Bucharest Airport
Guide to Bucharest Otopeni Airport, Romania's busiest airport and the hub of the country's flagship carrier TAROM.
Romania boasts a modern and rapidly expanding airport network that facilitates access to all the country’s major tourist destinations. With traffic reaching 26 million passengers in 2024, Romanian airports connect the country with hundreds of European and international cities.
The majority of air traffic is concentrated at Henri Coandă Airport in Bucharest, which alone handles approximately 61% of the country’s total passengers. Other significant airports include Cluj-Napoca, Timișoara, Iași and Bacău, which offer strategic connections to specific tourist regions. Romania’s accession to the Schengen Area, completed with the removal of border controls at air and sea borders in March 2024 and land borders in January 2025, has further simplified access to the country for European citizens.
Low-cost carriers such as Wizz Air, Ryanair and Blue Air (the latter currently operating at reduced capacity) have revolutionised the Romanian aviation market, alongside traditional carriers like TAROM, the national flag carrier, and major European operators including Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and Turkish Airlines. The summer season sees a surge in direct international flights, whilst winter flights focus primarily on connections to major European hubs.
All Romanian airports are well connected to city centres via shuttle buses, local public transport and taxi services, with journey times ranging from 15 to 45 minutes depending on the airport. For those wishing to explore the country with greater independence, numerous car rental companies are available at each airport—a particularly recommended solution for visiting Romania’s most enchanting sites, from Transylvanian castles to Bucovina’s painted churches, the Danube Delta to Carpathian ski resorts.
The Henri Coandă International Airport in Bucharest (IATA code: OTP), also known as Otopeni Airport after the locality hosting it, is Romania’s largest and busiest airport, with over 15.9 million passengers in 2024 (9% more than 2023). Located 18 kilometres north of the capital, it serves as the principal hub for the country’s domestic and international flights and is the primary gateway for visitors to Bucharest and all of Romania.
The airport features two modern terminals, completely renovated in recent years, and offers all necessary passenger services: free Wi-Fi, business lounges, restaurants, duty-free shops, currency exchange offices and ATMs. The airport is served by all major European airlines and is the operational base for TAROM, as well as one of Wizz Air’s principal hubs in Eastern Europe.
Bucharest Airport is the ideal choice for exploring Romania’s capital and the entire Wallachia region. From Bucharest, it’s easy to arrange excursions to Peleș Castle in Sinaia (approximately 130 km), Bran Castle in Transylvania (180 km) and Brașov (170 km). For those wishing to explore multiple regions, the airport also serves as an excellent starting point for self-drive tours to Transylvania or the Danube Delta on the Black Sea coast.
The Avram Iancu International Airport in Cluj-Napoca (IATA code: CLJ) is Romania’s second most important airport by passenger traffic, handling over 3.4 million passengers annually. Located just 8 kilometres east of Cluj-Napoca’s city centre, in the locality of Apahida, this airport serves as the primary gateway to Transylvania and its countless tourist attractions.
Inaugurated in the 1930s and completely renovated over the past two decades, the airport features a modern terminal with all essential services: business lounges, restaurants, duty-free shops, free Wi-Fi and comfortable waiting areas. The airport is one of Wizz Air‘s principal hubs in Romania and offers direct connections to numerous European cities.
Cluj-Napoca Airport is the perfect choice for those wishing to visit the heart of Transylvania. From Cluj, you can easily reach the Transfăgărășan Road, considered one of Europe’s most spectacular routes, the region’s castles, Saxon medieval towns such as Sighișoara and Sibiu, and the fortified churches of Biertan. The airport is also well positioned for reaching Maramureș to the north and Bucovina with its painted monasteries.
The Traian Vuia International Airport in Timișoara (IATA code: TSR) is one of western Romania’s principal airports, handling approximately 2 million passengers annually. Located 12 kilometres north-east of Timișoara, it serves the Banat region and represents a strategic entry point for arrivals from Central Europe.
