Munich Airport Facts for Kids

Munich Airport, a busy place for planes and travelers.

Munich International Airport (also known as MUC) is a big airport located about 28 kilometers northeast of Munich, a city in Germany. It's a major hub for Lufthansa and the Star Alliance, which is a group of many airlines working together. In 2008, over 34 million passengers used this airport! It's the second busiest airport in Germany, right after Frankfurt, and ranks as the 8th largest in Europe.

History
Getting Around
Terminals
- Terminal 1
- Terminal 2
Central Area
Cargo Area
Images for kids
See also

History

Munich Airport first opened its doors in 1992. Before that, the city's airport was located in a place called Riem. The construction of the new airport started way back in 1980.

Because the airport in Frankfurt was getting very crowded, Lufthansa, a big German airline, started using Munich for many of its international flights. The airport was named after Franz-Josef Strauss, a politician who was very interested in airplanes. Most people in Munich simply call it München Flughafen, which means "Munich Airport" in German.

In 2003, a second airport terminal was opened. This new terminal was built especially for passengers flying with Lufthansa and other airlines in the Star Alliance.

There are plans to build a third runway because the airport is so busy. However, some people who live near the airport are not happy about this idea.

Getting Around

You can easily get to the city of Munich from the airport using the Munich S-Bahn lines S1 and S8. A ticket costs about €8.80, and the ride takes around forty minutes. Taxis to Munich are more expensive, costing about €50, and they can sometimes get stuck in traffic.

The towns closest to the airport are Erding and Freising. You can reach them by bus for about €3-4 or by taxi for around €18.

The Munich Airport Center (MAC) is a cool place located between the two terminals. It's not far to walk! Here, you'll find lots of shops and restaurants where you can grab a bite or do some shopping.

There's also a Hilton Hotel right near the airport, and another hotel is being planned for the future.

Terminals

Munich Airport has two main terminals. Terminal 2 is newer and larger than Terminal 1.

Terminal 1

Terminal 1 is used by airlines that are not part of the Star Alliance. This terminal is divided into different areas called halls, which are labeled A through F. It first opened on May 17, 1992. About 20 million passengers can use this terminal each year. Currently, parts of Terminal 1 are being updated and made better, with more space for shops and other services. Some of the halls have already been finished. Many different airlines use Terminal 1.

Terminal 2

Terminal 2 is used by all the airlines that are part of the Star Alliance. It opened on June 29, 2003. This terminal can handle about 20 to 25 million passengers every year. Many travelers really like Terminal 2 because it's easy and quick to make connections between flights. The airport and Lufthansa say that you only need about 25 minutes to connect to another flight within this terminal. Many different airlines use Terminal 2.

Central Area

The central area is like a big shopping mall located right between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. The older part of this area, which is connected to Terminal 1, is indoors. The newer part, built at the same time as Terminal 2, is a large outdoor space.

Cargo Area

Munich Airport also has a special area just for cargo, which means goods and packages that are flown by plane. This area is used by several cargo airlines.

Images for kids

An aerial view of Munich International Airport.
Munich International Airport at night.
An Air Toulouse Sud Aviation Caravelle at Munich Airport in 1993, with the construction site of today's Hilton Munich Airport in the background.
An aerial view of Terminal 1 in 2001, before Terminal 2 was built.
The check-in area at Terminal 1B.
A boarding gate area at Terminal 1D.
An Iberia Airbus A320-200 airplane.
A Flight information display system screen in Terminal 2.
The check-in area at Terminal 2.
A boarding gate area at Terminal 2.
A Lufthansa Regional Embraer E195 airplane.
A February 2016 photo of the Terminal 2 Satellite building while it was still being built.
The Munich Airport Center.
A parking garage in front of Terminal 1.
The Visitors Park at Munich Airport.
Historic planes on display at the Visitors Park of Munich Airport.
A maintenance facility of Lufthansa Technik at Munich Airport.
The control tower at Munich Airport.
Lufthansa uses Terminal 2 at Munich Airport as its secondary hub.
The headquarters of Flughafen München GmbH on the airport's grounds.
A Fire engine at Munich Airport.
An S-Bahn train leaving the tunnel under Terminal 1.
A map showing the Erdinger Ring connections.
Construction work for the Neufahrn Link.

Munich Airport facts for kids

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