Cannes Mandelieu Airport (IATA: CEQ, ICAO: LFMD) serves Cannes and the surrounding French Riviera region. It is operated by Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur (ACA), which also runs Nice Côte d’Azur Airport. Located about 5 km west of Cannes and just east of Mandelieu-la-Napoule, the airport remains one of Europe’s most important business aviation gateways.
In 2024, Cannes Mandelieu recorded 12,932 business aviation movements, slightly down from 13,019 in 2023. Light aircraft accounted for about 64.1% of its traffic that year, with business jets making up around 18.5% and civil helicopters 15.5%. According to the EBAA Yearbook, LFMD logged 12,705 total movements in 2024, maintaining its status as one of Europe’s top business-aviation airports.
The airport has two main runways: runway 17/35 is 1,540 m long (approx. 5,052 ft), and runway 04/22 is about 760 m long. Its elevation is minimal (around 14 ft / ~4 m), given its coastal location.
Cannes Mandelieu is strongly focused on environmental sustainability. According to ACA’s 2024 performance report, the airport has significantly reduced CO₂ emissions by using ground equipment powered by HVO fuel where electrification is not yet feasible, and it has deployed a fully electric refuelling truck — a first in France. It also uses a classification system (“CALIPSO”) to manage aircraft by noise performance.
The airport imposes a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 35,000 kg for aircraft, permitting a wider range of modern business jets while enforcing stricter noise and access control. In September 2025, the Dassault Falcon 6X made its first landing at Cannes Mandelieu, marking a milestone for wide-cabin business aviation at the field.
Cannes Mandelieu also supports a significant helicopter presence, with 8,527 helicopter movements in 2024, and around 220 aircraft based at the field, mainly used for pilot training.
During the summer events season (e.g., the Cannes Film Festival or the Monaco Grand Prix), the airport operates on a prior-permission-required (PPR) basis, and slots are strictly managed.
In terms of infrastructure, the airport remains tailored to business aviation: it has FBO (fixed-base operator) services, a high-end image, and a range of handling services for VIP and event traffic.
Overall, Cannes Mandelieu continues to maintain its prestige status as one of the most exclusive and regulated business aviation airports in Europe, with a strong commitment to sustainability, environmental performance, and high-quality service.