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Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport

Compiled by Bill Gao

Belgrade, Beograd (city) (Serbia)

IATA: BEG ICAO: LYBE

Longest Active Runway

11,483 ft

3,500 meters

Field Elevation

335 ft

102 m MSL

Runway Inventory

2 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

44.8184°, 20.3091°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

How ranks work →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

tied #273 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#465 of 7558

Top 6.4% percentile worldwide

For airports with equal runway length, the worldwide order does not indicate a length difference.

National Standing (Serbia)

#1 of 1 in RS

#1 of 5 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+14.8%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 BEG in numbers: 11,483 ft longest runway · tied #273 of 650 published · #465 of 7,558 worldwide (top 6.4%) · #1 in Serbia.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport is the central aviation crossroads of Southeast Europe. The recent addition of its 11,483 ft inserted runway 12L/30R modernized the facility into a true dual-runway aerodrome. Elevated at 336 ft MSL in the Pannonian Plain, BEG comfortably accommodates Air Serbia's long-haul flights to New York, Chicago, and Tianjin alongside heavy regional European feeder traffic.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Dual parallel runways: historic Runway 12R/30L (11,155 ft / 3,400 m) and newly constructed inserted Runway 12L/30R (11,483 ft / 3,500 m).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Opened in 1962 in Surčin replacing the pre-war Bežanija airfield. Under a concession to VINCI Airports, constructed a brand-new second runway commissioned in 2023, enabling the full reconstruction of the historical strip.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Busiest airport in the Western Balkans and primary hub of Air Serbia, located 180 NM south of Budapest (BUD).

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Dual parallel runways allow continuous flight operations during major taxiway overhauls; equipped with CAT IIIb instrument landing systems for winter Danube fog.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Serbia National Civil Aviation Authority · State Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) & ICAO Annex 14 Standards

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Longest runway ≥10,500 ft

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Elevation & National Context

Lowland Aerodrome (<2,000 ft)

BEG lies at 102 m (335 ft), #318 of 650 published airports by elevation and 44.9 percentile among 7,558 worldwide.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

1 Qualifying Aerodrome in Vicinity

Closest of 1 paved-runway (≥5,000 ft) neighbour within 100 NM: Timișoara Traian Vuia International Airport (TSR), 73.7 NM, 11,483 ft. BEG ties with TSR for the longest runway in this radius (11,483 ft).

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Runway Inventory & National Standing

Primary Runway: 11,483 ft (3,500 m)

BEG runways: 12R/30L 11,483 × 148 ft asphalt (asph); 12L/30R 11,155 × 148 ft asphalt (asp). +14.8% vs the 10,000 ft baseline.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
12R/30L	11,483 ft (3500 m / 3.500 km)	148 ft (45m)	`Asphalt (ASPH)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
12L/30R	11,155 ft (3400 m / 3.400 km)	148 ft (45m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🧭 Comparative Aerodromes (100 NM Radius, ≥5,000 ft Paved)

Great-circle Haversine spatial proximity matching for commercial facilities with paved runway capacity within 100 NM.

Aerodrome Name	IATA	Distance	Longest Runway	Lighting
Timișoara Traian Vuia International Airport (Timişoara)	`TSR`	73.7 NM (136.5 km)	11,483 ft	✅ Lighted

🛡️ Source: OurAirports Open Aviation Database, snapshot 2026-09-01 · Provenance →