Before you fly

Arriving at Skopje Airport, step by step

Arriving at Skopje Airport is short and simple: one terminal, two baggage carousels and an arrivals hall with ATMs, a 24/7 currency exchange office and free Wi-Fi. Skopje International Airport (SKP) is outside the EU and the Schengen Area, so expect a normal passport check. Here is the order you'll go through, what documents you need, what to do if a bag doesn't arrive, and how to sort out money and a phone connection before you leave the building.

Information checked 1 Nov 2026

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Steps from the plane to the arrivals hall

Skopje Airport has a single two-level terminal, and arrivals are on the ground floor at its west end. Follow the Arrival signs and you'll pass through four stages in a fixed order. A visa office sits just before passport control, and the Lost & Found office is inside baggage claim, before customs.

Once you're through customs you're in the public arrivals hall, with street exits A and B. The check-in hall for departures is at the other, east end of the same building.

Passport control: have your passport or other travel document ready.
Baggage claim: two carousels, with free luggage trolleys.
Customs: walk through, or declare goods if you need to.
Arrivals hall: ATMs, currency exchange, the SIM shop and exits A and B; the information desk is on the same floor.

Passport control and documents for entering North Macedonia

North Macedonia is not in the Schengen Area, so every passenger goes through a border check on arrival, including those coming from Germany, Switzerland or Austria. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES), which records fingerprints and a photo of non-EU travellers, is not used on entry to North Macedonia. It does apply if you later continue by road into Greece or Bulgaria, which are EES countries.

Which documents you need, and whether you need a visa, depends on your passport, and the rules change. Check them with your airline or with North Macedonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs before you fly: the 'Do you need a visa?' page on mfa.gov.mk lets you look up your country.

Baggage claim and lost or delayed luggage

If your suitcase doesn't come out, don't leave baggage claim. The Lost & Found office, run by TAV Macedonia for all airlines, is right there before customs. Report it immediately with your boarding pass and the bag tag; staff file a property irregularity report (PIR), which is traced through WorldTracer, or a damage report if the bag arrived broken.

The office answers on +389 2 3148 334 and +389 2 3148 366, and by email at lostbaggage@tav.aero. Bags that turn up later and are delivered to the airport can be collected from 09:00 to 11:30 and from 16:30 to 20:00. Damage you only notice later must be reported to the airline in writing within 7 days.

A report takes time. If someone is waiting for you outside, message them before you join the queue; our guide to what happens when your flight is delayed covers how a booked car handles long waits after landing.

Customs allowances

Customs is the last check before the arrivals hall. Skopje Airport doesn't publish duty-free allowances on its own pages; it refers travellers to the website of North Macedonia's Customs Administration, and questions about permitted items can go to the airport at customer.mk@tav.aero. Limits apply to tobacco, alcohol and cash, so if you're bringing more than personal amounts, check the Customs Administration's current rules before you travel rather than relying on older lists online.

ATMs, currency exchange and euros or denars on arrival

North Macedonia's currency is the Macedonian denar (MKD). The ATMs are next to door B in the arrivals hall. The International Currency Exchange office in the arrivals hall is open 24/7, and the Halk Bank branch and the post office next to it open Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 16:00. All of these are landside, after customs.

Carry some denars for small payments. The official airport shuttle bus costs 199 MKD one way and takes cash in denars or a card, and the car park machines take cards or cash in denars only. Our guide to the airport bus has the ticket details and timetable.

If you've booked a car with us, you don't need denars for it: drivers take cash in euros or denars, and our airport page explains the fixed fare and the payment options.

SIM cards, eSIMs and free Wi-Fi at Skopje Airport

The only phone shop in the terminal is Telekom Partner Metro Airport in the arrivals hall, open 08:00 to 20:00, where you can buy a local SIM card. No other operator has a sales point listed at the airport, and we couldn't confirm that eSIMs are sold there, so if you land in the evening or at night, buy an eSIM online before you fly.

North Macedonia isn't yet part of the EU's roam-like-at-home zone. The European Commission proposed talks in 2026 to bring the Western Balkans in, but until they're finalised your EU operator may charge roaming rates, so check them before you switch data on.

