Construction of the New Terminal Building Began in March 2022
Construction of the new terminal building began in March 2022, designed to accommodate 1.5 million passengers annually and simultaneously service six aircraft. The opening of the new terminal building was attended by the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, the Minister of Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure, Goran Vesić, the Minister of Economy, Anđelka Atanasković, the Mayor of Niš, Dragana Sotirovski, and the Director of Airports of Serbia, Mihajlo Zdravković.
“We need to implement measures to increase passenger traffic, have Air Serbia fly more frequently from Niš, and especially develop cargo traffic as it can bring a lot of money and companies,” said Vučić, adding that the potential for cargo traffic should be considered given the growth in industrial production. He assessed that if Niš had a logistics center and cargo services, it would be a huge opportunity for the city's development.
Serbia Negotiating with Low-Cost Airlines
“Serbia is negotiating with low-cost airlines to fly from Niš,” said Vučić.
He noted that the specialized international exhibition "Expo," which will be held in Belgrade in 2027, will also be significant for Niš as many visitors will use Niš airport to visit the exhibition, and the airport in Lađevci will also see increased activity. He recalled that in 2012, flights from Niš only went to Podgorica with city subsidies and there were 27,500 passengers, whereas last year the airport served 448,000 passengers, with over half a million expected in 2025.
“The state has invested 2.7 billion dinars in the development of air traffic in Niš,” said Vučić, highlighting plans to further increase the airport's capacity, tripling the number of passengers it can serve.
It is planned that the old terminal building will be demolished, and a new structure will be built in its place, serving as an extension of the new terminal building.
“Initiative 2027” Investment Plans
“As part of the ‘Initiative 2027’, an additional 60 million euros is planned to be invested in the infrastructure of Konstantin Veliki Airport for the construction of a control tower, the reconstruction of the runway, extending it to 2.5 kilometers, and the construction of a taxiway with an isolated parking position. All this is necessary for larger aircraft to land in Niš,” said Vučić.
10 New Check-In Counters
The new terminal building, covering 7,500 square meters, includes 10 check-in counters, a 400-square-meter duty-free shop, office space for airlines, car rental agencies, a business club, a VIP area, and commercial space, restaurants, and bars on the upper floor.
The new parking lot at the airport has 580 parking spaces for passenger vehicles, a special section for disabled persons, a VIP parking area, 103 truck spaces, five electric vehicle chargers, and a green area with 200 seedlings.
In 2018, the Niš airport became state-owned through the votes of the majority of Niš city councilors. During the summer flight schedule, flights are operated to 13 regular destinations with two charter routes, serviced by Air Serbia, Ryanair, and Wizz Air.
