Copenhagen Airport (Private Terminal)

A Legacy of Private Aviation

CPH originated on April 20th, 1925, as one of the world’s first civilian airports. At the time, the terminal building was made of wood, and there were also a few hangars, a balloon mast, a hydroplane landing stage, and runways that were comprised of grassy meadows (with the grass being kept short by sheep, which were shepherded away from the runways before takeoffs and landings). A new terminal was completed in 1939, designed by Vilhelm Lauritzen, and it was considered one of the finest examples of Nordic functionalism. During WWII, the airport was closed for civilian flights except for occasional flights to Sweden, Germany, and Austria. Nonetheless, the first paved runway opened in 1941, and it was 4,600 feet long and 213 feet wide. As the airport was never involved in the actual war, it was the most modern international airport in Europe at the culmination of WWII. Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) was founded on August 1st, 1947, which was momentous for CPH, as traffic increased rapidly in the years that followed. By 1948, it had grown to be the third-busiest airport in Europe, with 150 daily takeoffs and 300,000 passengers served. In order to keep up, the terminals were expanded several times, while new hangars were added as well. SAS began the world’s first trans-polar route in 1954 (to Los Angeles), making CPH a popular transit point for Hollywood stars and producers flying to Europe in the years after that. By 1956 the airport was handling 1 million passengers per year, winning the award for world’s best airport en route. The runways were also lengthened that year, and technically advanced equipment was installed to move them into the future. On May 10th, 1960, a new airport terminal (now Terminal 2) was inaugurated, and the jet age commenced with 28 daily jet operations. By 1969 the terminal building was yet again deemed too small, bringing about a new expansion project. As such, domestic traffic was moved to a new terminal (on the eastern part of Terminal 1). The current international terminal was expanded with a new pier (C) and a separate arrivals hall. Furthermore, a new air traffic control tower opened, along with 11,800 feet of new runways (thereby allowing for simultaneous takeoffs and landings). These modifications were completed in 1972 when the airport served over eight million annual passengers. However, traffic continued to grow, and a new airport was contemplated for a while. This was eventually rejected, and in 1980 the Danish parliament decided to increase the capacity at CPH to 20-22 million annual passengers by 2000. The works commenced in 1982 to create an oasis where international travelers could relax, with breathtaking architecture, pleasant and comfortable surroundings, Scandinavian design, shops, restaurants, and other facilities. Moreover, a new cargo terminal was planned in the eastern part of the airport. In 1998, several construction projects were completed, including a pier connecting the domestic and international terminals, a new arrivals hall, modern baggage handling facilities, an underground railway station, two underground parking facilities (with 2,400 open spaces), and the new Terminal 3, with the first stage of Pier D completed the following year. 2001 saw the opening of the five-star Hilton hotel (with 382 rooms). In 2006 CPH served over 20 million passengers, the most in its history. The following year the airport metro station opened, connecting the airport to the Copenhagen Metro. In 2008 a new air traffic control tower opened, and plans for a new low-cost terminal were announced. It opened in 2010. In 2014 plans to increase capacity to over 40 million annual passengers were announced. The following year, CPH became the first Scandinavian airport to have regularly scheduled Airbus A380 service via Emirates.