EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg

Updated: October 2026 – The EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg is an airport that actually should not work at all: built on French soil, financed and operated jointly with Switzerland, marketed also for southern Baden – and equipped with two IATA codes, two sectors and a road on which you drive from Basel to the terminal without entering France for customs purposes. For spotters, that is more than a curiosity. Besides everyday easyJet, Basel has attracted business and VIP jets for decades that get their cabins here. This page shows you how the airport is laid out, what you can see and where to stand.

One airport, two countries

If you look at the map for the first time, you wonder: the “Basel” airport lies only a few kilometers northwest of the city – but across the border, in Alsace. The grounds are spread across the municipalities of Blotzheim, Saint-Louis and Hésingue, and it is about 20 kilometers to Mulhouse. The reason is simply lack of space: after the Second World War, Basel had no suitable area for a modern airport, while France did.

The solution was a state treaty. France provided the land, Switzerland took over construction. On May 2, 1946, the first civil aircraft landed on the hastily built runway, and on May 8 the official inauguration followed – after a construction time of only about two months. The treaty that governs operations to this day was signed in 1949 and entered into force in 1950. Since then, the board has had eight members each from France and Switzerland, plus two advisory members from Germany. Since 1987, the airport has presented itself as EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg, making clear that it also serves southern Baden.

In May 2026, EuroAirport celebrated its 80th anniversary. And a lot of money is flowing today too: the airport cites a multi-year investment program of over €600 million to modernize infrastructure and service.

Three codes for one airport

The dual nature shows in the codes already. For passengers there are BSL (Basel) and MLH (Mulhouse), plus the shared metropolitan code EAP. Which code is on your ticket depends on which sector you want to go to. The ICAO code, by contrast, is unambiguous: LFSB. The “LF” at the start reveals that the airport belongs to France under aviation law. How the two code systems relate is explained in the article IATA and ICAO codes explained.

Swiss sector, French sector and the customs road

In the terminal, two countries meet. Originally there were two strictly separated public areas: a Swiss and a French sector, each with its own customs and police controls, its own parking garages – and parking fees in francs on one side and in euros on the other. In the Swiss sector, Swiss authorities apply Swiss customs, health and police law even though the ground is French.

So that travelers from Basel do not have to pass through France first, a roughly 2.5-kilometer duty-free road leads from the city directly into the Swiss sector. It is fenced, and there is no connection to the French road network. If you come from Alsace or Germany, you end up on the French side instead.

With Switzerland joining Schengen in 2009, the airside was reorganized: today a distinction is made mainly between Schengen and non-Schengen areas. For customs purposes, however, the two sectors remain separate, because Switzerland is not part of the EU customs union. For you as a spotter that means: pay attention to which side you arrive on – the bus lines stop in the Swiss or the French sector depending on where they come from.

Runways and runway direction in use

The heart is the concrete runway 15/33 at 3,900 meters. It runs roughly from north-northwest to south-southeast and is long enough for any widebody jet – which is crucial for the completion companies. It received its current length in the 1970s. Next to it is the much shorter crosswind runway 07/25, which hardly plays a role in normal operations.

Most landings come in over runway 15, that is, from the north over the Alsatian plain. For 15, the airport operates an instrument landing system that is checked every year by a calibration flight. With suitable wind conditions, landings are made in the opposite direction on 33; approaches then come from the south, from the direction of Basel. For this case, spotter reports recommend a spot at the fence on the runway centerline. How an instrument approach works is explained in the article ILS approach explained, and the basics of wind direction are in understanding the runway direction in use at an airport.

The 2026 runway renovation

In spring 2026, EuroAirport faced an exceptional situation. From April 15, 2026, the middle section of the main runway and taxiway Bravo were renewed. The airport stayed open, and traffic ran in a limited way over the short crosswind runway. After technical and safety acceptance, 15/33 returned to service on May 16, 2026 – five days earlier than planned. In parallel, floor coverings, arrival areas, the lounge and the finger dock in the terminal were modernized, and Hall 3 was equipped with self-bag-drop machines. Closures like these are often a chance for spotters to see unusual movements; more on that in runway closures and construction work.

What you see in scheduled traffic

easyJet as the top dog

Scheduled traffic at EuroAirport has a clear pacemaker: easyJet. As early as 2014, its market share was 55 percent, and the basic direction has not changed. A large part of the fleet at the airport belongs to easyJet Switzerland, which operates a base in Basel. The orange paint scheme is the same for all group companies; you tell the difference by the registration: HB- for the Swiss, G- for the British and OE- for easyJet Europe. How to read registrations is explained in understanding aircraft registrations and Swiss HB registrations. In types, the A320 family dominates – from the Airbus A320 to the A320neo and A321neo.

Network airlines and leisure airlines

In the summer 2026 schedule, according to EuroAirport, more than 30 airlines fly to over 100 destinations. The network airlines connect Basel mainly with their hubs: Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, British Airways, Austrian Airlines and Brussels Airlines. Eurowings and Norwegian are also part of the program.

It gets exciting with the leisure and ethnic airlines. EuroAirport serves a region with many people from Turkey, the Balkans and North Africa – the apron is correspondingly colorful. You meet Pegasus Airlines, SunExpress, AJet, Corendon Airlines, Wizz Air, Air Algérie, El Al and flydubai, among others. Add Ryanair, Vueling, Condor, Chair Airlines and Air Transat. Exactly which routes run changes with the summer and winter schedule – check the current departure and arrival boards before your visit.

