According to the World Population Review, France was the most visited country for inbound air travellers between 2019 and 2022. Spain, the United States, and Turkey were the next three most visited countries. Europe has consistently had the highest volume of inbound travellers for the past 15 years, even during the pandemic.
In fact, around 60% of the world’s inbound tourist arrivals come to European countries, which accounts for over half of the world’s international tourism flights.
Below is a closer look at some of the major airport expansion and construction projects shaping Europe’s aviation landscape.
London Heathrow Airport, United Kingdom
A potential expansion of Heathrow Airport has been one of the most divisive issues in UK politics for many years. Successive governments, environmental organisations, and local communities have repeatedly clashed over the need for increased aviation capacity versus concerns about its impact.
The debate resurfaced once again this November, when the UK government announced it would back Heathrow’s £49 billion (US$65.3 billion) plan to build a 3,500-metre third runway at its site.
This proposal requires a diversion of the M25 motorway under the airport, and a widening of junctions 14-15.
An alternative plan from Arora Group for a shorter runway that would cost less and not require relocation of the M25 was rejected by ministers. Some claimed that it was less likely to secure planning approval within this Parliament.
The government also claimed that Heathrow’s plan involves the procurement of fewer houses. It has, however, indicated that it is open to the Arora Group building its own terminal at Heathrow.
Heathrow set out its plans for the expansion in July 2025. The airport says upon completion, the upgrades will increase capacity to 150 million passengers annually, in comparison to approximately 84 million as of now.
It proposes to build a new terminal called T5X, expand Terminal 2, and close Terminal 3.
The backed plan will now inform the government’s review of the Airports National Policy Statement. This is before Heathrow can apply for planning permission.
The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority has said that Heathrow will need to overhaul its operations to fund the new runway. The airport must approve its five-year budget under the regulated asset base model, which lets it recover investment costs through airline landing fees.
But major projects like the proposed third runway need extra approval and have prompted airlines to warn that Heathrow’s limited liability for cost overruns does not give its owners sufficient incentive to control spending.
The government is hoping for a final decision by 2029.
Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport, Spain
In 2018, Air City Madrid proposed a development plan for Casarrubios-Álamo aerodrome, titled Madrid South Airport.
The proposal included a 3,200-metre runway, a terminal with a phase-one-capacity for six million passengers, and 50,000 square metres left for aircraft maintenance and hangars.
Madrid’s main airport, Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas, is increasingly reaching its maximum capacity. The space is designed to handle 70 million passengers a year. It currently handles around 60 million, and is expected to handle 90 million by the end of this decade.
This pressure on capacity becomes particularly clear when we compare Madrid to other European capitals. London, for example, operates six commercial airports compared with Madrid’s one.
The plans for Madrid South Airport recently resurfaced in the media as a potential avenue to reduce some of the pressure at Madrid-Barajas.
The project needs investments of around €148 million ($172.3 million) to complete an initial phase. It also still needs to secure environmental approvals, funding arrangements, and construction timelines.
Last year, Madrid-Barajas’ operator, AENA, announced a major expansion for the airport. This upgrade refurbs existing terminals rather than building new ones.
These expanded facilities are set to begin operations in 2031.
Eleftherios Venizelos Airport, Greece
Athens International Airport (AIA) in Greece has secured a three-stage, €1.35 billion ($1.8 billion) plan to boost its capacity from 26 million to 50 million annual passengers by 2045.
In 2024, the airport officially obtained a loan agreement with Alpha Bank totalling €806 million ($942.7 million) towards the project. Upon completion of phase two in 2032, AIA expects its annual capacity to have reached 40 million.
The aim is to both relieve congestion and future-proof the airport. This will ensure it remains competitive as a hub and can handle tourism and transit growth over the decades.
Developers want to seamlessly integrate new elements with the already functioning airport. Ongoing construction work includes a new multi-level car park with 3,365 spaces, 32 remote aircraft parking bays, and a 150,000-square-metre expansion of the main and satellite terminals, which will double the available retail area.
The airport will redesign the main terminal into six zones to reduce congestion and improve passenger flow.
Beyond capacity improvements, the redesign focuses heavily on creating a pleasant atmosphere. It blends modern infrastructure with elements that reflect Greek identity and the local environment.
In addition, the reconfigured terminals are expected to include wider circulation areas, improved wayfinding, and a more coherent layout that separates arriving and departing flows more effectively.
Read more from this series.
