Montenegro is accelerating the expansion of the airports in Podgorica and Tivat ahead of the 2027 season.
The Montenegrin government wants to increase capacity of the two main airports by the beginning of the 2027 summer season already. The long-term plan includes new terminals, aircraft stands and runway reconstruction, whilst strong traffic growth is increasing pressure on the existing infrastructure.
More than 2.2 million passengers have passed through the airports in Podgorica and Tivat since the beginning of 2026 until 9 August. That is 20 percent more than in the same period of the record-breaking year 2025, and growth is particularly marked in Podgorica, where the number of passengers has increased by 27 percent.
That very growth is now accelerating the investment cycle. The Government of Montenegro will establish an interdepartmental body to remove administrative, property-legal and financial obstacles for projects at both airports. The aim is to put some of the new capacity into operation before the next summer season.
Podgorica is also preparing for wide-body aircraft
The plan for Podgorica goes beyond the extension of the passenger terminal. New terminal infrastructure, reconstruction and expansion of the apron, and the extension of the runway are planned so that the airport can accommodate wide-body aircraft. At the same time, the Government is openly speaking about its ambition to establish direct long-haul connections.
In Tivat, the priorities are a new terminal, an additional apron and taxiway, and a thorough reconstruction of the runway. For a destination that achieves a large part of its international traffic during a few summer months, additional capacity can be just as important as opening new routes.
Traffic growth arrived ahead of the infrastructure
Montenegrin airports exceeded three million passengers for the first time during 2025. That record is expected to fall as early as 2026, while existing terminals operate under increasing seasonal pressure.
At the same time, the long-term development financing model is not yet fully closed. In April, the government proposed a 30-year concession with an investment obligation of 300 million euros, but following the withdrawal of the first-ranked Incheon consortium in July, it proposed that the Assembly annul the tender launched in 2019.
Airport infrastructure is becoming part of tourism competitiveness
For the Adriatic's tourism market, the message is quite clear. Growth in aviation demand can no longer be sustained just by adding new routes. Airports must increase their physical capacity quickly enough so that infrastructure does not become a constraint on the destination's development.
If Montenegro carries out the announced works and opens up space for a greater number of flights and long-haul operations, Podgorica and Tivat could become considerably stronger competitors for international air capacity in the wider Adriatic region.
