- German air traffic is losing ground internationally according to a joint economic report
- Average ticket prices roughly doubled from under €150 in 2010 to about €300 in 2024
- In 2024, 54pc of German passengers flying to the Far East and Southeast Asia used non-EU hubs
- Connecting traffic through Turkish and Gulf airports more than doubled from 12.6pc in 2010 to 28.2pc
- German state levies, air traffic control fees and security charges outpace European averages
German air traffic is losing ground internationally according to a joint economic report by the German Aviation Association and the German Aerospace Centre.
Average ticket prices for flights from Germany roughly doubled from under €150 in 2010 to about €300 in 2024. Passengers and cargo are increasingly switching to hubs outside the European Union, particularly in Turkiye and the Gulf region. The association’s chief executive Joachim Lang described a gradual decoupling of Germany from international aviation flows.
German air hubs are losing long-haul transfer traffic as travellers increasingly bypass Frankfurt and Munich for lower-cost and better-connected non-EU airports like Istanbul, Doha and Dubai. In 2024, 54pc of German passengers flying to the Far East and Southeast Asia used non-EU hubs, up from 33.7pc in 2010. Connecting traffic through Turkish and Gulf airports more than doubled from 12.6pc in 2010 to 28.2pc. Combined direct flights and domestic hub transfers tumbled from 56pc in 2010 to 36pc.
German state levies, air traffic control fees and security charges significantly outpace European averages. Escalated government aviation taxes make point-to-point and connecting tickets originating in Germany less competitive. Mega-hubs like Istanbul Airport provide expansive global networks that outcompete legacy Western European connections.
