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Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Frankfurt Main Airport

Frankfurt am Main, Hesse (Germany)

IATA: FRA ICAO: EDDF

Longest Active Runway

13,123 ft

4,000 meters

Field Elevation

364 ft

111 m MSL

Runway Inventory

4 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

50.0267°, 8.5584°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

Ranking Universes Guide →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#73 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#122 of 7558

Top 1.8% percentile worldwide

National Standing (Germany)

#2 in DE

#2 of 83 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+31.2%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 Statistical Statement: Frankfurt Main Airport's longest active runway measures 13,123 ft (4,000 m). Within RunwayFacts' published index of 650 aerodromes, it ranks #73. Across the broader global dataset of 7558 commercial facilities, it ranks #122 worldwide (Top 1.8%) and #2 nationally in Germany.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Frankfurt Main Airport (FRA)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Frankfurt Airport is the undisputed logistical powerhouse of continental Europe. Its four-runway layout is heavily specialized, with Runway 18 providing dedicated southbound departure capacity while three other runways handle coordinated arrival and departure flows. Elevated at 364 ft MSL in the Rhine-Main basin, FRA handles over 70 million passengers annually supported by an extensive high-speed ICE railway station directly integrated into Terminal 1.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Four runways: parallel pair 07L/25R (13,123 ft / 4,000 m) and 07C/25C (13,123 ft / 4,000 m), dedicated takeoff runway 18 West (13,123 ft), and northwest landing strip 07R/25L (9,186 ft).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Opened in 1936 as a base for airships and airplanes. Transformed into an Allied supply anchor during the 1948 Berlin Airlift; opened Terminal 2 in 1994 and the Northwest Runway in 2011.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Busiest airport in Germany and primary intercontinental hub of Lufthansa and the Star Alliance, located 125 NM northwest of Stuttgart (STR).

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Enforces a strict mandatory noise curfew between 23:00 and 05:00; runway 18 operates exclusively for departures to the south.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Luftfahrt-Bundesamt (LBA) & DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung · Aeronautical Information Publication Deutschland (AIP Germany)

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Comparative aviation metrics evaluated against regional and global physical operational criteria.

ICAO Code 4E / 4F Super-Heavy

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Elevation & Atmospheric Density

Lowland / Coastal Basin Aerodrome

Frankfurt Main Airport operates at a surveyed field elevation of 364 ft (111 m MSL) in Frankfurt am Main. Situated in low-lying coastal terrain, the aerodrome benefits from dense ambient atmospheric pressure, maximizing turbine engine thrust and wing lift efficiency across all departure vectors.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

4 Qualifying Aerodromes in Vicinity

Busiest airport in Germany and primary intercontinental hub of Lufthansa and the Star Alliance, located 125 NM northwest of Stuttgart (STR). Within a 100 NM radius, the facility coordinates airspace flows with 4 qualifying commercial aerodromes, with Frankfurt-Hahn Airport (HHN) located 50.3 NM away.

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Fleet Compatibility & Ground Roll

Primary Runway: 13,123 ft (4,000 m)

Frankfurt Main Airport's active flight strips comprise 07R/25L (13,123 ft), 07C/25C (13,123 ft), 18/36 (13,123 ft), 07L/25R (9,186 ft). With a longest active threshold of 13,123 ft (4,000 m), the aerodrome satisfies unrestricted long-haul takeoff and landing distance requirements for heavy twin-aisle and four-engine widebodies (ICAO Code 4E/4F).

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
07R/25L	13,123 ft (4000m)	148 ft (45m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
07C/25C	13,123 ft (4000m)	197 ft (60m)	`Asphalt (ASP)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
18/36	13,123 ft (4000m)	148 ft (45m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
07L/25R	9,186 ft (2800m)	148 ft (45m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🧭 Comparative Aerodromes (100 NM Radius, ≥5,000 ft Paved)

Great-circle Haversine spatial proximity matching for commercial facilities with paved runway capacity within 100 NM.

Aerodrome Name	IATA	Distance	Longest Runway	Lighting
Frankfurt-Hahn Airport (Frankfurt am Main (Lautzenhausen))	`HHN`	50.3 NM (93.2 km)	12,467 ft	✅ Lighted
Cologne Bonn Airport (Köln (Cologne))	`CGN`	73.9 NM (136.9 km)	12,516 ft	✅ Lighted
Stuttgart Airport (Stuttgart)	`STR`	84.4 NM (156.3 km)	10,974 ft	✅ Lighted
Luxembourg-Findel International Airport (Luxembourg)	`LUX`	94 NM (174.1 km)	13,123 ft	✅ Lighted

🛡️ Data Provenance & Verification Metadata

Source Dataset: OurAirports Open Aviation Database

Snapshot Version: 2026-09-01

Dataset Integrity: Cryptographic SHA-256 Checksum Verified & Fail-Closed Schema Inspected

Source Verification: Source-reported registry data

Read Complete Methodology & Verification Protocol → GET /api/airport/fra.json ↗