of which offer affordable hotels for travellers looking to stay outside of the hustle and bustle of Munich.

Airlines Flying from Munich International

Dozens of airlines fly out of Munich, offering both domestic services across Germany as well as international flights.

Predictably, the greatest number of services are offered by German national carrier Lufthansa, which flies to more than 50 destinations across the globe, including Ankara, Beijing, Boston, Hong Kong, London Heathrow, New York JFK, Washington and Zurich. The airline's shuttle service CityLine links Munich with many major European cities, including Amsterdam, Birmingham, Manchester, Nice and Paris.

In comparison, low cost airline and rival Air Berlin flies to just Alicante, Malaga and Palma de Mallorca, while some of the cheapest flights are also offered by carriers such as Hapagfly, dba, airBaltic and easyJet.

Among the major national airlines also offering flights from the Bavarian hub are Scandinavian, Qatar Airways, Air France, Alitalia and Turkish Airlines.