Historical airport in the heart of Lappeenranta

Lappeenranta Airport (IATA: LPP, ICAO: EFLP) is located about two kilometres to the west of Lappeenranta city centre. In 2013, 98,300 passengers passed through the airport, then making it the 11th busiest airport in Finland. The airport was founded in 1918 and it is the oldest airport in Finland that is still functioning.

The airport is located in the old army camp. In 1918, the area was used for military aviation for the first time. The first scheduled flight landed here in 1951, and the airfield became an airport in the early 1960s, when the current terminal was built.

The landscape around the airport is a sunny and dry habitat of national significance, and threatened species of butterflies and hemipterans have been found there.

The runway is 2,500 m long and 60 m wide.

Cornerstones of history

  • 1918 The story of Lappeenranta Airport begins as an air force flight section flies to Lappeenranta from Antrea airfield and flight section 1 is established.
  • 1939 to 1944 the airfield serves as a military airfield and, in summer 1944, it operates as one of the key bases for fighter planes.
  • 1951 Regular passenger traffic begins at the airfield previously only used by the military.
  • 1960 The current terminal building is completed.
  • 1998 The runway is extended to 2,500 metres.
  • 2009 Lappeenranta Airport becomes international with Air Baltic and Ryanair launching routes to European destinations.
  • 2011 The number of passengers reaches a record level of 116,000 passengers.
  • 2012 Blue1 launches flights from Lappeenranta to Copenhagen.
  • 2016 the City of Lappeenranta acquires ownership of the airport.