Cologne-Bonn
A Journey Through Time
1938 — 1986
1930s
1938
The first airfield on the site of today's Cologne Bonn Airport was built in 1938 for the German Luftwaffe, twelve years before civilian flights began.
1950s
1950
The airport opened to civilian traffic in 1950 to serve Cologne and Bonn, which had just become the capital of West Germany.
1960s
1961
In 1961 Lufthansa launched the first scheduled intercontinental service from Cologne Bonn, a route to New York City.
1970s
1970
A new passenger terminal was inaugurated at Cologne Bonn in 1970. The building is still in use today as Terminal 1.
1980s
1986
UPS chose Cologne Bonn as the location of its European hub in 1986. TNT Express followed with its own operation in 1988.
Present