European Air Traffic Exceeds Pre-Pandemic Levels in 2024, Reaching 5 Billion Passengers
Key Highlights
- European air traffic in 2024 surpassed pre-pandemic levels, exceeding figures from 2019.
- Major airports saw strong recovery, while smaller airports continue to struggle.
- Ukraine and Israel recorded lower passenger numbers compared to pre-pandemic times.
European Air Traffic Reaches New Heights in 2024
After years of recovery efforts, air passenger traffic at European airports has finally exceeded pre-pandemic levels in 2024. Data from ACI Europe shows that nearly five billion passengers were recorded across European airports, reflecting a 1.8% increase compared to 2019, as reported by Schengen.News.
Despite the overall growth, 2024 also confirmed structural changes in the aviation industry, with leisure travel, Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) demand, and low-cost carriers playing a crucial role in defining traffic patterns. Other factors influencing the industry include airline consolidation, shifts in air connectivity, and geopolitical developments.
Leading Airports in Passenger Traffic
The top five European airports with the highest passenger numbers in 2024 were:
- London Heathrow – 83.9 million passengers
- Istanbul Airport – 80.1 million passengers
- Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) – 70.3 million passengers
- Amsterdam Schiphol – 66.8 million passengers
- Madrid Airport – 66.1 million passengers
Among EU markets, Hungary and Czechia showed the strongest growth, up by 18.9%, followed by Estonia (18%) and Poland (15.6%). Meanwhile, outside the EU, airports in Albania and Moldova recorded significant growth of 47.5% and 46%, respectively.
However, smaller airports across Europe continue to face challenges, with passenger traffic at these locations still 35% below pre-pandemic levels. Airports handling fewer than one million passengers annually saw the slowest growth, increasing by only 5% over the past year.
Airports and Markets with the Slowest Recovery
While many airports experienced positive trends, some national markets have yet to recover fully.
- Ukraine saw no passenger traffic at all in 2024.
- Israel recorded a significant decline of 38.9% in passenger numbers.
- Finland and Sweden also struggled, with passenger numbers down by 25% and 23%, respectively.
On the other hand, some EU+ markets saw strong growth:
- Iceland recorded a 24.2% increase in passenger traffic.
- Malta (22.5%), Greece (22.1%), Poland (22.1%), Portugal (17%), and Croatia (16.6%) also saw significant increases.
Despite the slow recovery of some markets, the overall trend indicates a strong resurgence in European air travel, driven by increasing demand for leisure and business travel.