Palanga International Airport

History

Foundation and early years

Palanga Airport started operations in 1937 at a site 7 km east of the current terminal, near the Palanga-Darbėnai road. The Lithuanian Air Force pilots were trained there. In 1939, the first scheduled airline service in Lithuania began operating on Kaunas – Palanga route. During the Soviet occupation, the airport was used by the Soviet Air Force. The new air strip and facilities at the current site first appeared during the post-World War II period. In 1963, the airport was converted to a civilian airport. In 1991, Palanga Airport was re-registered as a national airport owned and run by the state.

Since 1993, the number of passengers passing through the airport has been increasing annually. Between 1994 and 1997, the passenger terminal was renovated. Passenger services and luggage handling was modernized to comply with the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Between 1994–1995, the flight control center was refurbished. In 1996–1997 the runway surface, and in 1998 the airport apron and taxiways were renovated. Since 1997, the airport joined the major international aviation organization ACI (Airports Council International).

Development since 2000

After Lithuania became a member of the European Union, passengers in 2004 increased more than 60% in comparison with that of 2003.

Infrastructure improvements continued in 2007 with the construction of North terminal to expand the terminals' area by 2000 m2 as well as to comply with Schengen border crossing regimen. In June–October 2007 the runway 01/19 was expanded to 2280x45 m along with installation of LIH (high intensity) lighting and embedding the runway centerline lights. The facility expansion completed in 2007 has made long-range route servicing a possibility. Over two hundred people are employed by the airport facilities.

Terminals

Two adjacent terminals connected by short walkways and a transit area serve the airport:

• The South Terminal was built in the seventies and modernized in the late nineties. It has been serving as the check-in area for all flights. It also houses airline offices and cafe/bar facilities.
• The new North Terminal opened on 26 October 2007, with 2000 m2 of space, to augment airport capabilities to serve arrivals and departures to and from non-Schengen zone countries.

Because of one-level terminal buildings layout where both departures and arrivals are handled on the ground floor level, there are no jet bridges at the airport. Passengers are transported to and from the aircraft by specialized shuttles.

Airlines and destinations

The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights at Palanga:

|airBaltic| Amsterdam, Riga |Mavi Gök Airlines | Seasonal Charter: Antalya |Norwegian Air Shuttle| Bergen (begins 31 March 2026), Oslo |Ryanair| London–Stansted Seasonal: Dublin |Scandinavian Airlines| Copenhagen |SkyUp Airlines | Seasonal charter: Sharm El Sheikh |Wizz Air | Oslo

Ground transportation

• Highway A13 connects the airport with southern Palanga (7 km) and Klaipėda (32 km)
• Highway A13 connects the airport with northern Liepāja (63 km)
• A public bus links the airport with Palanga and Klaipeda coach bus stations.
• Scandinavian Airlines passengers are serviced by shuttle bus operating between Klaipėda and the airport.

References

References

1. "PLQ".
2. "About Lithuanian Airports".
3. "Tarptautinis Palangos oro uostas".
4. (29 August 2023). "AirBaltic announces 11 new routes in Summer 2024".
5. "Airbaltic 2024 Summer New Routes - 29AUG 2023".
6. (4 September 2023). "airBaltic NS24 Network Changes – 03SEP23".
7. "Join Up! reveals a new destination".
8. "Route map".
9. "Norwegian NS26 Network Additions – 01OCT25".
10. . (August 2023). "Oslo, Norway". *[[OAG (company)*.
11. . (August 2023). "Klaipeda/Palanga, Lithuania". *[[OAG (company)*.
12. (21 September 2023). "Ryanair cuts 17 routes and 19 aircraft from Dublin Airport over 45% increase in airport costs".
13. "Where SAS is flying this summer".
14. (30 October 2024). "SAS NW24 Europe Service Changes – 27OCT24".
15. "Historic Moment for Palanga Airport".
16. (12 September 2025). "Wizz Air to launch seven new routes from Lithuania".
17. "Microsoft Word – Lithuania Air Transport Infrastructure – no security.doc".