Copenhagen Airport (Kastrup) handles 30 million passengers annually and sits 8 kilometers south of the city center on the island of Amager. Terminal 3 processes most international flights. The airport completed a major expansion in 2023 adding 12 new gates in Pier E. Aarhus Airport in Jutland serves 600,000 passengers per year and lies 36 kilometers northeast of the city. Billund Airport handles 3.6 million passengers and sits adjacent to the original Legoland park in central Jutland. Aalborg Airport in northern Jutland processes 1.4 million travelers annually. All four airports connect to European and select intercontinental destinations. Copenhagen receives direct flights from North America on SAS, United, and Air Canada. The main terminal at Copenhagen includes passport control, baggage claim, customs, and ground transport within a single linear building requiring 12 to 18 minutes walking time from international gates to train platforms during normal traffic conditions.
Metro M2 connects Copenhagen Airport to the city center in 14 minutes with trains departing every 4 to 6 minutes from 0500 to midnight and every 15 to 20 minutes overnight. The platform sits directly below Terminal 3 accessible by escalator. A single ticket costs 36 DKK (5.30 USD) when purchased from vending machines in the arrivals hall or via the DOT Mobilbilletter app. The metro reaches Kongens Nytorv station in the city center where lines M1, M2, M3, and M4 intersect. Nørreport station provides connections to S-train suburban rail services extending to Zealand communities including Helsingør, Roskilde, and Køge. Trains operate as a barrier-free honor system with random ticket inspections carrying a 750 DKK fine. The Rejsekort smartcard functions across all public transport in Denmark but requires a 50 DKK refundable deposit plus minimum 70 DKK credit making it practical only for stays exceeding four days.
Regional trains depart Copenhagen Airport every 10 minutes during peak hours reaching Copenhagen Central Station in 13 minutes. The same trains continue to Odense on Funen in 95 minutes and Aarhus in Jutland in 3 hours 15 minutes. DSB operates these services with reserved seating on intercity routes. A Copenhagen Airport to Odense standard ticket costs 339 DKK, to Aarhus 469 DKK. The Øresund train crosses the 16-kilometer combined bridge-tunnel to Malmö Central Station in Sweden in 20 minutes with 140 DKK fares. This infrastructure opened in 2000 creating the Copenhagen-Malmö metropolitan region of 4 million people. Swedish krona and euros see limited acceptance in Danish border stations; Danish krone remains mandatory for most transactions despite Denmark's European Union membership.
Taxis queue outside Terminal 3 arrivals operating on meters starting at 37 DKK with 12.50 DKK per kilometer daytime rates and 15 DKK per kilometer nights and weekends. Copenhagen city center fares run 250 to 350 DKK depending on destination and time. All taxis accept credit cards by legal requirement since 2017. Uber operates in Copenhagen with pricing matching traditional taxis within 20 DKK on typical routes. Pre-arranged transfers through hotel partnerships cost 400 to 600 DKK for sedans. The airport prohibits ride-sharing pickup from the taxi zone; Uber drivers direct passengers to parking area P6 adding 8 minutes walking time.
Car rental counters from Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Sixt, and Budget operate in the arrivals hall of Terminal 3. Denmark permits driving on foreign licenses for 90 days. Traffic drives on the right side. Gasoline costs approximately 13.50 DKK per liter (7.90 USD per gallon). Highway E20 connects the airport to central Copenhagen in 15 minutes outside rush hours. Parking in Copenhagen costs 30 to 40 DKK per hour in commercial garages and 25 DKK per hour at street meters with maximum 3-hour limits in most zones. The Great Belt Bridge connecting Zealand to Funen charges 270 DKK for passenger vehicles under 6 meters. Copenhagen has implemented a low emission zone covering 23 square kilometers of the city center requiring Euro 4 diesel emissions standards or better for vehicles over 3.5 tons.
Currency exchange windows in Terminal 3 post rates approximately 4% below interbank levels. ATMs from Danske Bank and Nordea in the arrivals hall accept international cards with typical foreign transaction fees of 2 to 3% plus flat charges of 20 to 50 DKK depending on issuing bank. Denmark uses the Danish krone (DKK) pegged to the euro at 7.46 DKK per euro through the European Exchange Rate Mechanism II. The country rejected euro adoption in a 2000 referendum with 53.2% voting against membership. Credit cards see universal acceptance including at Copenhagen Metro vending machines, supermarkets, public restrooms, and most street vendors. Contactless payment limits reach 400 DKK without PIN entry. Cash transactions have declined to 13% of retail payments as of 2022 according to Danmarks Nationalbank, the lowest rate in the European Union.
Baggage claim at Copenhagen Airport typically delivers luggage 18 to 25 minutes after wide-body aircraft arrival and 12 to 18 minutes after narrow-body flights. The airport reports a 98.4% on-time baggage delivery rate. Lost luggage reports go to the WorldTracer desk in Terminal 3 near carousel 6. Denmark customs permits travelers from outside the EU to bring 200 cigarettes, 1 liter of spirits above 22% alcohol, and gifts valued up to 3,150 DKK without declaration. Meat and dairy products from non-EU countries face strict prohibition under African swine fever regulations implemented in 2019. The red and green customs channels operate on traveler declaration honor system with random inspections occurring in approximately 2% of passenger flows.
SIM cards sell at 7-Eleven and Narvesen kiosks in the arrivals hall. Lebara offers 20 GB data plans for 99 DKK valid 28 days. TDC Net and Telenor Denmark provide similar pricing. Denmark operates 4G LTE across 99.8% of the territory and 5G in Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense, and Aalborg urban centers. The country ranks third globally in mobile network speed according to Ookla's 2023 measurements at 142 Mbps average download. Free WiFi at Copenhagen Airport requires email registration and limits sessions to 60 minutes with unlimited reconnection. Mobile network coverage drops in portions of western Jutland and on smaller islands including Bornholm where 4G reaches 94% geographic coverage.
Copenhagen Airport includes a Føtex supermarket in Terminal 3 arrivals open 0600 to 2200 daily selling bread, cheese, fruit, and prepared foods at prices 15 to 25% above city supermarkets. A standard breakfast of yogurt, granola, and coffee costs approximately 65 DKK. The 7-Eleven in Terminal 2 operates 24 hours. Water bottles cost 18 to 25 DKK in airport shops compared to 8 to 12 DKK in city Netto or Rema 1000 discount supermarkets. Denmark maintains tap water to drinking quality standards across the entire country with Copenhagen water originating from wells 30 to 60 meters deep in the Bryrup formation aquifer. Restaurants past security in Terminal 3 include Joe & The Juice, Starbucks, Lagkagehuset bakery, and Gorm's Pizza with main courses ranging 95 to 185 DKK.
Luggage storage operates in Terminal 3 charging 75 DKK for 24 hours for standard suitcases and 100 DKK for oversized items. The facility opens 0500 to 2300. Left luggage lockers exist at Copenhagen Central Station costing 50 to 80 DKK for 24-hour periods depending on locker size. Access requires credit card payment at the terminal interface. The station prohibits storage exceeding 72 continuous hours.