Bratislava airport (BTS/LZIB) is located on east side of city, only 30 minutes from city centre by bus or car. Number of passengers has increased in last years, reachning 1,942 millions in 2017. Airport is named afted general Milan Rastislav Stefanik – Slovak politician, diplomat, aviator and astronomer.

Scheduled passenger flights are mostly operated by Ryanair. In summer months, many charters are operated mostly by Smartwings and charter carriers like Air Cairo, Pegasus, or Sky Express. Cargo operations are handled by DHL and RAF Avia. Airport is homebase for Slovak Government Flying Service fleet.

Online timetable can be found on the official website 

Written by Marian Chovancak, Martin Oswald and Thomas Rings. Last Change: March 2024 – Spot 12 added

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
04/22	2.900 m (9.515 ft) Concrete
13/31	3.190 m (10.466 ft) Concrete
Terminals
Terminal A	Schengen flights
Terminal B	non-Schengen flights
Spotting Information
Ladder	Ladder is needed for spots 9 and 10. On other spots, not needed, as there are holes in fence.
Car/Public Transport	Car can be useful, but it is not possible to drive along all perimeter. Bus connection is available, however to some spots it is quite long walk from public transport. Best solution is to use car and park it on one of available parkings. Then continue by foot or bike if available. In general – west part of airport is accesible by public transport, east part (from Ivanka pri Dunaji) is better accesible by car.
Restrooms	There is a bench on spot 5. Othervise, not much restrooms available on perimenter. On spot 1, you can find rest areas in airport terminal.
Drinks/Food	Food and drinks can be found in terminal building (spot 1). On other spots, you have to leave them and drive to nearest areas – Bratislava-Vrakuňa on South, Ivanka pri Dunaji on East or Avion Shopping park on West
Hotels	Most hotels are located in city centre. However, there are some hotels nearby airport – like Aviator Hotel Garni
Season	Summer months are better, as there are many charter flights (May to September)
Runway Usage
General Info	There are two main runways configurations in use most of the time – Departures 04 Arrivals 31 or Departures 13 Arrivals 22. However, exceptions are possible on pilot requests if traffic situation permints.
04	Used mostly for departures, if wind direction is from north or north-east
13	Used mostly for departures, if wind direction is from south or south-west
22	Used mostly for arrivals, if wind direction is from south or south-west
31	Used mostly for arrivals, if wind direction is from north or north-east

Airport Terminal - General aviation stands

WHERE	Standing in front of terminal building, continue by walk to the control tower. Follow fence to the left and in few meters, you will find closed gate. After that, you will easily find 4 holes in fence. You can get to terminal easily by public transport. If you want to use car, it is possible to park it on airport, but remember that there are high fees for parking there.
WHAT	Stands 31 – 34 are greatly visible. Stand 35, 1 and 2 can be visible in some special circumstances. Planes on taxi to runway 13 via taxiway F are also visible from here.
TIME	Sun is on good position from afternoon (about 14:00) until evening all the year. There can be heat haze for more distatnt planes (twy F, stands 31, 32) during summer months. Spot is good to take night shots by tripod as well.
MISC.	Food and drinks can be found in terminal building. Ladder is not needed on this position, however if you want to use it, you can. If apron is full, it is hard to catch planes on more distant stands, as they are behind planes on short distant stands. Usually you can faind here bizjets, but this area is also used for smaller cargo planes, like An-12, An-24, RJ-85 and so on.
FOCAL LENGTH	70 – 300 mm B737 on stand 31 ~ 125 mm; F900 on stand 33 ~ 100 mm; CRJ200 on stand 35 ~ 92 mm

BTS-Spot1

BTS-Spot1

BTS-Spot1

Fence corner – Runway 04/22 + Storage rows

WHERE	Park your car near fruit shops, which can be found north of this spot by the roadside of highway 62. Continue by foot and walk on the dirty route to the airport fence (as marked on the map). Once you have arrived there, search your favourite position along the fence…
WHAT	You can spot here planes on taxiway D, as well as landing traffic on runway 04/22.
TIME	From afternoon until evening.
MISC.	As there is mass highway building activity, dirty road is heavily used by trucks. I don’t reccomend to visit this spot until works are finished. Ladder not needed thanks to photo holes in the fence.
FOCAL LENGTH	767=70mm; 38m=100mm; BAe146=140mm

