Tuesday, July 8, 2025
In May 2025, the European airport landscape revealed mixed results in terms of passenger traffic, with notable variations across the market. According to the latest air traffic report released by ACI EUROPE, European airports saw an overall 3.4% increase in passenger traffic compared to the same month in 2024, reaching levels 8% above pre-pandemic figures from May 2019. Despite this, freight traffic showed a concerning drop of 6.3% year-on-year, reflecting ongoing struggles in the air freight sector.
Growth Driven by International Passengers
The growth in passenger traffic was primarily driven by international travel, which saw a solid increase of 4.3% compared to May 2024. Domestic traffic, however, faced a slight decline of 0.2%. This trend mirrors the broader pattern seen across European airports in recent months, where international travel continues to recover strongly, but domestic routes have shown signs of stagnation.
In terms of regional performance, airports outside the European Union (+6%) outperformed those within the EU+ market, reflecting a rise in passenger traffic in countries like Moldova (+41.9%), Bosnia & Herzegovina (+30.5%), and Georgia (+23.4%). These markets have seen a remarkable rebound, bolstered by growing tourism and expanding regional air networks. On the other hand, airports in Russia faced a drop of 9.2%, underscoring the impact of geopolitical tensions and ongoing sanctions.
Performance Gaps Across EU+ Countries
Passenger traffic growth within the EU+ market exhibited considerable variation. Airports in Eastern Europe experienced significant increases, with Slovakia reporting a surge of 33%, Hungary growing by 15.3%, and Poland seeing an uptick of 13.7%. Cyprus also experienced a notable rise of 10.9%. However, several countries within the EU’s core markets saw a downturn, including Estonia (-6.2%), Luxembourg (-3.6%), Sweden (-2%), and Switzerland (-1.4%). Major economies like Germany (+0.8%) and France (+0.7%) saw minimal growth, hindered by high aviation taxes, which have become a key issue affecting airline profitability and consumer demand.
The performance in the larger EU markets showed that airports in Italy (+4.4%), Spain (+3.3%), and the UK (+1.7%) fared better, while France and Germany’s slow growth were notable. These discrepancies suggest that while European aviation is recovering, national fiscal policies, such as aviation taxes, play a significant role in shaping market performance.
Airport Segment Variations
A closer look at different airport groups revealed that larger airports (those handling more than 40 million passengers) grew at the slowest pace, with only a 2.7% increase compared to May 2024. London Heathrow, Europe’s busiest airport, welcomed 7.2 million passengers in May, but its growth was a modest 0.4%. Other major airports like Paris Charles de Gaulle and Istanbul saw modest gains as well, with Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen standing out with a solid 14.9% rise.
In contrast, smaller airports, particularly those with fewer than 1 million passengers, performed the best in terms of growth, boasting an 11% rise. However, these airports have yet to fully recover to pre-pandemic levels, with volumes still trailing 26.7% behind May 2019 numbers. Despite this, many of these smaller regional airports remain vital for domestic and regional connectivity, especially in tourism-driven economies.
Regional airports, particularly those serving popular tourist destinations, showed mixed results, with notable growth in places like Varna (+40.1%), Tivat (+21.9%), and Cork (+17.5%). These airports benefit from seasonal spikes in demand, driven by leisure travel, visiting friends and relatives (VFR), and international tourists seeking less crowded alternatives to major hubs.
Low-Cost Carrier Impact
Low-cost carrier (LCC) hubs showed mixed results, a shift from the rapid recovery seen in earlier years. Airports like Bergamo (-0.8%) saw declines, while others like Beauvais (+3.6%) and Charleroi (+5.7%) posted moderate growth. This trend suggests that while budget airlines have driven much of the post-pandemic recovery, the competitive environment is tightening as airline capacity limitations and rising operational costs put pressure on these carriers to maintain profitability.
Freight Traffic Struggles
Freight traffic across Europe saw a significant decline of 6.3% year-on-year in May, with the EU+ market seeing a steeper drop of 7.6%. On the other hand, non-EU+ airports experienced a slight increase of 1.1%. When compared to pre-pandemic levels (May 2019), freight volumes are still struggling to recover, standing just 0.7% below those figures.
Some airports stood out in terms of freight performance, with Liège (+18.1%), Brussels (+15.7%), and East Midlands (+9.5%) showing strong gains. These airports have become key hubs for cargo operations, capitalizing on the booming e-commerce market and maintaining strong connectivity with global supply chains.
Aircraft Movements
In May 2025, aircraft movements rose by 2.4% compared to the previous year. While this indicates progress in aviation’s recovery, the growth rate remains slower when compared to the rebound seen in passenger traffic. Total aircraft movements are just slightly above pre-pandemic levels (+0.1%), indicating a steady recovery in flight operations.
Looking Ahead
The May 2025 air traffic results reflect a complex and uneven recovery across Europe’s airports. While international travel continues to rebound strongly, domestic traffic and freight remain under pressure. The disparity in growth rates between different regions, as well as the challenges faced by major and low-cost carriers, suggest that the path to full recovery will require targeted strategies, including adjustments to aviation taxes, continued investment in infrastructure, and more flexible capacity deployment by airlines.
In conclusion, Europe’s airports are seeing a mixed but generally positive recovery in passenger traffic, with international markets leading the charge. The ongoing challenges in freight traffic and certain regional markets, however, highlight that the recovery remains fragile and uneven across the continent.
