Kraków Airport is experiencing unprecedented growth, with passenger numbers expected to reach 13 million this year, making it second only to Warsaw’s Chopin Airport in Poland. In response, the airport management has announced a tender for a new Master Plan to guide its future development.

“The original plans assumed a terminal with a capacity of 12 million passengers by 2031. However, this figure would not be final. The current terminal, designed for eight million passengers, already served over 11 million travelers last year. While our record day saw 48,000 passengers, multiplying that by 365 days suggests 17.5 million passengers annually—but that’s not realistic,” said Łukasz Strutyński, CEO of Kraków Airport, in an interview with Rynek Lotniczy.

The dynamic growth of Balice Airport is clear. 2024 was a record year, with almost 11.1 million passengers served and a net profit of PLN 214 million. This year is expected to surpass that milestone, with the airport crossing the 13-million passenger threshold.

“Operating beyond the planned optimal capacity reduces passenger comfort. Therefore, we must consider values that allow proper service while increasing non-aviation revenues. We have decided to significantly modify this investment, which will increase terminal capacity by 4 million passengers earlier than originally planned,” Strutyński added.

With passenger and operational traffic expected to continue rising, the existing General Plan has become outdated. The airport company has therefore launched a tender for a new General Plan, which will serve as a 20-year development roadmap for the Małopolska airport.

Companies can submit bids until October 16, and the winning contractor will have 1,305 days to develop the plan. For the document to take effect, it must receive approval from the Minister of Infrastructure.