Aalborg Airport – Guide With Practical Info

Aalborg Airport is the third largest airport in Denmark. It is the main gateway to the northern part of the country and to the city of Aalborg. The airport offers several domestic routes, along with cheap connections to London and other European destinations.

If you are using Aalborg Airport for the first time, it is nice to know how everything works. In this guide, we cover everything from routes and airlines to city transportation and accommodation.

Facts about the airport

Aalborg Airport (official website here) is one of the three main international airports in Denmark (the others are Copenhagen and Billund). It has approximately 1.5 million passengers per year, although the number has been consistently increasing throughout the last decade.

The first domestic flight from Aalborg took place in 1936, and the airport officially opened in 1938. It was an important target for the Germans during World War II and they occupied it in 1940. In the post-WW2 years, the airport enjoyed very modest success, mainly being used for domestic routes and connections to other Scandinavian airports.

In 1997, the ownership of the airport was handed over from the state to the local municipalities in Northern Denmark. However, they were not allowed to earn profits from the airport, and thanks to constant re-investments of airport profits, it has been in constant growth ever since. With new constructions almost every year, the airport is always moving forward.

Aalborg Airport enjoyed a colossal boom in passengers back in 2007. Later, on the 75th anniversary in 2013, they doubled the number of terminals and built 1,000 additional free parking spots. In 2014, the airport hotel opened. More additions are expected in the upcoming years, and Aalborg Airport is already considered to be one of the most passenger-friendly airports in Europe. It has won several awards, particularly in the service category.

Transportation: Aalborg Airport to city centre

The airport is located just 6 kilometers northwest of Aalborg city centre. That’s a short distance: But how do you get from the airport to the city center?

Most travelers take a bus to Aalborg city after arriving at the airport. Lines 12, 70, 71, and 200 all go from the airport to the city center in a matter of minutes.

The price of taking a bus from Aalborg Airport to Aalborg city centre is currently 24 DKK ($3.33). A fairly cheap price – and the ride only takes 15 minutes. Buy your ticket from the driver in cash or get a mobile ticket.

If you’re taking the bus into Aalborg, make sure to stand on the correct side of the road, since there are two (2) bus stops. Stand by the stop on the same side as the airport building, as shown in the picture above. Do not cross the street when leaving the airport – unless you want to travel in the northern direction, further away from Aalborg!

If you take line 71 or line 200 in the opposite direction, you can go directly to popular resort towns such as Løkken or Blokhus.

As of December 2020, there is a direct train connecting Aalborg Airport to Lindholm Station in a 3-kilometer stretch. This connects the airport to the nationwide networks of trains, meaning you can switch in Lindholm and go almost anywhere in Denmark from there. The train also goes to the main station in Aalborg which only takes about 11 minutes. The ticket price is exactly the same as the bus ticket (24 DKK). It can be bought digitally through DSB.dk or the application Rejseplanen. It can also be bought at a vending machine on the platform. To reach the train platform, you have to head right as you leave the main airport building. It’s slightly further away than the bus stop, but still easy to locate.

A taxi can also take you from Aalborg Airport to the city center, although it will be more expensive. Expect to pay at least 170 DKK ($23) for the ride.

Car rental is possible if you want to explore Denmark by car. Companies such as Avis, Hertz, Sixt, Europcar, Alamo, Budget and Enterprise all provide services from the airport. You can book a car in advance, which is the most affordable, or you can take care of it upon arrival. The offices of car rental companies are located inside the airport.

Hotels near Aalborg Airport

Aalborg Airport Hotel is located right in front of the airport, directly next to the parking section. It’s an ideal place to stay if you have an early flight from the airport or if you’re arriving late at night with no plans. Expect to pay 800 DKK ($110) for a room. This includes coffee, WiFi, and parking. Breakfast must be purchased on top of the regular price and it costs 165 DKK ($23). It is served between 6 and 9 am in the restaurant section of the hotel.

Overall, the rooms are nice and comfortable – although nothing super fancy. Just as you would expect from an airport hotel where most people just stay a single night. But the service is great. Checking in and out is super easy, the service is great, and if you do decide to buy the breakfast, the food is also quite good.

