VisaHQ
25 Apr 2026
John Paul II International Airport Kraków–Balice has completed a nine-month fast-track project to convert a former cargo hall into a 4,500-square-metre “support terminal” with six non-Schengen gates, enabling the airport to handle up to 2 million additional passengers per year.
Aviation portal Pasazer.com broke the story on 24 April, noting that the temporary facility will remain in use while the main terminal undergoes a multi-phase expansion. The extra capacity is critical for multinational firms that rely on Kraków as a regional hub for technology and business-process-outsourcing talent.
Passenger volume at KRK has rebounded to 2019 levels and is projected to exceed 11 million this year, driven by Ryanair, Wizz Air and LOT’s new Bologna route. Without the interim terminal, carriers warned that slot constraints could force them to cap frequencies during the summer peak.
For business travellers the upgrade should translate into shorter queue times at security and border control, particularly for non-Schengen flights to the UK, Ireland and the Middle East...
