Tbilisi International Airport (Shota Rustaveli): Arrival Guide

Shota Rustaveli Tbilisi International Airport is the principal international gateway to Georgia (the country in the South Caucasus), handling most of the country's international passenger traffic and serving as the main arrival point for travelers from Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and beyond. Named after the 12th-century Georgian poet whose epic The Knight in the Panther's Skin is the foundational work of Georgian literature, it sits about 17 km from the city center, in the Lochini area, reachable from central Tbilisi in roughly 20–30 minutes by car depending on traffic.

What is Tbilisi International Airport?

Tbilisi International Airport (code TBS), officially Shota Rustaveli Tbilisi International Airport, is Georgia's main airport, about 17 km from the city center. It handles the bulk of the country's international flights, with connections to Istanbul, the Gulf hubs, major European cities, Tel Aviv, and the region, plus the national carrier Georgian Airways. It's a mid-size, modern, easy-to-navigate airport. From the airport, you reach the city by taxi or ride-hailing app (Bolt/Yandex, ~25–50 GEL, 20–30 min), pre-booked transfer, or the cheap public bus 337 (1 GEL, ~45–60 min) — all of Tbilisi's transport is now cashless, tap-on by contactless card. (For the cheapest European budget flights, note that Georgia's main low-cost hub is actually Kutaisi Airport, not Tbilisi.)

Routes and airlines

Tbilisi's route network reflects Georgia's commercial and cultural ties in several directions at once. Full-service carriers connect the city to Istanbul (a major transfer point onward to Europe and Asia), the Gulf hubs (Dubai, Doha — useful for connections from South/Southeast Asia, Australia, and Africa), major European hubs (the likes of Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Warsaw, Paris, Amsterdam), and regional points including Tel Aviv; the national carrier is Georgian Airways. The network is most extensive in summer and contracts in winter, when some seasonal routes pause.

A practical note on budget flights: Georgia's main low-cost hub is Kutaisi International Airport in the west of the country — Wizz Air is based there and Ryanair flies there, with cheap connections to dozens of European cities (Kutaisi has direct buses and trains onward to Tbilisi). Some low-cost routes do serve Tbilisi directly, but if you're chasing the cheapest European fares, check Kutaisi too. Airlines and routes change frequently, so always confirm current schedules when booking.

The terminal

The terminal is organized around a central departures hall with check-in, leading through security to the airside gates; it's modern, logically laid out, and clearly signposted in Georgian, English, and Russian, with manageable walking distances. Inside you'll find duty-free retail, cafés and restaurants, currency exchange and ATMs, a tourist-information desk, and SIM-card counters in arrivals (a local SIM — Magti, Silknet, or Cellfie — makes booking a taxi much easier than relying on airport Wi-Fi). The duty-free includes Georgian wine, chacha, and food products — handy for a last-minute taste of Georgia to bring home. Car-rental desks (Europcar, Sixt, and others) are in the terminal, and since late 2024 an ibis hotel sits about a 10-minute walk away, useful for very late arrivals.

Arrivals processing — passport control, baggage claim, customs — is generally efficient outside peak times, though several large aircraft landing together can build queues at passport control. On entry requirements: citizens of many countries (most of Europe, North America, the Gulf, and others) enter Georgia visa-free; some nationalities need an e-visa arranged in advance. Note that, as of 1 January 2026, valid travel/health insurance is required to enter Georgia. Check the current rules for your nationality before you travel (see our Georgia visa and entry guide). The arrivals hall opens directly onto the ground-transport area.

Getting to the city

• Taxi / ride-hailing (most convenient): Use the Bolt app (or Yandex) — typically ~25–35 GEL to the center, 20–30 min. Official white taxis at the rank run ~35–50 GEL. Avoid the drivers who approach you inside the terminal — they routinely overcharge; stick to the app or the official taxi rank outside.
• Pre-booked private transfer: Companies like GoTrip and others offer fixed-price door-to-door transfers (often ~50–55 GEL), with flight tracking — good for late arrivals, families, or heavy luggage.
• Public bus 337 (cheapest): Runs from in front of the terminal into the city — via Avlabari, Freedom Square, and Rustaveli Avenue, terminating at Station Square by the Central Railway Station (it passes Isani metro among other stops). Fare 1 GEL (about 1.5 GEL with a foreign contactless card), every ~15–20 min, roughly 7am–11pm; journey ~45–60 min depending on traffic. For the Old Town, get off near Freedom Square.
• Payment — all cashless: Tbilisi's buses and metro are tap-on only, no cash — tap a contactless bank card or phone on the reader (or buy a rechargeable transport card at the airport). You tap once on boarding; one fare covers transfers within 90 minutes.
• Airport train: There's a station beside the terminal, but trains run only about twice a day — fine for airport staff, not practical for most travelers. Don't rely on it.

Practical information

• Airport code: TBS.
• Location: Lochini, about 17 km from central Tbilisi (~20–30 min by car).
• Website: tbilisiairport.com
• To the city: Bolt/Yandex, official taxi, pre-booked transfer, or bus 337 (to Station Square via Freedom Square/Rustaveli). All transport cashless (tap a contactless card).
• Recommended arrival: about 2 hours before European/regional flights, 3 hours for long-haul.
• Note: airline routes, transport schedules, and fares change — confirm current details before you travel.