A look back: Crossair and SWISS

Basel was for a long time a home airport of Swiss regional aviation. The historic Crossair (1975–2002) was at home here and shaped the airport for decades. On May 31, 2015, however, SWISS gave up Basel as a destination. If you want to see SWISS aircraft today, go to Zurich or Geneva.

Cargo

Since January 2015, EuroAirport has had a new cargo terminal. In 2024, about 104,800 tons of cargo were handled. In express traffic, FedEx Express and DHL, among others, are represented – background on the big parcel carriers is provided by the article express integrators DHL, FedEx and UPS. How to tell freighters from passenger aircraft is covered in identifying freighter aircraft.

The jet completion centers: Basel’s specialty

What sets EuroAirport apart from almost all other airports of its size is industry. The airport itself counts it, besides passengers and cargo, among its three business areas, and for spotters it is the main reason for a visit.

Jet Aviation

The story begins in 1967: back then, entrepreneur Carl W. Hirschmann took over the hangars of the former Basel airline Globe Air and founded Jet Aviation there as a maintenance company for business aircraft. From 1977, cabin outfitting was added. Since 2008, Jet Aviation has belonged to the US group General Dynamics, which also owns Gulfstream. In Basel, the company today operates seven hangars with maintenance, engineering, design and its own production for cabins. According to the company, aircraft from Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Dassault, Embraer and Gulfstream are serviced.

AMAC Aerospace

Younger but just as visible is AMAC Aerospace. The company was founded in 2007 to meet the need for maintenance and outfitting of corporate and VIP jets. By its own account, the group operates a network of eight hangars for mid-size business jets as well as narrowbody and widebody aircraft. In Basel, AMAC offers completion, refurbishment, maintenance and engineering. Since 2016, the French cabin maker JCB Aero has also belonged to the group.

What that means for you

A completion project works like this: the manufacturer delivers an aircraft with an empty cabin, often still without the customer’s livery. In Basel it is outfitted over months – with bedrooms, conference rooms, bathrooms and elaborate electronics –, tested and finally handed over to the customer. For spotters that means:

• Rare types: Besides classic business jets such as the Bombardier Global 7500, Gulfstream G650 or Dassault Falcon 7X, airliners in VIP configuration show up – from the Airbus ACJ319 and ACJ320neo to the Boeing Business Jet. Spotter reports also mention VIP versions of widebody jets such as the Boeing 787 or the Boeing 747-8.
• Unpainted aircraft: Many jets arrive in primer or plain white. Which house liveries manufacturers use is explained in house liveries of Airbus, Boeing and Embraer.
• Test flights and ferry flights: After outfitting come shop flights and delivery – without a fixed schedule. Here only patience and a look at ADS-B trackers help.
• Exotic registrations: The customers come from all over the world, so the registrations are correspondingly varied. The country codes of aircraft help with identifying them.

Honestly: much of this happens in hangars. Whether a particular aircraft is outside is a matter of luck, and some customers value discretion. Spotters who come to Basel regularly therefore take every movement in front of the halls. Which other shipyards in Europe are similarly exciting is shown in maintenance companies and shipyards in Europe. You can find tips on identification in spotting business jets and telling Gulfstream, Global, Falcon & co. apart.

Spotting at EuroAirport

The observation deck

The easiest way in is the observation deck in the terminal. According to the airport, it is open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and free. Since October 18, 2025, however, only part of it has been open to the public again. From above you overlook the apron and the runways; drinks and snacks are available on the French and the Swiss side. Before your visit, check on euroairport.com whether conditions have changed.

Belvédère in Blotzheim

Known among spotters is the Belvédère viewing platform. It lies outside the terminal on a road under the approach to runway 15 and offers a clear view of landings in this direction. How the light stands there at what time of day is best calculated beforehand – the article planning the sun position for your photo spot shows you how.

On the runway centerline

When runway 33 is in use, according to spotter reports you can stand at the fence on the runway centerline and photograph approaches from close up. Stick to public paths, do not enter fields and do not climb fences. Ladders and steps are a topic of their own – see ladders, steps and tripods at the airport fence.

Because the airport is in France, French rules apply. What to observe when taking photos there is covered in photographing at French airports, and the general rules in Is plane spotting allowed?. Drones are off-limits near the airport.

Getting there

EuroAirport has no direct rail connection. A project for one has been planned for years but had not been implemented as of October 2026; commissioning is considered realistic around 2035 at the earliest, and the schedule is uncertain. Until then, the bus is the means of choice:

From Basel SBB you reach Zurich, Bern and Lucerne by train; from Saint-Louis, trains run to Mulhouse, Colmar and Strasbourg. By car, depending on where you come from, you reach either the Swiss part via the customs road or the French part via the French road network – the parking garages are separate.

Basel compared with Zurich and Geneva

Basel has little in common with the two big Swiss airports – even though it belongs to Switzerland, if only half.

Zurich Airport delivers SWISS long-haul and a variety of types, Geneva Airport business jets and a Jura backdrop – and Basel the VIP jets of the completion companies. If you combine all three on one trip, you get the complete spectrum. You will find travel ideas in the guides plane spotting in Zurich and plane spotting in Geneva. From southern Germany, Stuttgart Airport with its observation deck is also an option. And if you want to take a rest day: the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne is easy to reach from Basel.

Conclusion

EuroAirport is an airport full of contradictions: Swiss in name, French in soil, German in catchment area. In scheduled traffic, easyJet sets the pace, complemented by a colorful mix of leisure and ethnic airlines. The real spotter topic, though, is the completion companies of Jet Aviation and AMAC Aerospace, which have been bringing business and VIP jets to Basel for decades. If you arrive with patience, ID and an eye on the runway direction in use, you can photograph aircraft here that are hardly seen at other airports.