Hamburg Airport (EDDH) ranks as the fifth-busiest commercial airport in Germany based on passenger numbers, with 13,559,732 passengers and 120,315 aircraft movements recorded in 2023. As of July 2017, it offered flights to over 130 destinations, primarily in Europe, along with three long-haul routes to Dubai, Doha, and Tehran. The airport is capable of accommodating wide-bodied aircraft, including the Airbus A380.
Hamburg also has another airport, Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport, which is home to the Airbus factory but is not open to commercial traffic.
History.
The airport was inaugurated in January 1911 through private funding by Hamburger Luftschiffhallen GmbH (HLG), making it the oldest international airport still in operation and the second oldest airport in Germany after Tempelhof Airport. Initially, the site covered 45 hectares and was mainly used for airship flights. In 1913, the area was expanded to 60 hectares, with the northern section designated for airship operations and the southeastern part allocated for fixed-wing aircraft.
Hamburg Airport (EDDH) initially spanned 440,000 m2 (4,700,000 sq ft). Over the years, the area has expanded more than tenfold to 5.7 km2 (2.2 sq mi). The main apron now covers 320,000 m2 (3,400,000 sq ft) and includes 54 parking positions, while the passenger terminals are equipped with 17 jet bridges. As of July 2016, the airport had only three routes served by wide-body aircraft; however, that year saw the upgrade of three gates with double-jet bridges to facilitate quicker boarding and de-boarding for large planes like the Airbus A380. The runways, taxiways, and aprons are capable of accommodating large aircraft, including the Airbus A380. Emirates replaced one of its Boeing 777s with A380 aircraft on the route. On 28 May 2018, Emirates announced the launch of services from Dubai International Airport to Hamburg using the A380.
Terminals.
Hamburg Airport EDDH features two interconnected terminals: Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. These terminals are linked by the Airport Plaza and the baggage claim area that runs through the lower levels of all three buildings. Level 1 in all buildings is the departure level, offering a total of 44 departure gates, while level 0 is for arrivals and includes ten additional bus gates. On the arrivals level, there are 12 baggage claim belts available. The Airport Plaza is home to the central security check, along with various shops, restaurants, lounges, and other service facilities. It also contains the suburban railway station.
Despite its name, Terminal 2 is the older of the two, having been completed in 1993, while Terminal 1 was finished in 2005 and closely resembles Terminal 2 in design and size. The main structures were designed by Gerkan, Marg and Partners, featuring a high, curved ceiling that mimics the shape of a wing.