ROTTERDAM, 25 February 2026 – Rotterdam The Hague Airport has confirmed two route updates that will matter if you like quick city breaks without trekking to Schiphol. AJet has started flying four times a week to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen, and Aegean Airlines will launch a twice-weekly Athens route from 3 September 2026.

AJet starts Rotterdam–Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen

AJet is now a new airline at Rotterdam The Hague Airport, flying to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport four times a week. The airport says flights will be operated with either a Boeing 737-800 MAX or an Airbus A320. AJet’s first flight arrived on 22 February and was welcomed with a ceremonial water salute. 

Aegean Airlines launches Athens from 3 September

From 3 September 2026, Aegean Airlines will fly twice per week between Rotterdam The Hague Airport and Athens, on Thursdays and Sundays, using an Airbus A320neo. The airport notes the connection is scheduled to run until 25 March 2027.

What this means for Rotterdam travellers

For Rotterdam, these routes are about convenience. If you live in the city, you can reach the airport quickly, and that changes what a long weekend looks like, especially when flight times line up with work and school schedules. If you are planning trips anyway, this is also the kind of update that can shift your default choice away from a longer airport run, simply because Rotterdam The Hague Airport is closer and easier to manage.

Where to find more information

Rotterdam The Hague Airport is publishing route updates and flight information on its website: https://www.rotterdamthehagueairport.nl/

For live arrivals and departures, the airport also maintains a flights overview page on its site.

How to get there

Rotterdam The Hague Airport is in Rotterdam-Noord, close to the A13, and it is one of the easiest airports in the country to reach from the city by taxi, car, or bike depending on your luggage. If you are coming by public transport, the airport’s own travel page is the most reliable starting point for current connections.

ROTTERDAM, 14 November 2025 – Direct flights from Rotterdam to Tangier and Algiers are being added to the timetable at Rotterdam The Hague Airport. The new services give residents, visitors and the diaspora community extra options for travelling between the Maasstad and North Africa.

New North African routes from Rotterdam

Two airlines are introducing direct connections between Rotterdam and the Mediterranean coast. From this season, Tangier in Morocco and Algiers in Algeria will be served several times per week from Rotterdam The Hague Airport.

Air Arabia will operate three weekly flights between Rotterdam and Tangier, on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Tangier offers a mix of historic districts, coastal views and a long-standing link between Europe and North Africa, making it a practical gateway for both family visits and short city breaks.

Flight schedule and booking information

Algiers will be connected to Rotterdam by Air Algérie, with flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays. As the capital of Algeria, Algiers combines historic neighbourhoods, Mediterranean harbour views and a varied urban landscape, which may appeal to travellers interested in exploring the wider region or visiting relatives.

According to the current schedule, the flights to both Tangier and Algiers are planned up to and including 28 March 2026. Tickets can be booked via the websites of Air Arabia and Air Algérie, or through the booking section of Rotterdam The Hague Airport, giving passengers the option to organise their trip directly online.

How to get to Rotterdam The Hague Airport

Rotterdam The Hague Airport is located to the north-west of the city centre, close to the Overschie district and near the A13 motorway towards The Hague. The terminal can be reached by car via Rotterdam Airportplein, with parking facilities next to the terminal, and by public transport using bus services that connect the airport with Meijersplein metro station and the wider RET network.

For many Rotterdam residents, the airport is within a short drive, cycle ride or combined bus and metro journey, which may make early morning or late evening departures to Tangier and Algiers easier to fit into daily routines.

Rotterdam to London by train is one of those travel moves that just makes sense. You leave Rotterdam Centraal, and you arrive in London St Pancras International without airports, long transfers, or that weird moment where you forget what day it is. 

What the route looks like from Rotterdam

Eurostar has been running direct Rotterdam to London trains since 2018, and the service now offers five daily connections. With a journey time of around 3.5 hours, it’s a solid option for a day trip, a long weekend, or a business visit.

You start at Rotterdam Centraal, then travel straight to London. The big perk is the city-centre to city-centre flow. You arrive in London already “in it”, instead of still being 45 minutes away from anything you actually came to do.