Free Wi-Fi covers the whole airport: choose the network 'TAV Airports', which has no password, and click 'Continue to the Internet'. No time limit is stated.

Information desk, left luggage and other services

The information desk is on the ground floor near the escalators to the departure gates, open non-stop, on +389 2 3148 333. A medical unit is in the arrivals area. The car rental desks line the west wall of the arrivals hall, and most of the 23 agencies listed by the airport keep their desks open around the clock.

Left luggage is handled by the Lost & Found office, which keeps bags for a fee for up to 30 days; ask there for the current price. Friends and family collecting you have a designated meeting point in the arrivals hall near the car rental offices.

Leaving the arrivals hall

The airport shuttle bus stops at the kerb outside exit A, the official airport taxi desk is in the arrivals hall and the car rental desks are along the west wall. If you land late, read about what's open at Skopje Airport after dark before you fly.

If you've booked with us, your driver waits inside the arrivals hall with your name on a sign; see how the driver finds you and book before you travel. Heading to the lake instead? The road transfer to Ohrid starts from the same hall.

Frequently asked questions

What are the steps from the plane to the arrivals hall at Skopje Airport?

Follow the Arrival signs to passport control, then baggage claim, which has two carousels and free trolleys, then customs, and you're in the arrivals hall on the ground floor at the west end of the terminal. The visa office is just before passport control and the Lost & Found office is in baggage claim, before customs, if a bag is missing.

What documents do I need to enter North Macedonia?

Entry rules depend on your passport, and they change. Check them with your airline or with North Macedonia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs before you fly: its 'Do you need a visa?' page on mfa.gov.mk shows the rule for each country. Whatever your nationality, expect a full border check on arrival, because North Macedonia is outside the Schengen Area.

What should I do if my luggage doesn't arrive in Skopje?

Go to the Lost & Found office inside baggage claim before you pass customs, with your boarding pass and bag tag. Staff file a report that is traced through WorldTracer. You can reach the office on +389 2 3148 334 or lostbaggage@tav.aero, and delivered bags are collected from 09:00 to 11:30 and 16:30 to 20:00. Report damage found later to the airline within 7 days.

Is there an ATM or currency exchange in the Skopje Airport arrivals hall?

Yes. ATMs stand next to door B, and the International Currency Exchange office in the arrivals hall is open 24/7. A Halk Bank branch and a post office in the same hall open Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 16:00. All of them are landside, after customs, so you can use them on the way out or when you come back to fly home.

Should I bring euros or denars to North Macedonia?

The local currency is the denar (MKD), so have some for small payments: the airport shuttle bus is 199 MKD and the car park machines take only cards or denars. If you've booked with us, our transfer fares are quoted in euros and you can pay the driver in cash in euros or in denars.

Can I buy a SIM card or eSIM at Skopje Airport?

The Telekom Partner shop in the arrivals hall sells SIM cards from 08:00 to 20:00. No other operator has a point listed and we couldn't confirm eSIM sales there, so buy an eSIM before you fly if you land in the evening. North Macedonia isn't in the EU's roam-like-at-home zone yet, so check your roaming rates.

Is there free Wi-Fi at Skopje Airport?

Yes, throughout the terminal. Select the network 'TAV Airports', which has no password, and click 'Continue to the Internet'. The airport states no time limit. Use it to message the people collecting you or your driver, check your booking or download maps while you wait for your bags.

What are the customs allowances when flying into Skopje?

The airport doesn't list them; it refers travellers to North Macedonia's Customs Administration website, and allowed-item questions can go to customer.mk@tav.aero. Tobacco, alcohol and cash are limited, so if you carry more than personal amounts, check the current rules on the Customs Administration's site before you travel instead of relying on older lists online.

Is there left luggage at Skopje Airport?

Yes. The Lost & Found office offers baggage custody for a fee, for up to 30 days. The airport doesn't publish the price as text, so ask at the office or call +389 2 3148 334. It's useful if you arrive early for a day in Skopje before travelling on, or want to leave a bag while you visit family.

Want a car waiting when you land?

One fixed price per vehicle. Your driver waits in the arrivals hall with your name on a sign. Send the request and we email you as soon as your driver is confirmed.