5/ 5 reviews
Terminal & facilities
“The facilities offer everything most travelers need: * Cafés and food options.”
Isra García5★ on Google
Airports / Bulgaria / SOF
Large airport · SOF
Sofia Airport.
Sofia, Bulgaria · 1,742 ft elevation. 8 charter operators based here.
3.7/5
Google rating
19,196 ratings
8
Operators based
1,742
Elevation ft
Scheduled service
Sofia, BulgariaELEV 1,742 FTLarge airportScheduled service
3.7
Google rating
19,196
Google reviews
ratings on Google
8
Based operators
charter operators on the field
1,742
Field elevation
feet above sea level
62
Nearest alternate
nm to LBPG
Field standing
8 operators
Charter fleet based on the field
More resident charter operators than 94% of the 651 US fields with a based fleet on the register.
62 nm
To the nearest alternate
Graf Ignatievo Air Base (LBPG).
Overview
Sofia Airport (LBSF / SOF) sits in Sofia, Bulgaria, where it functions as a large commercial airport. Field elevation is 1,742 feet above sea level. Scheduled carriers operate here, and the field also sees regular private and charter activity.
For charter flyers, SOF is a home base: ALK Airlines, Avio-D-Group, and Aviostart Ltd operate from the field, 8 in all. The closest alternate fields are Graf Ignatievo Air Base (LBPG, 62 nm), Dolna Mitropoliya Air Base (LBPL, 66 nm), and Plovdiv International Airport (PDV, 74 nm). The field has a single 11,811-foot paved runway, long enough for charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
Trip costs from SOF are driven by the aircraft category flown and how far it must reposition. You may also see the field referenced as Sofia International Airport and Vrazhdebna Air Base. Browse operators flying from the area or estimate a trip cost from SOF to plan your flight.
Run an FBO at LBSF? Become the preferred FBO
What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
4/ 5 reviews
Easy in & out
“Compared with many European capitals, getting from the airport into central Sofia is remarkably convenient.”
Isra García5★ on Google
2/ 5 reviews
Staff & service
“If it’s your first time visiting Sofia, the airport also provides a very good first impression of Bulgaria: welcoming, practical, unpretentious, and increasingly modern.”
Isra García5★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for Sofia Airport, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
LBSF
IATA
SOF
FAA / Local
LBSF
Elevation
1,742 ft
Coordinates
42.6964° N · 23.4177° E
Airspace
G · GolfClass G, GolfUncontrolled field, no tower. Pilots self-announce and sequence themselves on the common traffic advisory frequency.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Large
Scheduled svc
Yes
Elevation vs Bulgaria fields
state range 135–1,742 ft
At 1,742 ft, SOF sits higher than 89% of the 9 Bulgaria fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 11,811 ft
- 09/2711,811 ft × 147 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 11,811 ft
SOF's 11,811 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation. Confirm performance with the operator.
Based charter operators8
- Heli Air BulgariaSofia · Part 1354.6(50)4 aircraft · LBSF
- Aviostart LtdSofia · Part 1355.0(4)4 aircraft · LBSF
- BH Air Ltd.Sofia · Part 1354 aircraft · LBSF
- ALK AirlinesSofia · Part 1352.8(131)3 aircraft · LBSF
- Bulgaria AirSofia · Part 1353.1(50)3 aircraft · LBSF
- EGT JET LTD.Sofia · Part 1354.0(8)3 aircraft · LBSF
- Avio-D-GroupSofia · Part 1351 aircraft · LBSF
- Electra AirwaysSofia · Part 1351.4(19)LBSF
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 62nmLBPGGraf Ignatievo Air BaseGraf Ignatievo
- 66nmLBPLDolna Mitropoliya Air BaseDolna Mitropoliya
- 74nmPDVPlovdiv International AirportPlovdiv
- 79nmININiš Constantine the Great AirportNiš
- 91nmSKPSkopje International AirportIlinden
- 100nmCRACraiova International AirportCraiova
Location
Open the full mapLBSF · Sofia Airport · Sofia, Bulgaria
From the ramp
Google Places photography of Sofia Airport, tap any frame to view full-screen, then cycle with the arrows or your keyboard.
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from SOF on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Boston (BED) | 3,938 nm | 9h 33m |
| New York (TEB) | 4,095 nm | 9h 55m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 4,289 nm | 10h 22m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 4,517 nm | 10h 54m |
| Anchorage (ANC) | 4,562 nm | 11h 1m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 4,726 nm | 11h 23m |
| Palm Beach (PBI) | 4,882 nm | 11h 45m |
| Miami (MIA) | 4,927 nm | 11h 51m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use SOF?
- Sofia Airport's longest paved runway is 11,811 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to VIP airliners. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at SOF?
- Sofia Airport has one runway; the longest measures 11,811 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- Are there charter operators based at SOF?
- Yes. 8 charter operators list Sofia Airport as a home base, including ALK Airlines, Avio-D-Group, Aviostart Ltd. You can also request quotes from operators that reposition aircraft into the field.
- What is the nearest major airport to SOF?
- The closest alternate is Graf Ignatievo Air Base (LBPG), about 62 nm away, followed by Dolna Mitropoliya Air Base (LBPL) at 66 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from SOF to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Boston about 9h 33m (3,938 nm), New York about 9h 55m (4,095 nm), Washington DC about 10h 22m (4,289 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.