The hotel is only located 100 meters away from the airport building itself, so it only takes two minutes to walk back and forth.

You can book your stay with the Airport Hotel here.

For a longer stay in Aalborg, we recommend that you choose a hotel in the middle of the city so you can be close to the main attractions. There are several nice places to choose from. Prices are significantly lower than in other Danish cities such as Copenhagen and Aarhus.

Here is our guide to hotels within Aalborg City.

Quick tip: Scandic Aalborg is the best one for most travelers.

Main airlines and connections

No airlines use Aalborg Airport as their de-facto hub, but many have consistent routes throughout the year.

SAS is always present in Aalborg with frequent routes to Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm, along with seasonal charter routes to southern France and Croatia.

Norwegian flies between Aalborg and Copenhagen almost every hour with tickets priced around 500 DKK (~75 USD/EUR). Norwegian also has routes to several Spanish destinations: Málaga, Alicante, Palma de Mallorca and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Aalborg-Copenhagen is the most popular domestic flight route in Denmark, with over 30 million passengers throughout the years.

KLM services the route between Aalborg and Amsterdam three times every day: Morning, afternoon and evening. Flights are usually fairly priced. Many Danish travelers take a layover in Amsterdam before continuing their journey out into the world.

RyanAir has a cheap route between Aalborg and London Stansted.

Vueling flies between Aalborg and Barcelona weekly.

Jet Time has an occasional route between Aalborg and Las Palmas.

In the summer, Atlantic Airways lets you fly from Aalborg to the Faroe Islands.

If you wish to visit the Danish island of Bornholm, you can fly from Aalborg with Danish Air Transport, a minor local airline.

Depending on the season, you will have many other options. In the summer, there will be routes connecting Aalborg to Cyprus, Madeira, Firenze, Sunny Beach, Crete, Rhodos, Santorini, and many other popular summer destinations.

In the winter, you will likely find routes from Aalborg to the Virgin Islands, Cancún, Canary Islands, Dominican Republic, Phuket, Egyptian resort cities, and Salzburg.

Parking

Parking at Aalborg Airport is completely free. However, most spaces close to the airport are almost always occupied, so most likely you have to park your car a couple of minutes away and walk for the rest of the distance. There are around 5,000 parking spots, with more coming up soon.

If you’re not parking, but just dropping somebody off, you can do so right at the door of the airport. But note that your car can only be parked in that area for a few minutes while saying goodbye!

Shopping and dining options

Aalborg Airport is fairly small when compared to international standards. But you still have a couple of options if you want to shop at the airport – or if you want to grab something to eat.

For example, there is a large perfume section, a clothing store, a souvenir section, plus an area for liquors, cigarettes, and snacks.

If you want to eat, there is a café section right after you go through the security. Here, you can buy coffee, tea, drinks, snacks, sandwiches, salads, and so on. This area is called the “Deli”.

If you continue walking to the gates, you will eventually walk by the “Gastro Pub”. Here they serve food – you can get something light, or you can get a heavy meal if you’re really hungry. There are some good burgers on the menu. They also have beer, wine, and other drinks. This restaurant/pub opens two hours before the first flight of the day, and it closes when the last scheduled flight takes off.

Unfortunately, all stores and restaurants are located after the security area, meaning that you can’t have a beer or a snack with a local friend before leaving for your flight. There are some automatic vending machines for sodas and snacks, but nothing more than that.

Service at the airport

Aalborg Airport is known for its remarkably good service. It takes just a few minutes to pass through security, and check-in lines at the entry area are usually not that bad. The staff is happy to help with just about anything – also if you need an assistance vehicle.

We recommend getting to the airport an hour before your flight. It is not necessary to show up 2-3 hours before. It is very easy to find your gate (there are not so many gates at AAL)! And as mentioned, passing through security is a breeze.

Conclusion

Overall, we highly recommend flying to and from Aalborg Airport. It is a very convenient airport with top-notch service. Most travelers have a great experience at AAL – and we wish you a great voyage too!