Home PARTNER STORIES PARTNER NEWS Terminal 2 at Prague Airport celebrates 20 years

Terminal 2 at Prague Airport celebrates 20 years

Over 141 million passengers have passed through its gates

Feb 1, 2026

This January, Prague Airport commemorates the 20th anniversary of the launch of the operation of Terminal 2 – a building which fundamentally transformed travel from Prague and became a symbol of the Czech Republic’s opening to Europe after joining the Schengen area. Prague Airport will celebrate the important anniversary with a thematic exhibition and a special program for passengers and the general public. In total, over 141 million passengers have passed through the terminal gates since its opening. In the near future, the building is to undergo significant modernisation.

The construction of what was then Terminal North 2 began in 2003 as the largest transport construction of its time in the Czech Republic. Three years later, a modern departure hall with a new Pier C, a connecting corridor between the terminals, and an overpass connecting the terminal with the parking building was opened to passengers. An automatic baggage sorting hall was also built, connected to Terminal 1 by an underground tunnel. The sorting hall was state-of-the-art at the time of its opening and continues to facilitate efficient and safe baggage handling today.

The main motivation for constructing Terminal 2 was to increase the airport’s capacity and to accommodate the Czech Republic’s entry into the Schengen area. This necessitated separating Schengen and non-Schengen flights in the long term. The new terminal set high standards of comfort, safety, and architecture at that time. Today, Terminal 2 is the heart of Schengen operations at Václav Havel Airport Prague – thousands of passengers heading to European destinations pass through its gates every day. It offers modern technology, a clear operational layout, and an architecture that remains a distinctive feature of the airport even after 20 years.

Among the most significant changes to Terminal 2 over the past 20 years is the relocation of the central security checkpoint in 2018. The original arrangement no longer met capacity requirements, so the checkpoint was relocated and a year ago equipped with state-of-the-art CT X-ray machines, which increase the seamlessness and comfort of screening. Another important change was the opening of the fourth check-in island in 2020, where passengers now use self-check-in counters.

The most significant change to Terminal 2 over the past 20 years is the relocation of the central security checkpoint in 2018. The original arrangement no longer met capacity requirements, so the checkpoint was relocated and a year ago equipped with state-of-the-art CT X-ray machines, which increase the seamlessness and comfort of screening. Another important change was the opening of the fourth check-in island in 2020, where passengers now use self-check-in counters.

Terminal 2 in numbers:

In total, 141,344,290 passengers have passed through the terminal gates in the 20 years since its opening.
On the first day, 3,445 passengers were handled at Terminal 2.
The busiest day was 14 September 2025, when 42,571 passengers passed through the terminal gates.
The record year was last year, 2025, when 10,662,878 passengers passed through the terminal gates.
The departure hall measures 57 × 130 metres.
The height of the steel arch trusses reaches up to 24 metres.
The total built-up area is almost 900,000 m³.
The total floor area is more than 117,000 m².

Find out more about Prague Airport here.