Published on
September 13, 2025
In July 2025, European airports recorded mixed passenger traffic trends and growth for Poland, Slovenia, Cyprus, Monaco, Moldova, and Kazakhstan with strong international travel, leisure demand, and the expansion of low-cost carriers. In contrast, the Declines in Latvia, Estonia, Iceland, Austria, Russia, Israel, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan were due to insufficient domestic traffic and the ongoing geopolitical challenges and uneven market recovery in the rest of the continent.
The latest preliminary report from European airport trade body ACI EUROPE reveals a nuanced picture of air travel across the continent for July 2025. Data covering over 470 airports shows passenger traffic grew by a modest 3.1% compared to July 2024, marking one of the weakest July performances in the past decade. Despite the slow pace, total passenger volumes remain 5% above pre-pandemic levels, highlighting the resilience of European aviation.
International travel drove the growth, with cross-border passenger numbers rising 3.7%, while domestic travel remained largely stagnant at a 0.7% increase. This divergence indicates that international tourism and business travel continue to rebound faster than local air traffic.
EU+ Market Performance Shows Uneven Growth
Within the EU+ region, passenger growth lagged slightly behind the continental average, registering a 2.8% increase. Performance varied significantly across national markets. Poland (+13.9%), Slovenia (+12.2%), Cyprus (+10.1%), and Monaco (+10.3%) posted the strongest results, while Latvia (-6.1%), Estonia (-6%), Iceland (-2.9%), and Austria (-0.5%) struggled to maintain passenger volumes. Major EU+ markets underperformed overall: Spain (+2.7%), Germany (+2.3%), Italy and France (+1.2%), and the UK (+1.1%).
Airports outside the EU+ region fared better, growing 4.7%, although growth patterns reflected complex regional dynamics, including geopolitical factors. Moldova (+45%), Georgia (+12.1%), and Kazakhstan (+11.2%) led in passenger growth, whereas Russia (-15.1%), Israel (-5.6%), Azerbaijan (-5.2%), and Uzbekistan (-1.3%) faced declines.
Growth by Airport Segments Highlights Smaller Hubs
Passenger growth varied considerably across airport categories. Major airports, handling over 40 million passengers annually, grew 2.7%. Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (+14.9%) topped the growth chart among large hubs, followed by Munich (+5.9%) and Istanbul IST (+4.5%). London Heathrow retained its position as Europe’s busiest airport but recorded flat growth at 0%, while Paris-CDG (+2.6%), Amsterdam Schiphol (+4%), and Madrid (+0.6%) rounded out the top five.
Mega airports (25–40 million passengers) matched the major airports with a 2.7% increase, driven by Milan Malpensa (+7.5%), Dublin (+6.9%), and Paris-Orly (+5.5%). Large airports (10–25 million passengers) grew slightly faster at 2.9%, with Poland’s Krakow (+18.9%) and Warsaw (+12.5%) leading the pack, followed by İzmir (+11.2%) in Türkiye.
Medium airports (1–10 million passengers) and small airports (under 1 million passengers) outperformed the continental average with 3.9% and 4% growth, respectively. These gains were largely supported by low-cost carrier expansion and robust leisure and VFR (visiting friends and relatives) demand. Notable medium airport growth was seen in Chisinau (+45%), Bournemouth (+31.9%), and Trieste (+22.3%), while small airports Kiruna (+166.4%), Karlstad (+147.7%), Bucharest (+134.5%), and Syros (+125.5%) achieved triple-digit growth. Despite strong momentum, small airports are still below pre-pandemic levels by 22.4%.
Freight and Aircraft Movements Show Mixed Results
Freight traffic across Europe fell slightly by 1.5% in July, with EU+ airports declining 2% and non-EU+ airports increasing 2.1%. Nevertheless, freight volumes remain 10.4% above pre-pandemic figures. Liège (+14.4%), Madrid (+8.9%), and Milan Malpensa (+7.6%) recorded the most significant freight gains among top European cargo hubs. Aircraft movements rose 2.9% year-on-year, reflecting increased operational activity despite uneven passenger growth.
Top Performers Across Airport Categories
Major airports: Istanbul SAW (+14.9%), Munich MUC (+5.9%), Istanbul IST (+4.5%), Amsterdam AMS (+4%), Barcelona BCN (+2.9%)Mega airports: Milan MXP (+7.5%), Dublin DUB (+6.9%), Paris ORY (+5.5%), Zurich ZRH (+4.8%), Copenhagen CPH (+4.5%)Large airports: Krakow KRK (+18.9%), Warsaw WAW (+12.5%), İzmir ADB (+11.2%), Edinburgh EDI (+9.5%), Tirana TIA (+8.9%)Medium airports: Chisinau RMO (+45%), Bournemouth BOH (+31.9%), Trieste TRS (+22.3%), Astana NQZ (+19%), Wroclaw WRO (+18.7%)Small airports: Kiruna KRN (+166.4%), Karlstad KSD (+147.7%), Bucharest BBU (+134.5%), Syros JSY (+125.5%), Córdoba ODB (+71%)
The July 2025 results underline that while European aviation has recovered beyond pre-pandemic passenger volumes overall, growth remains uneven. Smaller and medium-sized airports, often driven by leisure travel and low-cost carriers, are now outpacing major hubs. Meanwhile, international travel continues to outperform domestic routes, suggesting the ongoing importance of cross-border connectivity for Europe’s air transport sector.