This route is often framed as a more sustainable way to travel between Rotterdam and London, especially compared with flying. It also keeps the journey practical: you’re not travelling to the airport, waiting around, then travelling back into the city again.

First stops after you arrive in London

St Pancras is a gift of an arrival. You step out into one of London’s great transport hubs and, crucially, you don’t have to think too hard. King’s Cross is next door, the Underground is underneath you, and the city’s buses, bikes and black cabs are lined up outside. This is one of the best connected stations in the city, which makes it ideal for first timers. From here you can reach most central areas without changing more than once. 

Three low effort neighbourhoods to start with:

Bloomsbury and the British Museum area
A calm first wander with leafy squares, bookish streets, and a big cultural hit that doesn’t require you to know London. It’s also an easy walk or short bus ride from St Pancras.

Coal Drops Yard and Regent’s Canal
Right behind King’s Cross you’ll find modern London with good food, shops, and space to breathe. From here you can follow the canal for a slower, prettier route towards Islington.

Soho and Covent Garden
If you want London to feel loud and alive immediately, head west. It’s busy, yes, but it’s also full of easy wins: theatres, record shops, street performers, and places to eat at any hour.

A quick note on travelling to the UK

Because you’re travelling to the UK, expect extra steps compared with a domestic train. Bring the right travel documents and check Eurostar’s latest guidance before you go, as rules and procedures can change.

Useful links

• Eurostar route info (Rotterdam to London): https://www.nsinternational.com/en/trains/eurostar-to-london/
• Eurostar travel updates: https://www.eurostar.com/travel-info/travel-updates
• St Pancras International station: https://stpancras.com/

ROTTERDAM, 2 October 2025 – Rotterdam The Hague Airport has submitted an application for a new luchthavenbesluit (airport decree) to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. The proposal aims to reduce noise and emissions while safeguarding the airport’s regional function.

What is an airport decree?

An airport decree sets the official framework for an airport, defining its location, runway length and width, and the types of traffic permitted, both now and in the future. It also establishes rules and limits on noise and environmental impact. Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTHA) currently operates under a transitional arrangement that must be replaced by a full decree under the Aviation Act (Wet Luchtvaart).

Background to the new request

Until May 2013, RTHA operated under a designation order. This was replaced by the current conversion arrangement, which now needs to be superseded. Between 2019 and 2022, the airport held a participation process with residents, municipalities and other stakeholders. The discussions did not result in one single consensus scenario, but they produced a joint document (the EPP) with different measures and proposals. This document forms the foundation of the current application.

Main principles of the application

The airport’s proposal places “less nuisance” at the centre, with five key commitments:

• Fewer night flights: a stricter regime on business aviation at night and earlier cut-off for delayed commercial flights (midnight instead of 01.00).
• Protection of early and late hours: limits on departures between 07.00 and 09.00 and arrivals between 21.00 and 23.00, with a gradual requirement for quieter aircraft.
• No additional fossil-fuel flights: extra flights on conventional fuel will not be permitted. Any future growth must use electric, hydrogen or fully sustainable fuels.
• Cleaner, quieter aircraft: incentives for airlines to deploy modern aircraft, with a goal of 20% less CO₂ emissions by 2035.
• Maintaining regional role: RTHA remains a hub for regional travel, emergency services and limited military use.

Environmental and economic balance

The accompanying Environmental Impact Report (Milieu Effect Rapportage, MER) examined multiple scenarios, from contraction to standstill and conditional growth. The chosen scenario balances financial viability with environmental goals: no increase in conventional flights, but space for innovation through quieter aircraft and sustainable fuels.

Next steps in the process

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management will review the application and draft a concept decree. This draft will be made public, allowing stakeholders and residents to submit formal responses (zienswijzen). Previous phases, such as the Scope and Level of Detail document (Notitie Reikwijdte en Detailniveau, NRD) and the MER, were also open for comment.

What it means for Rotterdam

For surrounding neighbourhoods, the plan aims to reduce noise, particularly at night and during early morning and late evening hours. For the city and region, the decree safeguards the airport’s role in connecting travellers and businesses, while setting conditions that tie any future growth to cleaner technology.