Katowice Airport handled 28,300 tonnes of cargo in the first six months of 2026, a 29% increase year-on-year. This is the best first-half result in the airport’s history, driven by growing freight traffic and Chinese charter connections.
The airport recorded 1,522 cargo aircraft operations in the period, up 6% from 1,432 a year earlier. The growth cements Katowice’s position as Poland’s leading regional cargo hub. „We are getting closer to our goal of handling a record 50,000 tonnes of freight this year. Work on the second cargo terminal is intensifying and construction should start next year,” said Artur Tomasik, CEO of Górnośląskie Towarzystwo Lotnicze, the airport operator.
Cargo operators and Chinese connections
The cargo terminal at Pyrzowice is home to bases for DHL Express, UPS and FedEx. Lufthansa Cargo also operates a national freight consolidation point there using the RFS model. Two all-cargo charter routes from China serve the airport – Central Airlines flies a Boeing 777 from Chengdu, while Suparna Airlines operates a Boeing 747-400 from Nankin. Together they run an average of five flights per week, each carrying around 100 tonnes of cargo.
Passenger growth and future outlook
Katowice Airport is also one of Poland’s largest regional passenger airports and the leader in charter traffic. In 2025 it served a record 7.3 million passengers, with a forecast of 7.9 million for 2026. Last year the airport handled a record 46,500 tonnes of cargo. Forecasts indicate over 50,000 tonnes in 2026, and around 100,000 tonnes annually by the end of the decade.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Materiały prasowe / Górnośląskie Towarzystwo Lotnicze