BTS-Spot2

BTS-Spot2

BTS-Spot2

Pharos - Runway 04 afternoon departures

WHERE	This spot is easy to reach from Pharos shopping center. If you arrive by bus, get off on Pharos. If you arrive by car, you can use local parking in front of sport equipment shop. Continue by walk to airport gate. On right side, you will spot railway track. Cross it, but be carreful, as it is in active service. After crossing, continue few meters via concrete road along fence to right. You will find 2 holes in fence for lenses.
WHAT	You can spot traffic on taxiway D and lining up runway 04. Sometimes, you can spot traffic on taxiway C, but you need higher focal lenses.
TIME	From afternoon (about 14:00) until evening.
MISC.	Ladder is not needed for this position. Nearest food and drinks are in Avion Shopping park, so better to take everything you need with you. On summer monts, heat haze can occure here. There is also a small hill, so when airplane is in best position, you will not see it’s wheels until it lines up runway 04.
FOCAL LENGTH	100 – 300 mm B737 ~ 200 mm; E135 ~ 280 mm; E505 ~ 300 mm

BTS-Spot3

BTS-Spot3

BTS-Spot3

Perimeter road - Runway 04 morning departures

WHERE	There are two ways how to reach this spot. From Spot #3, continue walk around runway 04 to opposite side. From Spot #5, continue along fence to runway 04. You will find two holes in fence next to the crash gate and another two holes in fence some meters away.
WHAT	Great spot for traffic departing on runway 04.
TIME	From early morning until noon (13:00)
MISC.	There is nothing, so take what you need. Ladded is not nessesary, but if you wish, you can use it. In summer months, heat haze can occur here.
FOCAL LENGTH	70 – 300 mm C560 ~ 270 mm; A319 ~ 150 mm; A124 ~ 86 mm

BTS-Spot4

BTS-Spot4

BTS-Spot4

Spotting Terrace - Runway 31 arrivals / Runway 13 departures

WHERE	Small spotting terrace is located just next to runway 13/31. Driving on Hradska route, turn to Majerska. Cross railway and continue stright ahead. You will arrive to opan iron gate. Cross it. From this point drive carefully, as the road is in poor conditions. You will find airport fence in front of you. Park your car here, you will see terrace on your right. Going by bus, get off on Majerska and walk to terrace (cca 20 minutes walk). If you walk from Spot #4, it will take you about 10 – 15 minutes to get there.
WHAT	Landings on runway 31, departures from runway 13/31, planes on taxiway F
TIME	Best from afternoon (14:00) until evening.
MISC.	There are some holes in fence and a small spotting terrace. Ladder is not needed, but if you have one, feel free to use it.
FOCAL LENGTH	50-300mm C680 on runway ~ 210 mm; A321 on runway ~ 105 mm; CRJ200 on taxiway ~ 62 mm; B737 on taxiway ~ 55 mm

BTS-Spot5

BTS-Spot5

BTS-Spot5

South road I - Runway 31 arrivals / Runway 13 departures

WHERE	From spotting terrace, continue via road having fence on your left. In less then 5 minutes, you will find 4 holes in fence.
WHAT	Landings on runway 31, departures from runway 13/31, planes on taxiway F
TIME	Best from afternoon (14:00) until evening.
MISC.	There are some trees which can produce some shadow for you in hot sunny days. Smaller airplanes departing runway 13 can be too high to get the best angle
FOCAL LENGTH	50 – 300 mm An24 ~ 165 mm; F100 ~ 130 mm; A321 ~ 105 mm

BTS-Spot6

BTS-Spot6

BTS-Spot6

South road II - Runway 31 arrivals

WHERE	From Spot #6, continue via road having fence on your left. In less then 5 minutes, you will find 4 holes in fence.
WHAT	From this spot, there are best “touchdown” photos. Landings on runway 31, planes on taxiway F
TIME	Best from afternoon (14:00) until evening.
MISC.	There is absolutly nothing here, so take everything what you need with you.
FOCAL LENGTH	50 – 300 mm R390 ~ 300 mm; A320 ~ 140 mm

BTS-Spot7

BTS-Spot7

BTS-Spot7

Spotting Hill - Runway 31 arrivals

WHERE	If you are walking from spot #7, just continue along runway 31. However, it will take about 30 minutes of walk to reach this spot. Best solution to get there is to drive by car to Ivanka pri Dunaji. From there, continue to M. R. Stefanik’s monument. Here, you can park your car and continue by walk. It will take about 10 minutes to Spot #9, about 15 minutes to Spot #8.
WHAT	Landings on runway 31, planes departing runway 13/31
TIME	In Summer, this spot is usefull from early morning until 11:00. In winter, it is not usable at all, as sun rises in centerline of runway.
MISC.	You have perfect view of runway 31. Ladder is not needed here at all.
FOCAL LENGTH	50 – 300 mm A320 ~ 102 mm

