The largest investment programme in the history of Katowice-Pyrzowice Airport will continue for another six years. Its key stage will be the construction of a new passenger terminal, scheduled to begin in 2029. This year, GTL, the airport operator, is focusing on completing a new multimodal hub for cargo and fuel handling, together with railway infrastructure. The project, designed to strengthen fuel security, is expected to be commissioned at the end of the year.
“This year we are carrying out investments worth more than PLN 170 million. The main project is a multimodal hub for cargo and fuel handling based on a railway siding. We will put it into operation in October this year. This is important strategic infrastructure,” says Artur Tomasik, President of the Management Board of Górnośląskie Towarzystwo Lotnicze, in an interview with Newseria during the European Economic Congress in Katowice.
Work on the project has been under way since September 2024, and its value amounts to PLN 130 million. The investment received more than EUR 10 million in EU funding under the Connecting Europe Facility 2021–2027 Military Mobility instrument.
“The expansion of the multimodal cargo handling hub, mainly for fuel storage, is important in the context of events in the Middle East. One of the key elements of an airport’s operational continuity is access to infrastructure that guarantees this continuity, and fuel is a crucial factor. We are building infrastructure with a capacity of 4,000 cubic metres. We sell more than 200,000 cubic metres of fuel, so we will fully meet all the requirements arising from the recommendations, according to which we will be able to store 2% of fuel in this facility. In this way, we will strengthen the security and continuity of aircraft refuelling in Pyrzowice,” Tomasik says.
Further investments are intended to improve Katowice Airport’s position in the MRO segment, which covers aircraft maintenance, repair and operations. In April, a new H4 technical hangar was opened. The facility can accommodate two aircraft the size of an Airbus A321. GTL says the launch of the new hangar will create around 200 new jobs. In total, almost 900 people will work in aircraft mechanics at Katowice Airport. Until now, the airport had four hangars with a total area of 33,500 sqm, where eight aircraft could be serviced at the same time.
“Cargo is also an important area. We have signed an agreement with DHL to build a turnkey cargo terminal for DHL Express, with which we have been cooperating for 30 years. DHL will focus on the operational part and on equipping this modern facility, which we would like to open at the beginning of 2029,” the GTL president says.
The courier operator has a share of more than 30% in Katowice’s air cargo market. The new facility, with an area of around 4,500 sqm, is to be built in the south-eastern part of the airport, next to the cargo aircraft apron. Construction is scheduled to start next year. GTL expects the new cargo terminal to strengthen Katowice Airport’s already strong position in the cargo segment. Last year, the airport handled a record 64,300 tonnes of cargo, while this year’s result is expected to exceed 50,000 tonnes. In the first quarter of this year, the airport recorded cargo growth of more than 35%.
“Our core business is passenger traffic. Therefore, all the efforts we will make in the coming years to develop infrastructure are aimed at improving passenger service comfort, increasing capacity and safety, and at the same time expanding the airport’s ability to generate revenue from areas designated for retail in the facility,” Tomasik explains.
The main project will be the new passenger terminal, with construction planned to begin in 2029. The first passengers are expected to be handled there three years later.
“We are still conducting a tender to select the designer of the new terminal infrastructure. I hope that this year we will be able to choose the best designer from the six candidates, sign the contract and start physical work on the project,” says the GTL president.
In the meantime, passenger Terminal C will be expanded. In the fourth quarter of 2025, the company signed an agreement with Budimex for the project. The terminal’s area will increase from around 7,000 sqm to nearly 10,500 sqm. The baggage reclaim hall will also be enlarged, with the number of carousels rising from three to five. The investment is expected to be completed before the 2027 summer season.
One of the major tasks included in Katowice Airport’s infrastructure development programme for 2024–2032 is the construction of new outdoor car parks and a multi-storey car park. In April, the second stage of the P5 car park project began, adding 1,100 new parking spaces. Once completed, the car park will have capacity for almost 2,000 vehicles.
Passenger-related investments are intended to prepare the airport for rapidly growing traffic. Last year, the number of travellers increased by 14% to almost 7.3 million. This year, forecasts assume that the airport will handle at least 7.9 million passengers.
