Kyustendil Airfield

The closure was driven by a combination of geopolitical and economic factors:
1) Military Decommissioning: With the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, the strategic need for a forward military airbase near the border with the former Yugoslavia was eliminated. The Bulgarian Air Force downsized and consolidated its assets, leading to the abandonment of smaller airfields like Kyustendil.
2) Economic Reasons: After its military use ended, the airport's main function became agricultural aviation. The economic transition in Bulgaria in the 1990s led to the collapse of the large, state-run collective farms and the associated agricultural aviation services. There was no sustainable commercial demand for passenger or cargo traffic to justify the operational costs.

The airfield is currently abandoned and in a state of severe disrepair. The single asphalt runway, while still visible on satellite imagery, is cracked, weathered, and heavily overgrown with weeds, making it completely unusable for any type of aircraft. The original hangars and support buildings are derelict, with many in a state of collapse. The site is not secured and is unofficially used by locals for various activities, including driving practice, model aircraft flying, and occasional unsanctioned drag racing events.

During the Cold War, Kyustendil Airfield was a significant forward operating base for the Bulgarian Air Force. Its strategic location, just 15 km from the Serbian (then Yugoslavian) border and 30 km from the North Macedonian (then Yugoslavian) border, made it a key asset in the country's air defense network. It primarily housed fighter jet squadrons, likely operating aircraft such as the MiG-17 and later the MiG-21, tasked with intercepting potential incursions. After its military role diminished, it was repurposed as a vital hub for agricultural aviation ('Selskostopanska Aviatsiya'), serving the fertile Kyustendil Valley. Fleets of utility aircraft, most notably the Antonov An-2, operated from the airfield for crop dusting and spraying. It also supported limited sports aviation, including parachuting and gliding.

There are currently no concrete or funded plans to reopen Kyustendil Airfield. The idea of its revival has been periodically raised in local media and by political figures over the years, with suggestions to develop it for light private aviation, tourism, or as a small cargo facility. However, these proposals have never moved beyond the conceptual stage. The prohibitive cost of completely rebuilding the runway, taxiways, and all necessary infrastructure, combined with the lack of a clear business case and the relative proximity of the major international airport in Sofia (LBSF), makes its reopening highly improbable in the foreseeable future.