Airports in Europe

Stuttgart Airport (STR) is located approximately 8 miles (13 km) south of the center of Stuttgart, Germany and is the seventh most important airport in the country, having served just over 9 million passengers in 2010.

Stuttgart comprises four terminal buildings linked by a linear corridor, with car parks scattered all over the landside area of the airport. A fair amount of concessions offer passengers a number of retail and dining options to peruse and enjoy, while friendly staff and efficient facilities ensure that the airport as a whole runs smoothly.

Stuttgart Airport is a clean, modern and well-organized mid-sized airport that is inviting to both passengers and visitors. Several transport options to and from the city make it a convenient gateway to Southern Germany and surrounds, including the Black Forest and the romantic city of Heidelberg. In essence, there couldn’t be a better start or end to your vacation in Southern Germany.

Berlin Tegel Airport (TXL) is the airport that most passengers will use when flying into Berlin. It’s conveniently located only five miles (8km) from the city.

As the fourth-busiest airport in Germany, Berlin Tegel handles more than 15 million passengers per year. A newer airport (Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport) is currently being built at Berlin Schönefeld Airport, and Tegel Airport is scheduled to close by June 2012 when all flights will be routed through Brandenburg Airport.

For now, passengers can enjoy a wealth of shopping opportunities and conveniences at the airport. The main building is centered on an open square and makes for easy navigation and a short commuting distance between disembarkation and exiting the terminal. Remarkably, this distance can be as little as 30 meters between exiting the aircraft and stepping into a taxi, including passport control and luggage retrieval.

Lufthansa uses Berlin Tegel as a focus airport, while Air Berlin and the charter Germania both use Tegel Airport as a central hub. There are a number of airlines including Continental, KLM, and Iberia offering flights to Berlin Tegel Airport from cities ranging from Tel Aviv and Bangkok to Reykjavik, London, New York and Beirut.

Despite its prominence Tegel Airport is still quite a small, almost intimate, airport relative to other major airports in Europe. It provides the perfect hopping-off point to explore this fascinating European city with its rich and turbulent history and dynamic modern attractions.

The only airport in Malta, Malta International Airport (MLA) serves the entire Maltese archipelago, which consists of three islands just south of the island of Sicily. The island has a long and rich history and some of its temples are among the oldest in the world. This, combined with its gorgeous Mediterranean climate, makes it a popular spot with tourists. It is known particularly for its diving and beach vacations.

The airport serves 3 million passengers each year and is just 3.1 miles (5km) from the capital city Valletta. It's the main hub for Air Malta and serves as a small base for Ryanair. Many international airlines have flights to Malta International Airport from across Europe and beyond, especially in summer.

Although small, the airport is well-equipped – it won Best European Airport of the Year in 2010 in ACI's airport quality survey – so your stay at Malta International should be as pleasant and stress-free as your island vacation.

Located approximately 3 miles (5km) west of the center of Vantaa, and 10.6 miles (17km) north of Helsinki’s city center, Helsinki Vantaa International Airport (HEL) is Finland’s main international airport. It was first built for the Summer Olympics of 1952 and now serves an average of 12.5 million passengers per year.

Current renovations at Helsinki Airport, scheduled to be completed by the end of 2011, include a complete overhaul of the waiting lounge, baggage and check-in areas. The addition of several shops, cafes and restaurants is also set to enhance the airport, while the relocation of existing retail and dining establishments will improve passenger flow and free up space for more chairs in the seating areas. The airport building itself is divided into two terminals, separated by a distance of 820 feet (250 meters), and internal pedestrian connections offer quick transfers between them.

Helsinki Vantaa International Airport is clean and staff are helpful and friendly. Security checks and customs are generally quick.

Zurich Airport (ZRH) is situated in Kluton on the outskirts of Zurich; it is sometimes called Kluton Airport and others refer to it as Zurich-Kluton, but to most international visitors it’s simply Zurich Airport. The airport is just eight miles (13km) from the city center and is easily accessible via a range of public transport options from within Zurich and across Switzerland.

There’s no shortage of things to do at Zurich Airport. Passengers with some time on their hands will find a multitude of tempting shopping opportunities ranging from fantastic Swiss chocolate to beautiful watches and timepieces. The airport also has a great range of restaurants and bars as well as a fair number of airline lounges.

Zurich Airport is a hub for Swiss International Air Lines, with its fleet of red-and-white-liveried planes,   and Edelweiss Air.

Zurich Airport is well-connected with Zurich and the rest of Switzerland. The precision and promptness with which everything is handled at this airport makes it a pleasure to use. It also makes it the perfect gateway to Switzerland, with its ski slopes, spectacular mountain scenery and cosmopolitan cities.