Malta Airport Guide: From RAF Luqa to Island Gateway
Malta Airport grew from wartime RAF Luqa into the islands' main gateway. Explore its two runways, KM Malta Airlines, Ryanair's base, routes and spotting.
By The Aviation Hub
6 min read
Updated October 20, 2026 
Malta International Airport occupies the old RAF Luqa airfield in the south of the main island, about 3 miles (5 km) south west of Valletta. Almost every visitor to the islands, and almost every Maltese traveller, passes through it. Malta Airport handled about 10 million passengers in 2025, a remarkable figure for a country of little more than half a million people. Italy and the UK supply the most traffic, and a growing Ryanair base has reshaped the schedule.
Malta Airport at a Glance
The IATA code is MLA and the ICAO code is LMML. The field sits 300 feet (91 m) above sea level, spread across the localities of Luqa, Gudja and Kirkop. It has two runways and one passenger terminal, opened in 1992. In 2024 it handled about 8.96 million passengers, up almost 15 per cent, and traffic reached roughly 10 million in 2025.
KM Malta Airlines, the national carrier, has used Malta Airport as its hub since March 2024, taking over from Air Malta. Ryanair and its Maltese subsidiary Malta Air keep a large base here, and the air ambulance and charter operator Medavia is also headquartered on the field. Malta International Airport plc, a listed company, runs the airport. Flight information and transport details sit on the airport’s official website.
How Malta’s Airport Came to Be
Malta’s first civil flights used Ta’ Qali, with Hal Far and Luqa also in service before the Second World War. During the war RAF Luqa came under relentless bombing as the island held out under siege. Ta’ Qali and Hal Far were badly damaged, so civil operations moved to Luqa after the war.
A new passenger terminal opened on 31 March 1958, while the RAF remained on the field until Britain left Malta in 1979. Air Malta was founded in 1973 and flew from Luqa from 1974 until it was replaced by KM Malta Airlines fifty years later. The current Malta Airport terminal at Gudja became fully operational on 25 March 1992, and the old Luqa building now serves mainly as a cargo facility.
The airport has also been the stage for grim chapters. In 1985 the hijacking of EgyptAir Flight 648 ended in a storming that killed more than 60 people. The Lockerbie prosecution rested partly on the theory that the bomb was loaded at Luqa. In 2011 two Libyan Air Force pilots defected and landed their Mirage F1 fighters here.
Runways at Malta Airport
There are two runways. Runway 13/31 is the main strip, asphalt, 3,544 metres (11,627 feet) long and 58 metres wide, and handles almost all airline traffic. Runway 05/23 is also asphalt, 2,373 metres (7,785 feet) long and 45 metres wide, and serves as the crosswind runway when the wind blows hard from the north east or south west.
The prevailing north westerly wind, the majjistral, means runway 31 sees the most use. The runways cross, so they are not used at the same time. In 1973 the main runway was shorter, and Prime Minister Dom Mintoff argued that a hijacked KLM Boeing 747 could not take off with the fuel the hijackers demanded. The present length easily supports the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX that dominate the schedule, plus visiting wide bodies.
Terminals and Airlines
All passenger flights use the single terminal, which has around 36 check in desks and 18 gates. Malta sits inside the Schengen area, so flights to the UK, Turkey, North Africa and the Middle East use separate gates with passport control. The La Valette Club lounge serves premium passengers.
Ryanair has the largest network at Malta Airport and bases around nine Boeing 737 aircraft here, many registered to Malta Air. KM Malta Airlines flies Airbus A320neo family jets to key European cities. easyJet, Jet2, Wizz Air, Lufthansa, ITA Airways, Air France, British Airways and Turkish Airlines add capacity, and Emirates and Qatar Airways connect the Gulf. Lufthansa Technik and SR Technics run maintenance hangars on the field.
Routes and Destinations
Italy is the biggest market for Malta Airport, with about 2.05 million passengers in 2024. Rome, Milan, Catania, Naples and Venice are all well served. The UK follows with about 1.74 million, through London Gatwick, Stansted and Luton, Manchester, Birmingham and a long list of regional airports. Germany, France and Poland complete the top five markets.
Ryanair’s network spreads across dozens of European cities year round. Emirates links Dubai, roughly 2,500 miles (4,050 km) away, and Qatar Airways flies to Doha, which rank among the longest routes from the island. Istanbul and Tel Aviv add further links east.
The summer peak runs from June to September, but mild winters, language schools and a big expatriate community keep traffic flowing all year. Cargo is modest, at around 24,000 tonnes a year.
Getting to and from Malta Airport
There is no railway on Malta, so road transport rules. Malta Public Transport runs dedicated airport express buses to Valletta, Sliema and St Paul’s Bay, alongside regular routes. Buses are the cheapest sensible option, with Valletta about 20 minutes away in light traffic.
Taxis operate from a desk in arrivals with fixed fares by zone, and app based services such as Bolt and eCabs are widely used. A ride to Valletta usually costs around 20 euros, and Sliema or St Julian’s slightly more. Traffic on the island’s roads can be heavy at peak times, so allow extra time for flights. Car hire desks sit in the arrivals hall, and multi storey and open air parking serve Malta Airport.
Spotting and Photography
Spotting at Malta Airport is popular with British and European enthusiasts. Public roads in the villages that ring the airfield, including Gudja, Kirkop and Luqa, offer close views of both runways. The warm Mediterranean light is excellent for most of the year.
The annual Malta International Airshow, held each autumn, draws military and civil types from across Europe. The Armed Forces of Malta Air Wing operates from its own hangars, and maintenance work brings wide bodies and unusual liveries for heavy checks. Business jets and Medavia’s fleet add further interest.
Respect the rules. Stay on public land, keep away from fences and military areas and move on if asked by police or airport staff.
What Comes Next
A terminal expansion unveiled in 2020 was shelved during the pandemic and revived in 2025. Plans include an eastern extension for arrivals and a western extension adding 6,000 square metres to departures. Check in desks would rise from 36 to 68, and gates from 18 to 24.
The challenge is space on a small, crowded island. Malta Airport is heading for continued growth, led by Ryanair and the new national carrier, as long as the terminal work keeps pace with demand. See how it compares with Sicily’s airports on the Airports of the World map.
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