Tbilisi International Airport

Officially the Shota Rustaveli Tbilisi International Airport, TBS is Georgia's principal gateway, sitting about 17 km southeast of central Tbilisi. It has been operated by TAV Georgia (part of the French Groupe ADP-owned TAV Airports Holding) since 2005 — TAV's first airport operation outside Turkey — under a concession most recently extended into 2027–2028.

The airport's modern international terminal was commissioned in 2007 (original capacity 2.8 million passengers/year) and expanded in 2017 with a dedicated 12,000 m² arrivals hall, lifting capacity to roughly 3.5 million. The original 1952 Soviet-era terminal building still stands on-site and now serves as a VIP lounge. Two runways handle traffic, with the main runway upgraded in 2016 (new lighting and ILS) to take aircraft as large as the Airbus A380 or Boeing 747-8.

2025 was a record year: TBS crossed 5 million passengers for the first time, up 13% on 2024 and 45% above pre-pandemic 2019 levels. It's the home base of Georgian Airways, the national carrier, and is also used by MyWay Airlines, Geosky and Camex; more than 45 airlines currently fly nonstop or direct routes to over 25 countries.

A $150 million expansion, announced for 2026–2028, aims to double annual capacity to 10 million passengers — doubling jet bridges from 5 to 10, adding 7 remote stands, expanding check-in, baggage and passport-control capacity, and adding retail, dining and lounge space. Skytrax has ranked TBS among the "Top 10 Airports in Eastern Europe" for four consecutive years.

Getting into town: it's roughly 45–65 minutes by road to central Tbilisi depending on traffic. City bus 337 runs from the terminal to Freedom Square and on to Station Square (1 GEL, tap card, every 15–20 minutes, roughly 7am–11pm) — by far the cheapest option. A rail link exists to Station Square but only twice daily, so it's rarely practical. Bolt (the local ride-hailing app) typically runs 25–35 GEL into the centre; pre-booked private transfers start around $17. Avoid unmarked taxi touts inside the terminal.