ACI Europe reported a 3.4pc increase in passenger traffic across European airports in May 2025, standing 8pc above pre-pandemic levels from May 2019.
International passenger traffic grew by 4.3pc year-on-year, while domestic traffic experienced a slight decrease of 0.2pc.
Airports outside the EU+ market achieved a 6pc increase in passenger volumes, with Moldova (41.9pc) and Bosnia & Herzegovina (30.5pc) showing the highest growth.
Freight traffic saw a decline of 6.3pc year-on-year, with the overall impact on freight volumes compared to pre-pandemic levels at -0.7pc.
Olivier Jankovec commented on passenger and freight performance, stating that aircraft shortages and aviation taxes are affecting air connectivity.
- Majors: Istanbul SAW (+14.9pc), Rome FCO (+4.1pc), Barcelona BCN (+3.6pc), Munich MUC (+3.2pc), Istanbul IST (+2.6pc).
- Mega airports: Milan MXP (+9.2pc), Málaga AGP (+8.7pc), Paris ORY (+6.7pc), Copenhagen CPH (+5.5pc), Manchester MAN (+4.7pc).
- Large airports: Tel‑Aviv TLV (+17.5pc), Budapest BUD (+16.1pc), Krakow KRK (+14.9pc), Warsaw WAW (+13.6pc), Almaty ALA (+11.6pc).
- Medium airports: Vigo VGO (+472.7pc), Kutaisi KUT (+49.3pc), Chișinău RMO (+41.9pc), Varna VAR (+40.1pc), Bratislava BTS (+34pc).
- Small airports: Bucharest BBU (+898.8pc), Oradea OMR (+105.5pc), Linz LNZ (+70.4pc), Leon LEN (+48.5pc), Andoya ANX (+42.1pc).
Olivier Jankovec shared “Passenger traffic remained resilient in May as consumers continue to prioritise travel and leisure as part of the underlying shift from material to experiential consumption. It also remains to be seen how geopolitics and geoeconomics will shape consumer and business confidence moving forward.”
