Montenegro’s state-owned airport operator has outlined phased expansion plans for Podgorica Airport, while the Ministry of Spatial Planning approved a preliminary design on 2 November 2026 for a rental-car canopy of up to 150 square metres. The decision covers one facility, not the wider terminal expansion programme.
The approved design is for a steel-frame canopy with covered areas for temporary rental-car service containers and vehicle access. The facilities would be built on land in the municipality of Zeta, according to the ministry’s decision.
The operator’s broader concept proposes extending the existing passenger terminal on its western, southern and northern sides. Other works under consideration include enlarging the administration and VIP terminal building, upgrading the airport fire station, reorganising access roads and extending parking facilities. The plans also include improvements to passenger movement inside existing airport buildings.
Ministry documentation describes the extensions as transitional capacity improvements pending construction of a new passenger terminal on the northeastern side of the airport complex. The canopy’s preliminary architectural approval is not a construction permit for the full expansion programme and does not establish that financing has been approved for the other proposed facilities.
No overall investment budget or construction timetable has been disclosed. The plans address growing pressure on airport infrastructure as air traffic and Montenegro’s international flight connections increase. Fuel distributor Jugopetrol reported a 24% increase in aviation-fuel sales in the first nine months of 2026, attributing the rise to additional routes and higher air traffic.
Airport investment could improve the passenger experience and support further growth in tourism-related services. Which proposals will receive final approval and whether they will be financed remain unresolved. The plans are being considered amid a national debate over future airport ownership and the possible cancellation of the long-running concession tender. It is also undecided whether investment will proceed under continued public ownership or a revised private-sector participation model.
