Europe’s Airports Soar: Early 2025 Sees Major Passenger Traffic Surge

Greece, UK, Italy, and others lead continent-wide travel rebound

European air travel experienced a significant upturn in the first half of 2025, with many nations reporting robust passenger growth. Greece’s airports, alongside those in the UK, Italy, France, Poland, Denmark, Malta, Spain, Turkey, and Hungary, collectively showcased a strong, resilient demand for air travel.

Greek Airports Shine Amidst European Boom

Key Greek airports, including Athens, Syros, and Volos, emerged as standout performers in the early part of 2025. Airports Council International Europe (ACI Europe) data reveals that Greece’s entire airport network saw a notable 5.3 percent increase in passenger numbers when compared to the same period in the prior year.

Athens International Airport recorded a healthy 7.6 percent rise in passenger traffic, mirroring the performance of Copenhagen Airport. Milan Malpensa led European major airports with an impressive 11.4 percent surge. Manchester Airport also posted solid growth at 5.3 percent, while Paris Orly saw a 5 percent increase.

Regional airports in Greece demonstrated exceptional momentum in June 2025. Syros Island Airport experienced an extraordinary 112.8 percent increase in passengers, more than doubling its previous year’s figures. Volos Airport also saw a significant 51.1 percent growth, indicating an expanding interest in less traditional Greek travel destinations.

Continent-Wide Travel Recovers, International Routes Lead

Across Europe, passenger traffic grew by 4.5 percent in the first six months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. This expansion was consistently driven by international travel, which increased by 5.7 percent, while domestic travel remained relatively flat with a 0.2 percent rise.

Overall passenger volumes in Europe have now surpassed pre-pandemic levels from the first half of 2019, showing a 5.1 percent increase. This suggests not only a recovery but an expansion beyond previous peaks.

Regional Hubs and Emerging Markets Drive Growth

Larger and medium-sized airports experienced an average passenger increase of 5.4 percent. Tel Aviv Airport led this segment with a remarkable 27 percent jump, followed by Krakow (18.7 percent), Budapest (15 percent), and Warsaw (13.2 percent). These figures highlight the growing importance of Central and Eastern European hubs.

Smaller airports, handling under one million passengers annually, saw a 5.1 percent rise. However, their traffic volumes are still 32.9 percent below pre-pandemic levels, illustrating an uneven recovery across different airport sizes.

Southeast Europe Outpaces Other Regions

Airports in Southeast Europe demonstrated the strongest growth. Slovakia led with a 19.2 percent passenger increase. Poland, Hungary, Malta, and Cyprus also recorded substantial gains, with growth rates of 14.9 percent, 14.2 percent, 11.7 percent, and 10.8 percent, respectively. These figures point to a robust resurgence in travel demand across the region.

Conversely, Nordic countries and some Western European nations, including Sweden, Estonia, Iceland, and Luxembourg, experienced minimal growth or slight declines. This could be attributed to seasonal factors or market maturity.

Within the EU+, Italy reported the highest passenger growth at 5.7 percent, supported by both domestic and international demand, while Spain saw a 4.5 percent increase. France, the UK, and Germany showed more moderate growth, ranging from 2.3 to 3.6 percent.

Outside the EU, Moldova’s airports saw a dramatic 49.2 percent rise in passenger traffic, and Bosnia and Herzegovina grew by 31.1 percent. Israel maintained strong momentum with a 27 percent increase.

The positive trends observed in the first half of 2025 indicate a promising outlook for the European aviation sector. The opening of new routes, a rebound in tourism, and growing passenger confidence are all contributing factors. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), global air passenger traffic is projected to reach 4.7 billion in 2024, a significant increase from previous years, supporting the robust growth seen across Europe (IATA, 2023).