On March 22, 2018, VINCI Airports, the leading private operator in the world operating 70+ airports worldwide in 14 countries, committed to transform Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport into a future hub in Southeastern Europe. VINCI Airports signed a long-term concession contract with the government of Serbia to finance, design, operate and maintain the airport, with an investment plan of more than €730 million over the concession period to extend and modernize the airport.

How does VINCI Airports intend to transform Belgrade airport into a sustainable hub for Eastern Europe?

• Improve infrastructure to increase airport capacity, commercial offers, comfort, customer experience and service quality.
• Develop traffic, connectivity and reach 15 million passengers by the end of concession.
• Integrate VINCI Airports' environmental plan to notably reduce the platform's carbon emissions.

Thanks to an investment plan worth over 730 million euros, Nikola Tesla airport is now transformed in every aspect.

The modernization works, which began in 2020 and the majority of which were completed in 2023 and delivered ahead of schedule, have increased the airport's capacity, comfort and overall passenger experience. These works include a 40,000 m² modernization and extension of the passenger terminal, a 9,000 m² expansion and redevelopment of the shopping area, 12 new departure gates and the reconstruction of the main runway, a first in 60 years. Additional parking lots have been built and access roads improved to facilitate traffic flow around the airport. A second 3.5 km runway was also built, with additional taxiways and new aircraft parking areas.

An airport's capacity refers to the number of passengers, flights and cargo it can efficiently handle. This capacity is impacted by the number of runways, terminals, gates, aircraft parking areas, parking lots and transport infrastructure, as well as by the services available to passengers, such as stores, restaurants, toilets and other amenities that influence the comfort and fluidity of the airport experience.

Between 2019 and 2024, the surface area of Belgrade Airport's terminal has almost doubled, from 54,000 m² to over 93,000 m². The number of gates has increased from 19 to 31, while parking spaces has more than doubled. In addition, the airport now boasts 90 check-in counters (+29) and 29 passport control counters (+9).

This expansion and new facilities have considerably improved the airport's capacity.

A new duty-free store, three times the size of the old one, has also been built to accommodate the increased passenger flow.

In line with VINCI Concessions' and VINCI Airports' environmental commitments to achieve zero direct carbon emissions by 2050, Nikola Tesla airport has acquired a number of facilities to improve its environmental performance. Thanks to the construction of a new heating plant, a photovoltaic power station, a wastewater treatment plant and a solid waste sorting plant, CO2 emissions have been reduced by 23%, the recycling rate has reached 70%, and wastewater is efficiently treated on site.

Focus on the 1MWp solar power plant at Belgrade airport

The Belgrade airport solar power plant, scheduled for delivery in April 2022, covers 15,900 m² and is equipped with 3,000 photovoltaic modules. It produces around 1,130,000 kWh of green electricity annually, equivalent to the annual consumption of 430 households. The facility supports the airport's sustainability objectives, aligned with VINCI Airports' global ambitions to achieve zero net carbon emissions by 2050 (scopes 1&2).

By the end of 2023, traffic at Belgrade airport had reached almost 8 million passengers, substantially ahead of pre-pandemic levels, compared to 6.2 million in 2019, with 42 % passengers’ growth since 2018.  

The number of destinations served has also increased significantly, from 72 in 2019 to 116 in 2024. These destinations include long-haul flights to New York, Chicago and several Chinese cities such as Beijing and Guangzhou.

Since the concession contract was signed in March 2018, the project to transform Belgrade's Nikola Tesla airport has marked a significant turning point for the airport sector in Southeast Europe. VINCI Airports' commitment, with an investment of over 730 million euros, has enabled the completion of this ambitious project, including infrastructure expansion, increased capacity and the introduction of environmental solutions, while developing the airport's traffic. This transformation positions Belgrade Airport as a key contributor to regional economic development and a model of sustainability in the airport sector.