Erfurt–Weimar Airport^[3] (German: Flughafen Erfurt–Weimar, formerly Erfurt Airport, IATA: ERF, ICAO: EDDE) serves Erfurt, the capital of the German state of Thuringia, and the nearby city of Weimar, both of which form the largest part of the state's central metropolitan area. The airport is 5 km (3.1 mi) west of Erfurt city center^[2] and is mainly used for seasonal charter flights to European leisure destinations.

Quick Facts Erfurt–Weimar Airport Flughafen Erfurt–Weimar, Summary ...

Erfurt–Weimar Airport Flughafen Erfurt–Weimar
IATA: ERF ICAO: EDDE
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Flughafen Erfurt GmbH
Serves	Erfurt and Weimar
Location	Erfurt, Germany
Elevation AMSL	1,036 ft / 316 m
Coordinates	50°58′47″N 010°57′29″E
Website	Flughafen-erfurt-weimar.de
Map
EDDE Location of the airport in Thuringia Show map of Thuringia EDDE EDDE (Germany) Show map of Germany EDDE EDDE (Europe) Show map of Europe
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 10/28 2,600 8,530 Asphalt
Statistics (2022)
Passengers 137,779 Aircraft movements 6,048 Freight (in tons) 925
Source: Statistics, ADV[1], AIP at German air traffic control.[2]

Close

The first Erfurt airport was built in the mid-1920s at Roter Berg in the north of the city, later also known as Erfurt-North. At the beginning of the Second World War in 1939, this site was taken over by the Luftwaffe, thus ending passenger traffic. With the end of the war in 1945, Erfurt-North was closed, but in 1956, the pre-military organisation Gesellschaft für Sport und Technik resumed glider operations here. In 1974, the airfield was finally closed in order to build the residential area Roter Berg on the site.^[4]

The foundation for today's Erfurt–Weimar Airport was laid in 1935, when a new air base was built by the Luftwaffe west of Erfurt near Bindersleben. In 1945 the air base was taken over by the Red Army, which stationed an alert unit with MiG-15 fighter planes here in the 1950s. Around 1957 the airfield was handed over to the East German authorities who extended it and built a 2000 m long concrete runway. In the following years the airfield was used by the East German Lufthansa and later by Interflug for domestic flights until these were discontinued in 1980. In addition, there were individual connections to socialist countries, especially to Budapest in Hungary. Erfurt was also a base for Interflug’s agricultural aviation with the Erfurt district squadron stationed here.^[5]

After German reunification, Erfurt Airport was further expanded and the runway was extended to 2600 m.

The airport's name was changed from Erfurt Airport in 2011,^[6] it was felt that from a marketing point of view the addition of Weimar to the name would better sell the area due to its historic importance.

Despite its importance as a state capital and its central location within Germany, the airport features no domestic flights. The only route to Munich Airport offered by Cirrus Airlines ceased by March 2012.^[7] However, the city became one of Germany's most important long distance railway hubs by 2017, when the newly constructed Munich-Berlin high-speed line met the Frankfurt-Dresden line at Erfurt main station. As a result, it is possible to reach Frankfurt, Berlin and Munich within two hours by rail from Erfurt, making domestic flights redundant.^[8] After the shutdown of Germania in early 2019, the airport lost the vast majority of its routes.

The airport consists of one passenger and one business terminal. The passenger terminal features two aircraft parking positions and four boarding gates on two levels, the upper ones are equipped with jet bridges. There are also some shops and restaurants, a visitors terrace as well as travel and rental car agencies inside the terminal.^[9] The apron also features several additional bus-boarding stands for mid-sized aircraft such as the Boeing 737.

The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights at Erfurt–Weimar Airport:^[10]

• Transport in Germany
• List of airports in Germany