BTS-Spot8

BTS-Spot8

BTS-Spot8

North Road - Runway 31 arrivals, Runway 13 departures

WHERE	If you are walking from spot #8, just continue along runway 31. It will take about 5 minutes to get there. If you are walking from M. R. Stefanik’s monument, it will take about 10 minutes to get there.
WHAT	Landings on runway 31, planes departing runway 13/31
TIME	In Summer, this spot is usefull from early morning until 11:00. In winter, it is not usable at all, as sun rises in centerline of runway.
MISC.	On this spot, you need a ladder, ideally with 3 steps. Landing traffic is after touchdown here, departing traffic runway 13 is shortly after rotation.
FOCAL LENGTH	50 – 300 mm A319 ~ 92 mm; B734 ~ 98 mm

BTS-Spot9

BTS-Spot9

BTS-Spot9

Ivanka pri Dunaji - Runway 04/22

WHERE	Driving from Ivanka pri Dunaji, cross the river and contiue straight ahead. You will find works in progress as there are constructions of new highway, so drive carefully. On the place where route curves to left, continue stright ahead to crash gate. Park your car but make sure other cars can avoid you and continue.
WHAT	Landings on runway 22, planes departing runway 04. You can in general see the whole runway, so also a nice view when it is being used for storage parking.
TIME	From morning until noon.
MISC.	On this spot, you need a ladder, ideally with 3 or more steps. Smaller planes departing runway 04 can be high at this point, better to use this spot for landing traffic. Food and drinks can be found in Ivanka pri Dunaji, so take something with you.
FOCAL LENGTH	50 – 300 mm E190 ~ 280 mm; B733 ~ 135 mm

BTS-Spot9

BTS-Spot9

BTS-Spot9

Apron Gate - Main apron parts

WHERE	When in front of the terminal building, walk to the right until you reach the end of the building. You will see a security check point. Go towards the check point and kindly ask if you can take a picture of the Tu154. Normally, they will allow you to do so and tell you to go to the fence between the terminal and the security check point. There the fence is maybe 2m wide and approx. 2m high, shooting over it should not be a problem. If arriving by car, you can park in front of the terminal building. Directly in front there is 15 minutes free of charge, after that you’ll pay 5€/hour.
WHAT	Tu154 of Slovak Government OM-BYR parked right behind the check point. Depending on how other aircraft are parked, you might get a shot of some Air Explore 737s or anything else parked next to the Tu154.
TIME	Light conditions will be good early in the morning or late in the evening if the sun is shining.
MISC.	Food, drinks and restrooms are available in the terminal building. We recommend to use this spot without a ladder and only after asking at the security checkpoint if you are allowed to take a picture.
FOCAL LENGTH	50 – 300 mm Tu154 = ~90mm

BTS-Spot11

Baracks - 13 Movements

WHERE	When driving towards the airport, do not turn right once you approach the terminal area but keep going straight along the Ivanska cesta (there is an extra single lane at the right turn to the terminal – this is it!). Continue until the end where you will see some old baracks (and may hear dogs barking, since the dog-team of BTS is based there…). There is a weeping willow tree where you can park nearby. Keep in front of the “forbidden entry” sign for cars. Its only some 50m walk from there to the spot. When arriving with public transport walk about 5-7 minutes along the fence, past spot 1 and the baracks afterwards, then turn right. To shoot between the fence and the barbed wire you need a 3-step ladder. On the right side when looking towards the apron there is a crash gate where a lens fits through without a ladder.
WHAT	Movements on taxiway F towards runway 13 and aircraft lined up on 13.
TIME	From early afternoon until sunset. No heat haze since you are very close.
MISC.	Food, drinks, toilets at the terminal.
FOCAL LENGTH	Bring a short lens with you! 60 mm for the IAF B707 in the sample photo (shot through the crash gate), 70 mm for the A321N of Wizz Air on the taxiway, 100mm for it beeing lined up on 13 (both shot through the fence).

BTS-Spot12

BTS-Spot12

BTS-Spot12