Zaragoza Airport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zaragoza Airport
Aeropuerto de Zaragoza
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public and military | ||||||||||||||
| Owner/Operator | Aena | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Zaragoza, Aragón, Spain | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 263 m / 863 ft | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 41°39′58″N 01°02′30″W / 41.66611°N 1.04167°W | ||||||||||||||
| Website | aena-aeropuertos.es | ||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||
 ZAZ
Location in Spain
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| Runway | |||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (2019) | |||||||||||||||
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Sources: AENA [1]
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Zaragoza Airport (also known as Aeropuerto de Zaragoza in Spanish) is an important international airport in Spain. It is located about 16 kilometers (10 miles) west of the city of Zaragoza in the Aragón region. This airport is special because it handles a lot of cargo flights, making it a key place for moving goods around the world.
It also has commercial flights for passengers. Plus, it is home to the Spanish Air and Space Force 15th Group, known as Zaragoza Air Base. This means it's used by both regular airplanes and military aircraft.
Contents
History of Zaragoza Airport
Building the Airport
Work on Zaragoza Airport started in September 1954. The goal was to make the existing Spanish Air Force base bigger and better. Engineers from the United States Navy helped to improve the airport. They wanted it to be ready for use as a backup base if needed during a war.
The first part of the project involved making the main runway stronger. This runway was about 3,024 meters (9,921 feet) long. They also added extra paved areas at each end. In 1956, they began building a new concrete runway. This new runway was much larger, about 3,718 meters (12,200 feet) long and 61 meters (200 feet) wide. It was finished in 1958.
Cold War and Space Shuttle Use
During the Cold War, Zaragoza was one of three main airbases used by the United States Air Force (USAF) in Spain. The other two were near Madrid and Seville. These bases were important for defense and operations during that time.
Later, the airport was also used by NASA. It was a backup landing site for the Space Shuttle. If the Space Shuttle had an emergency during launch and needed to land across the ocean, Zaragoza was one of the places it could go. NASA chose Zaragoza because it has a very long runway, good weather, and a special military navigation system called a TACAN. This system could work with the Space Shuttle's guidance tools.
Airlines and Destinations
Zaragoza Airport serves both passenger and cargo flights. This means you can fly from here to different cities, and also that many goods are transported through this airport.
Passenger Flights
Several airlines offer flights from Zaragoza to various places. Some flights are available all year, while others are only available during certain seasons, like summer.
- Binter Canarias flies to Gran Canaria and Tenerife–North.
- Iberia has seasonal flights to places like Gran Canaria, Ibiza, and Menorca.
- Ryanair connects Zaragoza to many European cities, including London–Stansted, Lisbon, and Charleroi. They also have seasonal flights to places like Bologna.
- Volotea offers seasonal flights to Menorca.
- Vueling flies to Gran Canaria and Palma de Mallorca. They also have seasonal flights to Paris–Orly.
- Wizz Air connects Zaragoza to cities in Romania, like Bucharest–Otopeni.
Cargo Flights
Zaragoza Airport is very important for moving cargo. Many airlines specialize in carrying goods and products around the world from here.
- Air China Cargo sends goods to places like Amsterdam and Shanghai–Pudong.
- Atlas Air carries cargo to cities such as Mexico City and Miami.
- Cargolux flies cargo to Luxembourg.
- Emirates SkyCargo transports goods to Dubai–Al Maktoum and Mexico City.
- Ethiopian Cargo connects Zaragoza to cities like Addis Ababa and Guangzhou.
- Qatar Airways Cargo has routes to many major cities, including Chicago–O’Hare and New York-JFK.
Airport Statistics
Zaragoza Airport handles a large amount of cargo. In 2019, it moved over 182,000 tons of goods. The number of passengers using the airport was about 467,000 in 2019. The airport also sees many aircraft movements (take-offs and landings), with over 10,000 in 2019. These numbers show that Zaragoza Airport is a very busy place for both people and products.
Ground Transport to the Airport
Getting to Zaragoza Airport from the city is easy.
The airport is connected to the city center by a bus line, number 501. This bus starts from Puerta del Carmen square in downtown Zaragoza. It also stops at the city's main train station, Zaragoza-Delicias.
The Zaragoza-Delicias train station is a big hub for different types of trains. You can catch long-distance trains, high-speed AVE trains, and local commuter trains called Cercanías Zaragoza. These trains travel underground through the city and above ground in the areas around it.
There are also plans to add a new direct bus service starting in June 2023. These new buses will be electric and will make the trip to the airport even faster and shorter, about 12 to 13 kilometers (7 to 8 miles) long. Their schedules will be planned to match the flight times at the airport.
See also
In Spanish: Aeropuerto de Zaragoza para niños
