Kraków–Balice Airport, located 11 km northwest of the center of Kraków, is one of the most important civilian and military airports in Poland. It is jointly used by the John Paul II International Airport (Ltd.) and the 8th Air Base and the 32nd Command and Guidance Center.
Balice is an international controlled airport of Category I. It handles VFR and IFR air traffic. The airport has a concrete runway measuring 2,550 x 60 m with a heading of 076°/254°, equipped with an ILS Category I instrument landing system on heading 254° (RWY 25), which is the primary direction for takeoffs and landings, as well as a backup grass strip with the same heading and dimensions of 2,000 x 75 m. The civilian part of the airport features continuously expanded passenger terminals, cargo terminals, airport service buildings, and hangars.
The airport at Balice was established in the 1930s as a private landing strip on the Radziwiłł estate. In September 1939, it served as a field landing strip for fighter squadrons of the 2nd Air Regiment. After World War II, Balice was the base of the Aviation Section of the Polytechnic Faculties of AGH (University of Science and Technology) and the Kraków Aero Club. The Section ceased its activities in 1949, and only the aero club remained at the airport. In 1952, the Kraków Aero Club was relocated to the airfield at Pobiednik Wielki. After expansion, the airport at Balice was taken over by military aviation units, transferred from the Rakowice–Czyżyny airfield. In 1963, the 55th Transport Aviation Regiment was formed at Balice, renamed in 1968 to the 13th Transport Aviation Regiment, and in 2000 to the 13th Transport Aviation Squadron.
After the closure of the Rakowice–Czyżyny airfield, Kraków’s airport was moved to Balice. On February 28, 1964, by decision of the Ministry of National Defense, 10 hectares of land and the right to use airport infrastructure were allocated to civil aviation. The following day, the first scheduled LOT Polish Airlines aircraft landed at Balice. In December 1968, the airport terminal building was opened for use. Since the 1990s, there has been a steady increase in passenger traffic, necessitating continuous expansion of the airport. In 1996, the company John Paul II International Airport Kraków–Balice was established, which took over management of the civilian part of the airport from the State Enterprise Polish Airports. Its shareholders include Polish Airports State Enterprise, the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the Municipality of Kraków, and the Municipality of Zabierzów. In 1998, the company adopted the name John Paul II International Airport Kraków–Balice Ltd.
In December 1997, Balice became the second airport in Poland after Warsaw’s Okęcie to launch regular transatlantic connections — first to New York, then to Chicago and Toronto. The most dynamic growth in passenger traffic began in 2004, when low-cost airlines started using the airport at Balice (they currently handle over 60% of passenger traffic). Further expansion of the airport is planned over the coming 20 years.
