Budapest Liszt Ferenc Airport

When people think of Budapest, they think of the Danube, Parliament and thermal baths – and usually not of one of Central Europe’s most exciting spotting airports. Yet Ferihegy, as the airport is still called in the scene, offers a mix that is rare: the home base of Wizz Air, a cargo area with widebody freighters, long-haul routes to China and Korea, two parallel runways with clearly divided roles and an open-air museum where you can walk aboard Soviet airliners. Add a terrace in the terminal and two hills at the fence. If you know the runway direction in use, you have a very good spotting day here.

From Ferihegy to Liszt Ferenc

The story begins in the late 1930s. Budapest’s airport was then in Budaörs but had become too small. For a new site on the territory of Ferihegy, the city chose the design of architect Károly Dávid Jr. in December 1939 – an arrivals building whose floor plan resembles an airplane from above. Construction began in 1942, military facilities went into operation first, and toward the end of the war many buildings were damaged. The airport only opened to civil air traffic on May 7, 1950.

The name Ferihegy, by the way, does not go back to a place but to a person: Ferenc Mayerffy, who farmed land in the area in the 19th century – Hungarian sources describe him sometimes as a brewer, sometimes as a vineyard owner. From “Feri,” the pet form of Ferenc, and “hegy” for hill, came the name that generations of travelers knew. In March 2011, on the composer’s 200th birthday, the government renamed the airport Budapest Liszt Ferenc – a decision that was politically controversial at the time. In everyday life many Hungarians still say Ferihegy today.

For decades Ferihegy was the base of Malév, the state airline founded in 1954. In 1957 KLM became the first Western airline to land in Budapest, in 1983 the second runway was added, in 1985 Terminal 2A and at the end of 1998 Terminal 2B. On February 3, 2012, Malév ceased flight operations – a blow that cost the airport about 1.5 million transfer passengers a year at a stroke and fundamentally changed its profile.

Budapest has long since recovered from the shock. In 2019 the airport counted about 16.2 million passengers, in 2024 about 17.5 million, and in 2025 a new record of about 19.6 million was reached – an increase of almost twelve percent. Growth is driven mainly by low-cost traffic, joined by new long-haul routes. For you that means Budapest is much busier today than in Malév days, just with a completely different airline mix.

Ownership: back in state hands

Ownership has changed several times over the past twenty years. In 2005 the Hungarian state sold a majority of the operator to the British airport company BAA. As early as 2007 a consortium led by the German construction group Hochtief took over that stake, with Canadian and Singaporean investors among others involved.

In June 2024 the state bought the airport back for about 3.1 billion euros. Since then a state holding company holds 80 percent and France’s VINCI Airports 20 percent. VINCI runs the airport under a concession that, according to the company, lasts until 2080. For everyday life at the fence that changes little, for long-term development all the more – because the new owners brought fresh momentum to the expansion plans.

Two parallel runways, terminal in the middle

Budapest has two parallel runways running northwest-southeast. The northern 13L/31R is the longer one at 3,707 meters and opened in 1983. The southern 13R/31L measures 3,010 meters. Both are 45 meters wide. Between them lies Terminal 2 with areas 2A and 2B; the old Terminal 1 is farther west at the edge of the grounds.

As a rule of thumb according to common spotter guides: traffic lands on the right-hand runway and departs from the left. With operations toward 31, traffic therefore mostly lands on 31R and departs from 31L; with operations toward 13, accordingly on 13R and 13L. There are exceptions: heavy freighters like the Boeing 747 often request the longer runway for performance reasons, and landings on 31L occur in certain traffic situations – then the approaches pass low over the Aeropark. In the early morning, according to the same sources, air traffic control often prefers 13 to avoid departures over the city.

The terminals: 2A, 2B, SkyCourt – and a monument

Passenger traffic now runs entirely through Terminal 2. Section 2A opened in 1985 for Malév and now mainly serves flights within the Schengen area; section 2B was added at the end of 1998 and handles most non-Schengen flights. Since March 27, 2011, the SkyCourt has connected the two areas – a large central building with security, lounges and shops.

The historic Terminal 1 with its airplane-shaped floor plan is a listed monument. After privatization it was renovated in 2005 and used as a terminal for low-cost carriers. At the end of May 2012, a few months after Malév’s demise, it closed to scheduled passenger traffic. Since then, according to Hungarian reference works, the area has served cargo, charter, small-aircraft and government flights. For spotters the old building is a nice subject – and a hint that aircraft outside scheduled operations occasionally stand on the west side.

A new terminal has been discussed for years – originally it was already planned for around 2020. In February 2026, according to reference works, the foundation stone was laid for a new terminal. Capacity and opening date were not reliably documented at press time. For you that means views around Terminal 2 may change in the coming years because of construction sites.

Wizz Air shapes the picture

Since the end of Malév, Budapest no longer has a hub-based network airline. Low-cost traffic has filled the gap, above all Wizz Air. The airline, founded in 2003, has its headquarters and main hub in Budapest. Accordingly, Airbus narrowbody jets in pink and purple dominate, above all the A321neo and the A321. If you collect Wizz Air registrations, you are at the right address here.

Shortly after Malév’s demise, Ryanair opened a base in Budapest. The Irish airline flies there with the Boeing 737-800 and jets of the 737 MAX family. Because Ryanair jets barely differ in appearance, it pays to note every registration properly. In addition, reference works list Smartwings Hungary as an airline based in Budapest, which belongs to the Czech Smartwings group.

