Runway
Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →
Longest Active Runway
13,123 ft
4,000 meters
Field Elevation
364 ft
111 m MSL
Runway Inventory
4 active
Lighted / Paved
Coordinates & Class
50.0267°, 8.5584°
LARGE AIRPORT
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How ranks work → Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing
RunwayFacts Published Dataset
tied #56 of 650
In curated primary commercial index
Global Commercial Universe
#122 of 7558
Top 1.8% percentile worldwide
For airports with equal runway length, the worldwide order does not indicate a length difference.
National Standing (Germany)
tied #1 of 9 in DE
same length as MUC, BER · #2 of 83 in full national registry
vs Large Airport Median
+31.2%
Compared to 10,000 ft baseline
💡 FRA in numbers: 13,123 ft longest runway · tied #56 of 650 published · #122 of 7,558 worldwide (top 1.8%) · tied #1 in Germany.
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Curated Aerodrome Profile Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Frankfurt Main Airport (FRA)
Frankfurt Airport (FRA) has three 13,123 ft (4,000 m) runways, 07R/25L, 07C/25C and 18/36, plus the 9,186 ft (2,800 m) 07L/25R, the shortest of the four. The field is 364 ft (111 m) above sea level.
Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments
Four runways in the dataset: 07R/25L (13,123 ft / 4,000 m), 07C/25C (13,123 ft / 4,000 m), 18/36 (13,123 ft / 4,000 m) and 07L/25R (9,186 ft / 2,800 m).
Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities
Fraport's timeline: flight operations began at the Rhine-Main Airport and Airship Base in 1936; the U.S. Rhein-Main Air Base was built in 1945 and the Berlin Airlift began in 1948. Terminal 1 opened in 1972, Runway 18 West in 1984, Terminal 2 in 1994, the long-distance train station in 1999 and Runway Northwest in 2011.
Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role
Fraport calls FRA Germany's biggest airport, with about 63.2 million passengers in 2025. It is one of the Lufthansa Group's hubs, alongside Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels and Rome. Stuttgart (STR) is 84 NM to the south-southeast.
Data Nuances & Operational Quirks
Fraport bans scheduled take-offs and landings between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. local time. Runway West (18/36) is used for take-offs only and Runway Northwest (07L/25R, 2,800 m) for landings only.
FRA vs national peers (RunwayFacts data)
- FRA's 13,123 ft runway is 656 ft above the median longest runway of the 9 published airports in Germany (12,467 ft).
- 8 of those 9 airports have two or more active runways; FRA has 4.
- Nearest published airport in Germany: Frankfurt-Hahn Airport (HHN), 50 NM away, longest runway 12,467 ft, elevation 1,649 ft.
- Within the 650 published airports, FRA ranks tied #56 by runway length and #306 by elevation.
Sourced history & facilities
- Flight operations began at the Frankfurt Rhine-Main Airport and Airship Base in 1936; the U.S. Rhein-Main Air Base was built in 1945 and the Berlin Airlift began in 1948. [Fraport — Facts and Figures on Frankfurt Airport 2015 (PDF)]
- Terminal 1 opened in 1972 with an integrated train station; Runway 18 West began operating in 1984 and Terminal 2 with the SkyLine shuttle in 1994; FRA's long-distance train station was inaugurated in 1999. [Fraport — Facts and Figures on Frankfurt Airport 2015 (PDF)]
- Runway West is used for take-offs only and the 2,800 m Runway Northwest, inaugurated in 2011, for landings only. [Fraport — Facts and Figures on Frankfurt Airport 2015 (PDF)]
- No scheduled take-offs or landings are allowed between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.; between 10–11 p.m. and 5–6 a.m. movements are capped at 133 per night on a calendar-year average. [Fraport — Hours of Operation]
- Fraport describes FRA as Germany's biggest airport; it handled about 63.2 million passengers and 460,272 take-offs and landings in 2025. [Fraport — Traffic Figures 2025 (press release, 16 Jan 2026)]
- The Lufthansa Group's network airlines fly from hubs in Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels and Rome. [Lufthansa Group — Company portrait]
📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA) & DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung · Aeronautical Information Publication Deutschland (AIP Germany)
Verification Methodology → 🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis
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Elevation & National Context
Lowland Aerodrome (<2,000 ft)
FRA lies at 111 m (364 ft), #306 of 650 published airports by elevation and 46.3 percentile among 7,558 worldwide. It is equal to the Germany median; HHN is highest at 1,649 ft, 1,285 ft higher than FRA.
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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)
4 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity
Closest of 4 paved-runway (≥5,000 ft) neighbours within 100 NM: Frankfurt-Hahn Airport (HHN), 50.3 NM, 12,467 ft. Next: CGN 73.9 NM, STR 84.4 NM, LUX 94 NM. FRA ties with LUX for the longest runway in this radius (13,123 ft).
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Runway Inventory & National Standing
Primary Runway: 13,123 ft (4,000 m)
FRA runways: 07R/25L 13,123 × 148 ft concrete (con); 07C/25C 13,123 × 197 ft asphalt (asp); 18/36 13,123 × 148 ft concrete (con); 07L/25R 9,186 × 148 ft concrete (con). National standing: tied #1 of 9 in Germany with MUC/BER at 13,123 ft; 607 ft ahead of CGN (12,516 ft). +31.2% vs the 10,000 ft baseline.
🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering
| Runway Designator | Length (ft / m) | Width (ft / m) | Surface Material | Lighting | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07R/25L | 13,123 ft (4000 m / 4.000 km) | 148 ft (45m) | Concrete (CON) | ✅ Lighted | ✅ Active |
| 07C/25C | 13,123 ft (4000 m / 4.000 km) | 197 ft (60m) | Asphalt (ASP) | ✅ Lighted | ✅ Active |
| 18/36 | 13,123 ft (4000 m / 4.000 km) | 148 ft (45m) | Concrete (CON) | ✅ Lighted | ✅ Active |
| 07L/25R | 9,186 ft (2800 m / 2.800 km) | 148 ft (45m) | Concrete (CON) | ✅ 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frankfurt-Hahn Airport (Frankfurt am Main (Lautzenhausen)) | HHN | 50.3 NM (93.2 km) | 12,467 ft | ✅ Lighted |
| Cologne Bonn Airport (Köln (Cologne)) | CGN | 73.9 NM (136.9 km) | 12,516 ft | ✅ Lighted |
| Stuttgart Airport (Stuttgart) | STR | 84.4 NM (156.3 km) | 10,974 ft | ✅ Lighted |
| Luxembourg-Findel International Airport (Luxembourg) | LUX | 94 NM (174.1 km) | 13,123 ft | ✅ Lighted |
🛡️ Source: OurAirports Open Aviation Database, snapshot 2026-09-01 · Provenance →