Palanga International Airport

Palanga International Airport sits on Lithuania's Baltic coast, roughly 7 kilometres south of Palanga town centre and 30 kilometres north of Klaipėda. It is the country's third-busiest airport after Vilnius and Kaunas, handling mostly seasonal leisure traffic from Scandinavia, the UK, Germany, and other European destinations. The terminal is compact—two storeys, a single runway, and a passenger capacity that feels manageable even during peak summer months. What makes this airport worth knowing about is not its size but its location: it serves one of Lithuania's most popular resort towns, a place where amber beaches, pine forests, and a lively cultural calendar draw visitors from across the continent.

Getting There

Palanga town centre is a 10- to 15-minute drive from the airport. Taxis wait outside arrivals and charge a flat rate of around 10–15 euros to the main resort area. Ride-hailing apps like Bolt and Uber operate here too, often slightly cheaper. For those arriving by car, the airport is signposted from the main A13 highway that connects Klaipėda and Latvia. The paid parking lot at the terminal is small but sufficient for the traffic volume—expect to pay about 1 euro per hour or 8 euros per day. Nearby streets offer paid street parking at similar rates, though spaces can be tight on summer weekends.

Public transport is limited. During the summer season (May to September), bus route 3 runs between the airport and Palanga bus station, with departures roughly every hour. The journey takes 20 minutes and costs 1 euro. Off-season, there is no direct bus; you must either take a taxi or catch a Klaipėda-bound bus from Palanga town and request a stop at the airport turnoff, which drops you on the main road a 1.5-kilometre walk from the terminal. Cycling is an option: a paved cycle path runs from the airport to Palanga along the coastal road, and bicycle rental shops in town can arrange one-way drop-offs.

Inside the Terminal

Palanga Airport has a single terminal building with two floors. Check-in desks and baggage drop occupy the ground floor, alongside a small shop selling snacks, drinks, and Lithuanian souvenirs. Security is upstairs, past a set of escalators. The security screening area has two lanes, which means queues build quickly during the busiest times—Monday 2 pm, Tuesday 2 pm, Wednesday 4 pm, and Thursday 11 am. Allow at least 30 minutes for security during those windows.

The departures lounge is modest but functional. There is a café serving coffee, pastries, and light meals, though prices are higher than in town. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the terminal. Seating is limited, so arriving more than two hours before your flight can mean standing or sitting on the floor. The airport has a baggage storage service located near the check-in area, charging 5 euros per item per day—useful if you want to explore Palanga on a layover.

Wheelchair accessibility is confirmed: the entrance, toilets, car park, and all public areas are wheelchair-friendly. There is a dedicated accessible toilet on both floors. Baby changing tables are available in the accessible toilet. The terminal is heated in winter but can feel chilly near the entrances; in summer, air conditioning works adequately but not powerfully.

Arrivals is straightforward: a single baggage carousel, a customs area, and then the exit. There are no currency exchange counters, so change money beforehand or use ATMs in the terminal (one at the entrance, one near check-in). The airport does not operate 24/7; it closes after the last flight and reopens approximately two hours before the first departure each day.

Palanga Airport and Palanga

Palanga is Lithuania's premier seaside resort, a town of about 15,000 permanent residents that swells to over 100,000 in summer. Its main draw is a 25-kilometre stretch of white sand beach backed by dunes and pine forest—a stark contrast to the industrialized coasts further east. The town's history as a spa destination dates to the 19th century, when the Tiškevičiai family built a summer palace (now the Palanga Amber Museum) surrounded by an expansive botanical park. The museum itself houses one of the world's largest collections of amber, with specimens containing prehistoric insects and plants.

Why do people fly to Palanga? The airport is the fastest way to reach Lithuania's Baltic coast for those coming from outside the region. Direct flights from London, Oslo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen make it a weekend escape for Scandinavians and Brits. In summer, the town hosts music festivals—the Palanga Jazz Festival, the Sea Festival—and its pedestrianized J. Basanavičiaus Street is lined with bars, restaurants, and amber jewellery shops. The climate is maritime: mild summers (20–25°C), cool winters (rarely below -5°C), and frequent sea breezes.

Beyond the beach, Palanga offers the Basanavičius Birth House, a small museum in the nearby village of Ožktiškis, and the Hill of Witches in Juodkrantė, a forest path lined with wooden sculptures of Lithuanian folklore figures. The Curonian Spit, a UNESCO World Heritage site of shifting dunes and ancient villages, is a 30-minute ferry ride from Klaipėda to Smiltynė and then a short bus ride to Nida—worth a day trip. Palanga Airport thus functions as a regional hub for tourism and, increasingly, for business travel to the offshore wind farms and logistics centres developing along the coast.

Practical Information

Palanga Airport is open daily, but not 24 hours. Departures and arrivals operate only during scheduled flight times—typically 6 am to midnight in summer, shorter hours in winter. Check the airport website (http://palanga-airport.lt/) or call +370 612 44442 for exact hours on your travel date.

There is no hotel inside the terminal. The nearest accommodation is about 1 km north along the main road—a handful of guesthouses and a small hotel. Book in advance during July and August.

Parking: The official paid lot charges 1 euro per hour, 8 euros per day. Street parking is available on nearby roads (paid via mobile app or parking meter). Do not park on the grass or unpaved areas—fines are issued.

Baggage storage is at the check-in area, open during terminal hours. Cost: 5 euros per item per day for items up to 20 kg. Larger items may cost more.

One concrete piece of advice: If your flight departs after 10 pm, note that taxi availability can be sparse—pre-book via the Bolt or Uber app, or ask airport staff to call a local taxi company. The same applies to early morning arrivals (before 7 am).

Free Wi-Fi: Connect to "Palanga Airport" network—no password, but requires accepting terms of use. Speed is adequate for browsing and messaging but not for streaming.

Smoking is prohibited inside the terminal. There is a designated smoking area outside the arrivals entrance.

For passengers with reduced mobility: The airport provides wheelchair assistance free of charge. Request it from your airline at booking or at check-in. All facilities are accessible.