Month: May 2026

Complete 2026 guide to Panama City Tocumen Airport (PTY) covering Copa Airlines’ two-bank hub system, the dollarised currency (USD since 1904), Terminal 2 (opened 2019, ramped 2024), the 180-day visa-free stamp (longest in LATAM), the Spirit Airlines collapse impact, and the Priority Pass lounges (both Copa Clubs plus The Lounge).

Complete 2026 guide to Guatemala City La Aurora Airport (GUA) covering the 5 km distance to Plaza Mayor, the El Tepeyac replacement airport approved 2024-25 but not before 2030, Spirit Airlines’ May 2026 collapse and JetBlue/Avianca/Volaris replacement routes, the Atitrans/Clásica Antigua shuttles, CA-4 visa rules, and the two Priority Pass lounges (Copa Club and Casa del Ron).

Complete 2026 guide to Cartagena Rafael Núñez Airport (CTG) covering the 1.5 km distance to the UNESCO walled city, Spirit Airlines’ May 2026 collapse and the JetBlue/Avianca/Wingo replacement routes, the Priority Pass lounges (Heroica VIP and Avianca Sala VIP), and the phased terminal expansion completing in 2027.

Complete 2026 guide to Lima Jorge Chávez Airport (LIM) covering the new Terminal 2 (live since 1 June 2025) with 71 contact gates, the Taxi Verde and Taxi Directo desks, Uber/Cabify pickup zone, Airport Express shuttle to Miraflores, the Hanaq and Sumaq lounges, and the garúa fog that still grounds early flights.

EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg is the world’s only fully tri-national airport — physically located in France, jointly administered by France and Switzerland. Three IATA codes (BSL Swiss, MLH French, EAP combined), dual-customs split inside the terminal, separate Swiss customs road. EES live since 10 April 2026 across both sides; Switzerland is in Schengen yet NOT EU. easyJet Switzerland is the dominant carrier; check-in Hall 3 reopens late May 2026.

Rotterdam The Hague Airport sits 6 km north of central Rotterdam — Holland’s second-busiest airport after Schiphol. Single compact terminal, RET Bus 33 direct to Rotterdam Centraal in 25-30 minutes for €5, EES live since 10 April 2026. Transavia operates 75% of all passenger flights with 37 destinations. The gateway to Rotterdam’s modernist architecture, Delft Blue, and The Hague’s beach culture in Scheveningen.

Wrocław Nicolaus Copernicus Airport sits 10 km west of Wrocław city centre in Strachowice, Poland’s #5 airport. Single terminal, Bus 106 direct to Wrocław Main Railway Station in 40-50 minutes for ~PLN 4.60, EES live since 10 April 2026. Wizz Air and Ryanair dominate; LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, KLM provide full-service. Poland is in Schengen but NOT in the Eurozone — uses Polish złoty (PLN). Gateway to Wrocław’s 800+ bronze dwarves and Lower Silesia.

Birmingham Airport sits 12 km east of Birmingham city centre and is the UK’s #7 airport. Single elongated terminal (T1+T2 merged via Millennium Link), free Air-Rail Link monorail to Birmingham International railway station in under 2 minutes, then trains to Birmingham New Street in 10 minutes for £4-7. The UK is NOT in Schengen, so EES does NOT apply at BHX — but visa-exempt travellers need a UK ETA (£20 since 8 April 2026).

Pisa Galileo Galilei sits 2 km south of Pisa centre — the closest major Italian airport to its city. Single compact terminal, 16 gates, PisaMover people-mover direct to Pisa Centrale in 5 minutes for €6, EES live since 10 April 2026. Ryanair and easyJet dominate; the Tower of Pisa is a 25-minute walk from the airport. 5.5M passengers in 2024 — Tuscany’s primary low-cost gateway with onward train access to Florence in 1 hour.

Düsseldorf Airport sits 6 km north of the city centre and is Germany’s #4 airport after Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin. Three terminals (A Lufthansa, B Schengen + DUS Rhein Lounge, C Emirates + long-haul) connected by SkyTrain monorail, S-Bahn S11 direct to Hbf in 12 min, EES live since 10 April 2026. Long-haul from the Gulf and beyond — Emirates A380 to Dubai, Etihad to Abu Dhabi, Turkish to Istanbul, British Airways to London, Condor seasonal to New York and the Caribbean. The 23 February 2026 Hugo Junkers Lounge → DUS Rhein Lounge rebrand modernized the public lounge.