Groningen Airport Eelde
Groningen Airport Eelde (GRQ) is an international airport located in the Northern Netherlands. The airport is not slot restricted and offers capacity for growth in the Dutch aviation market.
The airport primarily serves the cities of Groningen, Assen, Leeuwarden and Zwolle with 2,100,000 inhabitants living within a 60’ minute drive. Within our broader 90’ catchment area, which includes a part of North-West Germany, we have 3,800,000 inhabitants living nearby. Its catchment is very autonomous; the nearest other airports are Schiphol and Bremen, both at a 2 hour driving time. The city of Groningen is also well-connected to Amsterdam by train covering a distance of approximately 180 kilometers.
The Top of Holland (60’ catchment) has a working population of 932,000 across more than 213,000 businesses. Drivers of business travel are the oil & gas sector, renewable energy, shipbuilding & shipping, chemical industry & the agri/food sector. 130,000 students (incl. 16,000 foreign students) lead to a young and highly educated workforce and lively cities.
In 2023, the airport handled 112,833 passengers on mostly holiday charter traffic towards southern Europe. Popular destinations include Antalya, Gazipasa, Burgas, Gran Canaria, Heraklion, Kos and Palma de Mallorca. These destinations are served by TUI Netherlands and Corendon, with some operating throughout the full summer/winter season and others aligning with vacation periods. Pre-COVID, scheduled services to London (up to 3x daily), Copenhagen (2x daily) and Munich (daily) were offered. These route opportunities are still highly sought after by travelers and businesses from our region.
Since 2019, our travel partners have successfully introduced routes to more niche destinations, such as Guernsey (Channel Islands) and Scandinavian Mountains Airport in Sweden. The route to Guernsey is operated by Blue Islands on behalf of Sunair Vakanties, while Scandinavian Mountains is operated by Transavia on behalf of BBI Travel. Following this success, BBI Travel recently introduced a second exclusive destination in the summer of 2025; Knock (Ireland West Airport), operated by Emerald Airlines.
Tourism Board Info
The City of Groningen
Groningen, described by CNN Travel as “a winning alternative over Amsterdam,” has earned its place among Europe’s top 10 destinations. Home to 230,000 inhabitants, including 50,000 (inter)national students, Groningen is the youngest and highest educated city in the Netherlands, offering a unique blend of energy, diversity, and vibrancy.
Besides the iconic Martini Tower, that has stood tall for over 500 years, the striking Forum Groningen showcases the city’s innovative side with its library, cinema, and rooftop views. The Groninger Museum, with its bold architecture and exciting exhibitions, adds to the city’s rich cultural appeal.
“Little Amsterdam”. Groningen is known for its lively streets and welcoming atmosphere. Like Amsterdam, it offers picturesque canals, historic warehouses, thousands of bikes and vibrant markets that create a unique blend of tradition and daily life. Add to this the city’s bustling nightlife, with bars and clubs in hotspots like Poelestraat and Peperstraat staying open without fixed closing times, and you’ll find a city full of energy and charm, day or night.
