Katowice (EPKT)

Katowice International Airport (Polish: Port Lotniczy Katowice) (IATA: KTW, ICAO: EPKT) is an international airport located in Pyrzowice in the Silesian Voivodeship in southern Poland. It serves the Upper Silesian metropolitan area and a large part of southern Poland, with convenient access from Katowice and neighbouring cities. The airport features a 3,200 m runway (08/26) capable of handling wide-body operations, multiple passenger terminals and dedicated cargo infrastructure, reflecting its role as both a high-volume leisure gateway and one of Poland's key air freight airports.

The airfield's origins are military. Construction began in 1940 under German occupation as a Luftwaffe base, built for durable wartime operations and eastern logistics. After 1945 the site came under Soviet control and later was transferred to the Polish Air Force, remaining a military installation through the Cold War era, with infrastructure and procedures shaped primarily by defence requirements rather than commercial aviation.

A major transition started after Poland's political and economic transformation. In the early 1990s the airport opened to civilian traffic and began developing passenger infrastructure, initially modest but steadily expanding as demand grew in a densely populated region. Charter operations became increasingly important, providing direct access to holiday destinations and establishing Katowice as a practical departure point for leisure travel.

The early 2000s brought rapid growth driven by the rise of low-cost carriers and the continued strength of charters. To accommodate increasing movements, the airport expanded terminals, apron and landside facilities, while simultaneously developing cargo operations supported by strong road connectivity and a central European location. This dual profile - passenger and freight - became a defining feature of EPKT and supported year-round utilisation beyond seasonal peaks.

In recent years, further investments have focused on capacity, efficiency and resilience, including terminal upgrades, additional stands and modernised airfield systems. Today, Katowice Airport stands as one of Poland's most important regional airports, combining high passenger throughput with a significant cargo role and a mature operational profile shaped by decades of transformation.