Low-cost and budget airlines use regional airports throughout Germany for cheap non-stop flights at low airfares and ticket prices to German and European destinations.

Deregulation of European airlines and the welcome arrival of low-cost airlines in Germany has made flying cheaper and introduced more direct flights from regional German airports.

Airports in Northern Germany Used by Low-Cost Airlines

The most important airport in northern Germany is Hamburg Airport (HAM), the fourth busiest in Germany.

Hamburg can also easily be reached from Lübeck Airport (LBC) although Lübeck itself is worth visiting too.

Bremen Airport (BRE) has only a limited number of flights, which is pity as the airport is only minutes from the city center.

Hannover Airport (HAJ) is popular with low-cost airlines and serves a large number of European holiday destinations. Only Frankfurt has a larger number of direct flights to Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Rostock Airport (RLG) is convenient for destinations on the German Baltic coast including Stralsund, Wismar, Kühlungsborn, and Heiligendamm.

Airports in Western Germany Used by Low-Cost Airlines

The most important airport by far in Germany is Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) – 10 minutes by train from Frankfurt am Main. It is mostly avoided by low-cost airlines but it is always worth comparing prices as Lufthansa frequently has internet specials.

Frankfurt-Hahn Airport (HHN) is a complete misnomer – it is around 120 km from Frankfurt but convenient for Trier, Luxemburg, and visitors to the Mosel and Rhine Rivers.

Düsseldorf Airport (DUS), Germany’s third busiest airport, is only 15 minutes by S-Bahn from the Hauptbahnhof with excellent connections to the Ruhr area.

Ruhr cities Dortmund (DTM) and Paderborn (PAD) have an increasing number of cheap flights too.

Weeze (Niederrhein) (NRN) is a major hub of low-cost airline Ryanair. However, it is far from Düsseldorf or any major cities.

Münster Airport (FMO) in an area relatively seldom visited by foreign tourists.

Köln-Bonn Airport (CGN) in 2007 became the first airport on continental Europe with low-cost airlines flying to over 100 destinations.

Saarbrücken Airport (SCN) is one of the three smallest international airports in Germany but is served by a growing number of low-cost airlines.

Airports in Southern Germany Used by Low-Cost Airlines

• Airports in Bavaria

Munich (München) Airport (MUC) is Germany’s second busiest and actually has flights to more European destinations than Frankfurt International. It also has a huge number of domestic flights.

Nürnberg (Nuremberg) Airport (NUE) is a major hub of German low-cost airline Air Berlin.

Salzburg Airport (SZG) in Austria is convenient for some destinations in Bavaria including Berchtesgaden.

• Airports in Baden-Württemberg

Stuttgart Airport (STR) is a major hub for low-cost airlines Germanwings and TUIfly with a growing number of domestic and European destinations.

Friedrichshafen Airport (FDH) on the Bodensee (Lake Constance) is the base of low-cost airline Intersky (and Zeppelin for that matter). In winter, it is often used as airport to serve Bavaria’s popular ski resorts around Oberstdorf

Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport (FKB is convenient to the famous and very classy spa town as well the northern Black Forest. Strasbourg Airport (SXB) in neighboring France and Basel in both France and Switzerland are also convenient for travel to the Black Forest.

Airports in Eastern Germany Used by Low-Cost Airlines

Berlin currently has two main airports: Berlin-Tegel (TXL) and Berlin-Schönefeld (SXF). Most low-cost carriers use Schönefeld but Air Berlin mostly use the more convenient Tegel. The new Berlin Brandenburg International (BBI), being built next to Schönefeld, will replace all Berlin airports after 2011 (probably several years later).

Dresden Airport (DRS) is conveniently located a few minutes and cheap S-Bahn ride from Dresden.

Erfurt Airport (ERF) is equally conveniently located only minutes by bus from the center of town. Erfurt is only minutes by train from Eisenach and Weimar.

Leipzig-Halle Airport (LEJ) is halfway between the cities that gave it its name. It can be reached in 15 minutes by train from Leipzig.

Altenburg Airport (AOC) is not close to any major cities. It is a rather long 90-minute bus ride from Leipzig.