Network, Gulf and long-haul

The major European hubs are represented with feeders. Among others, Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, LOT, KLM, Air France and British Airways connect Budapest with their home airports. According to published route figures, Istanbul was the busiest route by passengers in 2024, closely followed by London Stansted, Frankfurt and Barcelona – with Turkish Airlines and Pegasus, Istanbul is accordingly well served.

Long-haul is the exciting part for spotters. From the Gulf, Emirates and flydubai come from Dubai; Qatar Airways is present mainly with freighters. From Asia, according to reference works, several Chinese carriers fly in, including Air China, China Southern, Shanghai Airlines and Hainan Airlines, as well as Korean Air and Asiana from Seoul. To North America there are seasonal connections from Air Canada to Toronto and from American Airlines to Philadelphia. As of October 2026 – long-haul routes change with every schedule, so check the current offering before your visit.

Cargo: Budapest as a cargo hub

What many underestimate: Budapest is a significant cargo airport. According to VINCI Airports, almost 300,000 metric tons of air cargo are handled per year. Since November 2019 there has been BUD Cargo City with its own apron, which in the first expansion stage was designed for two Boeing 747-8Fs. The cargo airlines serving Budapest include, according to reference works, Cargolux, FedEx, UPS, Turkish Cargo, Qatar Airways Cargo, Korean Air Cargo and several Chinese cargo carriers.

For you that means true widebody freighters like the Boeing 747-400, the 747-8 and the 777F. Because the heavy jets often use the long 13L/31R, your chances are better at Spotterdomb near Vecsés than at the Aeropark. How to tell freighter versions of passenger jets apart is explained in the article Identifying freighters.

Spotting in Budapest: four places to go

Unlike some large airports, Budapest makes things relatively easy for spotters. There is a terrace in the terminal, a museum on the airport grounds and two hills that are established in the scene. The runway direction in use decides which spot is worth it.

Observation deck in Terminal 2A: On the upper level above the check-in counters is an observation terrace that you reach by elevator before security. The view looks onto the northern parking positions and runway 13L/31R. Ideal for collecting current registrations at the gate without a car. Check opening hours on site.

Aeropark: The open-air museum near Terminal 2B shows the fleet of the former Malév, including Tu-154, Tu-134, two Il-18s and an Il-14. You can walk aboard many of the aircraft. When landings are on 31L, the approaches pass low over the grounds. All details on the collection, tickets and directions are in the spot guide to the Aeropark at Budapest Airport.

Spotter Hill at 13R: In the northwest of the airport at the end of Igló utca is a hill popular with locals. It is suited for landings on 13R; you only see the other runway from a distance. You can reach it by car or by bus 200E to the Szemeretelep vasútállomás stop.

Spotterdomb near Vecsés: In the southeast at 13L/31R is a hill for landings and departures on 31R, with benches and gaps in the vegetation as photo windows. Because the heavy freighters often land here, it is the spot for widebody aircraft. It is practically only reachable by car via the M4.

For photos across the long runways: on hot summer days the air shimmers strongly from late morning. Early morning hours and the evening usually bring the sharper pictures. How to plan the sun for your vantage point is in the article Planning the sun position at the photo spot; the right focal length is covered in Lens and focal length for plane spotting.

Getting there: bus, train or car

The airport lies about 16 kilometers southeast of downtown in the 18th district. The fastest way from the center is the express bus 100E, which has run from Deák Ferenc tér to Terminal 2 since 2017. It has its own fare; regular city tickets are not accepted.

Cheaper is the combination of metro M3 to the terminus Kőbánya-Kispest and bus 200E toward Terminal 2. The bus also stops at the Repülőmúzeum stop at the Aeropark. Since 2007 there has also been the Ferihegy rail stop on the line toward Cegléd, near the old Terminal 1. Regional trains take a good 20 minutes from there to Nyugati station downtown. From the stop, a bus continues to Terminal 2.

By car you drive to the airport via the M4. For the hills a car is practically a must; for the terrace and the Aeropark, public transport is enough.

Budapest compared

In Central Europe, Budapest plays in the same league as Prague Airport and Warsaw Chopin Airport. Unlike Warsaw with LOT, however, Budapest no longer has its own network airline. In return the low-cost share is higher, and cargo traffic is much stronger than the passenger numbers suggest.

Vienna Airport is only a good two and a half hours away by car and combines ideally: there Austrian and the Lufthansa Group are strong, in Budapest Wizz Air and Ryanair. For live traffic in Vienna, the spotters’ hill is the first address. If you like the museum-plus-airport concept, in Germany you find it at the Flugwerft Schleißheim near Munich. The article on the best spotting spots in Europe collects more ideas for a spotting trip.

Conclusion

Budapest Liszt Ferenc Airport reinvented itself after Malév’s demise. Instead of a network hub you now find a low-cost airport with Wizz Air at its center, a strong cargo location and a surprising number of long-haul routes to Asia and the Gulf. Two parallel runways with clearly divided roles keep planning manageable – provided you check the runway direction in use.

With the terrace in Terminal 2A, the Aeropark and the two hills, Budapest has more legal spots than many larger airports. Without a car you are left with the combination of terrace and museum; with a car you also reach the freighters and landings at Spotterdomb and Spotter Hill.