Fagernes Airport, Leirin

The closure was for economic reasons. In 2016, the Norwegian government decided to terminate the Public Service Obligation (PSO) contract that subsidized the air route between Fagernes and Oslo. The route had low passenger numbers, making the subsidy per passenger very high. The government concluded that improved road connections, particularly the E16 highway, provided a sufficient alternative for the region. Without the state-subsidized route, the airport was not commercially viable for Avinor to operate.

After its closure, the airport was sold by Avinor to the local municipalities of Nord-Aurdal and Øystre Slidre. It is now managed by a new company, Fagernes Lufthavn AS. The site is being repurposed into a business park and a national test center. Its primary new use is as a test arena for autonomous vehicles and related technologies, known as 'Test Arena Leirin'. The long runway and large, open areas are ideal for testing self-driving cars, trucks, and other systems. The site is also used for driver training (including for emergency services and heavy vehicles) and continues to accommodate general aviation on a 'Prior Permission Required' (PPR) basis. It remains available for emergency and air ambulance flights when needed.

Opened in 1987, Fagernes Airport, Leirin was a crucial piece of infrastructure for the Valdres region, a major tourist area in Norway known for its hiking and skiing. The airport's primary function was to connect the region with the capital, Oslo, facilitating tourism and business travel. For most of its operational life, the route to Oslo was operated by the airline Widerøe under a government PSO contract. The airport also handled a significant number of international charter flights, especially during the winter season, bringing tourists directly from countries like the United Kingdom. Additionally, it served general aviation, air taxi services, and was an important base for air ambulance flights.

There are no official or funded plans to reopen Fagernes Airport for scheduled commercial passenger traffic. The economic factors that led to its closure, namely the high cost of subsidies and low passenger volume, have not changed. The current owners and local authorities are focused on developing the site's new role as a technology test center and business park. While the physical infrastructure for aviation remains largely intact, a return to regular commercial flights is considered highly unlikely in the foreseeable future.