History:
The airport is operated by Genève Aéroport, an independent public company that is wholly owned by the canton of Geneva.
Despite a slight decline in passenger numbers in 2009 due to the economic crisis, traffic has been on a steady rise since 2002. However, in 2020, Geneva Airport saw only 5.6 million passengers, marking a 68.8% decrease compared to 2019. This significant drop was attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic, which severely impacted air travel. January was the busiest month with 1.5 million passengers, while April recorded the lowest traffic with just 6,300 passengers. In 2021, passenger numbers remained considerably lower than pre-crisis levels due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic. Nevertheless, a notable recovery in the latter half of the year allowed Genève Aéroport to welcome 5.92 million passengers in 2021, reflecting a 5.8% increase from 2020.
Along with Zurich and Basel, it is one of the three national airports in Switzerland.
On October 11, 1919, the Grand Council of the Republic and Canton of Geneva passed a law to establish an aerodrome about 4 km north of the city, close to the village of Cointrin. The first aircraft, flown by pilot Edgar Primault, touched down on September 23, 1920.
In 1922, the first commercial flights to Lausanne, Zurich, Paris, Munich, and Nuremberg began.
In 1937, the airport saw the construction of its first concrete runway, which was later extended to 2,000 meters in 1946, following World War II.
In 1947, Swissair launched the first Geneva to New York route.
Geneva International Airport in 1949.
A new terminal was opened on May 20, 1949, with a capacity to handle up to 300,000 passengers annually.
The runway was lengthened to 3,900 meters in 1956, making it one of the longest in Europe. This expansion allowed Geneva Airport to accommodate all types of aircraft, including jets. To facilitate this, Switzerland and France entered into a territory exchange agreement. The first jet aircraft landed at Geneva Cointrin in 1959.
Geneva International Airport in 1967.
In 1968, the terminal was renovated to better serve the growing number of passengers, increasing its capacity to 5 million. It wasn't until 1985 that this capacity was surpassed. That same year, a new control tower was constructed, which now manages air traffic for departures, approaches, and landings, while the old tower oversees taxiing operations.
The airport celebrated its 10 millionth passenger in 2007.
On January 21, 2010, the Airbus A380 made its first landing on the runway. A few months later, on September 21, 2010, the Solar Impulse followed suit.
In 2011, the airport was renamed from "Geneva International Airport" to simply "Geneva Airport."
By 2013, the SWISS airline, which took over after Swissair's bankruptcy in 2002, had redeployed its operations to Geneva.
Terminals
Geneva Airport features two passenger terminals: Terminal 1 (T1), which is the newer and larger terminal handling most flights, and Terminal 2 (T2), a smaller terminal that operates seasonally. Additionally, there is a Business Aviation Terminal, referred to as Terminal 3 (T3).
Terminal 1:
Terminal 1, also known as the Main Terminal (M), is divided into five piers: A, B, C, D, and F.
Piers A, B, C, and D are situated on the Swiss side of Terminal 1. Passengers departing from these gates (to Swiss or international destinations) check in at the main check-in hall and go through the central security check located above it. Pier A is directly across from the main shopping area and serves Schengen destinations as well as domestic flights to Zurich. Pier B consists of two circular non-Schengen satellite buildings, accessible from the shopping area via an underground passage that also includes passport control. Pier C, which is also non-Schengen, is located to the right of Pier A and accommodates long-haul flights with wide-body aircraft. Pier D features a circular satellite and a bus gate building, with Schengen and non-Schengen passengers separated across different floors, accessible through underpasses.
The airport announced in 2012 plans to replace the outdated long-haul section (Pier C) of the terminal, which was initially meant to be a temporary solution back in 1975, with a completely new facility. Construction faced several delays, starting with Swissair moving its long-haul operations to Zurich in 1996. The events of September 11, 2001, and Swissair's bankruptcy later that year further postponed the project. Recently, airlines like Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, United Airlines, and Swiss International Air Lines have begun using the existing facility. The need for this new pier was pressing, although some associations, such as NOÉ21, have contested the airport expansion.
In December 2021, the construction of the new East Wing (Aile Est) was completed.
Terminal 2:
Terminal 2 is only operational during the winter charter season. It was the original terminal of Geneva Airport, built in 1946, and remained in use until the 1960s when the main terminal opened. Terminal 2 has limited facilities, featuring just one restaurant and no duty-free shop. Passengers check in and go through security at this terminal before taking a low-floor bus to platforms A, B, C, and D at T1. Arriving passengers are transported directly by bus from the aircraft to T2, where they go through passport control (if necessary) and collect their luggage. Geneva Airport had plans to renovate T2 into a low-cost terminal, especially since EasyJet was the main low-cost airline in Geneva, operating up to 80 flights daily in winter. However, other major airlines at GVA threatened to leave if EasyJet received its own terminal with lower landing fees. Since then, there has been no further information regarding upgrades to T2 facilities.
Terminal 3 - Business Aviation Terminal:
The Business Aviation Terminal, or Terminal 3 (T3), is situated at the southwestern end of the airport, about 2 km from Terminal 1. This terminal serves as a hub for private jet companies, also known as fixed-base operators (FBOs), providing amenities such as VIP lounges.