How much did Berlin Airport cost?

The construction of Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) began in 2006 with a calculated budget in the low billion range (approx. €2 billion). However, the requirements grew significantly during the course of the project, including those relating to fire protection, smoke extraction, technical security systems, and sound insulation.

In addition, there were several unexpected construction delays and the need for improvements. When the airport finally opened on October 31, 2020, the pure construction costs amounted to approximately €6 billion. Including interest, loan repayments, and ancillary costs, the total expenditure amounted to around €7 billion. This meant that BER exceeded the original financial plans by a factor of three.

Planned budget and actual costs at the end

• 2006: approx. €2 billion (original plan)
• 2007: increase to €2.2 billion
• 2009: €2.5 billion
• 2012: After cancellation of the opening: over €3 billion (new financial framework €4.3 billion)
• 2014: €5.4 billion (after adoption of a new overall concept)
• 2020: Over €7 billion (total costs until opening)

The reasons for the cost increase are:

• Construction defects: The fire protection system in particular caused enormous problems and delays.
• Planning errors: Incorrect calculations and planning changes.
• Extensions: Additional expansion requests, e.g., a government terminal, increased costs.

Challenge and reality: Economic pressure and a slow start

After the airport opened, the operator, Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH (FBB), had to face up to the harsh reality.

Today, the airport is one of the busiest in Germany. Nevertheless, the economic burden remains high. Ongoing loans, financing costs, and provisions are weighing heavily on the budget.

In the first few years, flight operations were slow, partly due to uncertainty following the renovation and partly due to global travel restrictions. However, passenger numbers are now rising, meaning that BER is increasingly being utilized to capacity. Nevertheless, the revenue from air traffic, parking services, shops, and rail connections is only sufficient to a limited extent to offset the high investment costs.

Why BER can be a long-term investment despite high costs

At first glance, the financial outlay seems enormous – but BER is not just an airport, it is an infrastructure project with far-reaching significance for the region. The combined airport, rail and parking complex links various forms of mobility, thus creating logistical advantages.

The substantial investments in fire protection, security, technical equipment, and transport connections not only ensure operations. They also represent a modern and efficient infrastructure that can be used for decades to come. For Berlin and Brandenburg, this means competitive air and rail connections, improved accessibility, and potential for growth—both in passenger and freight transport.

An expensive project with potential

Even though BER was expensive, the investment reflects long-term benefits. The airport clearly shows how complex large-scale projects can be: technical requirements, safety, mobility, and time pressure have turned a planned airport into a billion-dollar expense.

But with BER, there is now an infrastructure that not only enables relaxed air travel around the world, but also connects Berlin and Brandenburg multimodally. Anyone traveling to the airport – whether by car, train, or plane – benefits from this investment. The journey was expensive, but the benefits can pay off in the long term.