Airports

European Airports record strong first half in 2025, led by international travel and regional growth

06th Aug 2025, 10:21. Written by Eddie Saunders

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image credit: adobestock

Airports across Europe have experienced a solid recovery in the first half of 2025, with passenger traffic rising by 4.5% year-on-year, according to the latest air traffic report from ACI EUROPE, the trade body representing European airports.

The growth was consistent across both the first and second quarters, driven almost entirely by international travel.

International Traffic Drives Recovery
International passenger volumes surged 5.7%, while domestic traffic remained flat at +0.2%, highlighting the strength of cross-border travel. Passenger numbers across Europe are now 5.1% above pre-pandemic levels, as recorded in the first half of 2019.

Olivier Jankovec, director general of ACI EUROPE, cautioned that despite the positive momentum, the environment remains volatile:

“The summer season is delivering for now, but airports face a more unpredictable market, with rising operational challenges and geopolitical pressures.”

Regional Performance: South-East Europe Leads
Airports in the EU+ region posted a 4.3% growth, although results varied significantly across the bloc. Eastern and Southern European countries led the charge:

  • Slovakia (+19.2%)

  • Poland (+14.9%)

  • Hungary (+14.2%)

  • Malta (+11.7%)

  • Cyprus (+10.8%)

In contrast, airports in Sweden (-0.9%), Estonia (+0.2%), and Iceland (+1.4%) underperformed.

Among the largest EU+ markets, Italy led with +5.7%, followed by Spain (+4.5%). However, France (+3.6%), the UK and Germany (both +2.3%) trailed the average.

Airports in the rest of Europe recorded stronger gains at +5.6%, with Moldova (+49.2%), Bosnia & Herzegovina (+31.1%), and Israel (+27%) showing exceptional growth.

Passenger Traffic by Airport Size

  • Major airports (40m+ passengers/year): +3.3%

    • Standouts: Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (+11.5%), Rome Fiumicino (+6.5%)

    • London Heathrow remains Europe’s busiest airport with 39.9 million passengers in H1 (+0.2%).

  • Mega airports (25m–40m): +4.0%

    • Top performers: Milan Malpensa (+11.4%), Athens and Copenhagen (both +7.6%)

  • Large airports (10m–25m) and Medium airports (1m–10m): Both at +5.4%

    • Highlights: Krakow (+18.7%), Budapest (+15%), Warsaw (+13.2%)

    • Trieste (+31.8%), Bournemouth (+24.9%), Kaunas (+20.6%)

  • Small airports (<1m): +5.1%

    • Despite growth, these remain 32.9% below pre-pandemic levels.

June 2025 Highlights

June saw a strong end to the half-year:

  • Overall growth across segments:

    • Majors: +2.4%

    • Mega: +3.4%

    • Large: +2.4%

    • Medium: +4.2%

    • Small: +5.2%

  • Highest growth airports:

    • Major: Istanbul SAW (+12.2%), Munich (+6.1%)

    • Mega: Milan MXP (+9.5%), Copenhagen (+9.4%)

    • Large: Krakow (+18.1%), Warsaw (+13.3%)

    • Medium: Chișinău (+39.7%), Varna (+25%)

    • Small: Bucharest BBU (+403.4%), Syros Island (+112.8%)

Freight and Aircraft Movements

  • Freight traffic across Europe was flat in H1 at +0.1%:

    • EU+ airports: +0.4%

    • Non-EU+: -2%

    • Still, volumes remained 8.7% above 2019 levels

    • Top performers: Madrid (+8.9%), Cologne (+3.5%), London Heathrow (+2.3%)

  • Aircraft movements rose 3.1% year-on-year in H1, but remain 2.2% below 2019 levels.

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