The airport is named after Traian Vuia, a Romanian aviation pioneer from the area. The terminal, recently renovated and expanded, offers all standard services: free Wi-Fi, restaurants, shops and offices of major car rental companies. The airport is served primarily by Wizz Air, Ryanair, Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines.
Timișoara Airport is ideal for exploring the Banat region and western Romania. Timișoara itself, known as “Little Vienna” for its Austro-Hungarian architecture, deserves at least 2-3 days of exploration. From here, you can easily reach the Anina Gorges, Semenic-Cheile Carașului National Park and other natural attractions. Its proximity to the Hungarian and Serbian borders makes this airport convenient for itineraries combining multiple countries.
The Iași International Airport (IATA code: IAS) is the principal airport serving Romanian Moldavia, handling approximately 1.6 million passengers annually. Located 5 kilometres east of Iași’s city centre, it serves a large area of north-eastern Romania and is strategically positioned near the border with Moldova.
The airport has recently been expanded and modernised to accommodate growing demand. The terminal offers essential passenger services, including restaurants, shops and Wi-Fi. Proximity to Chișinău airport (Moldova) has influenced traffic in recent years, but Iași remains a fundamental access point for the region.
Iași Airport is the ideal gateway for visiting Bucovina and its famous painted monasteries, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From Iași, you can easily reach Suceava, the monasteries of Voroneț, Moldovița, Suceviţa and other jewels of medieval Moldavian art. Iași itself, with its churches and historic palaces, is well worth a thorough visit.
The Craiova International Airport (IATA code: CRA) serves the Oltenia region in south-western Romania. The airport experienced a traffic decline in 2024, primarily due to reduced connections operated by Wizz Air, but remains a useful access point for this part of the country.
Located approximately 7 kilometres east of Craiova, the airport offers limited but strategic connections to some European hubs. The terminal is modest in size but functional, with basic passenger facilities.
Craiova Airport is the best choice for visiting Oltenia, a less touristy but historically rich region. From Craiova, you can reach the Jiu Gorges, Tismana Monastery and the Horezu monastic complex (UNESCO World Heritage Site). The location also allows exploration of the Transfăgărășan Road from the southern approach.
The Bacău International Airport (IATA code: BCM) recorded significant growth in 2024, with over 300,000 more passengers than the previous year. Located approximately 5 kilometres south-west of Bacău, it serves central Moldavia and offers connections primarily to European hubs.
The airport is modest in size but has seen recent infrastructure investments. Direct connections are limited but growing, operated mainly by low-cost carriers during the summer season. The terminal offers essential passenger services.
The Brașov-Ghimbav International Airport (IATA code: GHV) is the newest among Romanian airports, officially inaugurated in June 2023. Located approximately 15 kilometres north of Brașov in the locality of Ghimbav, it represents a strategic addition to Romania’s airport network, significantly improving access to central-southern Transylvania and its principal tourist attractions.
The new terminal was designed to modern standards and offers all necessary passenger services. In 2024, the airport recorded significant growth compared to the partial 2023 period, handling approximately 150,000 passengers. Connections are still in development phase but already include several routes to European hubs and some seasonal destinations.
In the following map you can see the location of the main places of interest mentioned in this article.
To obtain the best airfare deals to Romania, it’s advisable to book well in advance, especially for summer flights when demand is highest. Prices tend to rise significantly closer to holidays and peak tourist periods. Always compare prices between different arrival airports: in some cases flying to Cluj or Timișoara can be more cost-effective than Bucharest, even when accounting for subsequent transfers.
Most Romanian airports offer car rental services from major international and local companies. Booking online before departure ensures better rates and greater vehicle availability. Those planning to explore multiple regions should consider car rental as the most flexible solution: distances between major attractions can be considerable and public transport, whilst available, doesn’t always offer convenient schedules for tourists.
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