Home » AIRLINE NEWS » France And Denmark Joins Spain, Belgium, And More In Booming Over Three Percent Norwegian Air Travel Growth In 2025 As Passenger Numbers Rise And Punctuality Remains Strong
Published on
December 7, 2025
In 2025, France, Denmark, Spain, Belgium, and the Baltic countries are key players in Norwegian Air’s over 3% growth, driven by record load factors and an expanding European network. This surge in growth is a result of Norwegian’s strategic expansion, with new routes and increasing demand across these markets. As the airline continues to strengthen its position in these regions, its performance highlights its resilience and adaptability in the competitive European aviation market. With strong passenger demand, especially during the holiday season, Norwegian is well-poised for continued success, bolstered by its strategic investments and robust booking trends for 2026. The combination of expanding networks and record load factors signals a promising future as Norwegian solidifies its position as a leading European carrier.
Norwegian Air Shuttle is poised for another remarkable year in 2025, as the airline continues to see strong growth across its European markets. With a 3% increase in passenger numbers, fueled by an expanding network and record-breaking load factors, the airline’s performance is a testament to its strategic growth across the continent. Norwegian’s commitment to delivering new routes, increasing capacity in key markets, and fostering positive customer momentum for the holidays and into 2026 will further solidify its position as a dominant carrier in the European market.
November Growth and Record Load Factors
In November 2025, Norwegian Air Shuttle hit a milestone with 1.5 million passengers, complemented by 324,000 passengers carried by its regional subsidiary, Widerøe. This brought the Group’s total to 1.84 million passengers. The record-breaking load factor of 85.5% signified a 3% improvement from the previous year, showcasing the airline’s ability to fill its planes despite a reduction in capacity. Norwegian’s capacity (ASK) in November was 2,404 million seat kilometers, down by 6% from the previous year, while passenger traffic (RPK) stood at 2,055 million seat kilometers, a 2% decrease from 2024.
Despite the reduction in capacity, Norwegian continued to operate efficiently with 75 aircraft on average in November, further bolstered by its record load factor. This performance reinforces the airline’s position in the competitive European travel market as one of the top carriers offering an impressive passenger experience.
Widerøe’s Challenges Amid Winter Weather
While Norwegian celebrated growth, Widerøe, its regional affiliate, faced operational challenges due to harsh winter weather conditions. The airline’s capacity (ASK) stood at 161 million seat kilometers, a 2% decrease from last year, while passenger traffic (RPK) was 113 million seat kilometers. Despite these obstacles, Widerøe maintained a respectable load factor of 70.3%, albeit a decline of 1.4 percentage points. Additionally, its punctuality stood at 79.8%, which was affected by the winter conditions, but the carrier’s regularity rate of 94% remained strong, underlining Widerøe’s resilience in the face of weather disruptions.
Expanding Routes for the 2026 Summer Program
As the year ends, Norwegian is focusing on expanding its network in anticipation of the 2026 summer season. The airline has launched 30 new routes, continuing its commitment to connecting more cities across Europe. Key additions to Norwegian’s expanding portfolio include:
- Las Palmas: From Bergen and Stavanger
- Lamezia: From Oslo (Norwegian’s 16th route between Norway and Italy)
- Zurich: From Oslo
- Tbilisi: From Copenhagen
- Tirana: From Helsinki
- Montpellier: From Stockholm
This route expansion highlights Norwegian’s strategic push to serve more popular European destinations, offering direct flights to travelers from major Nordic cities. With these new routes, Norwegian is not only expanding its offering in Southern Europe but also strengthening its connections across Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean, ensuring a broader customer base and more travel options.
Key Markets Driving Norwegian Air’s Growth in 2025
Norwegian Air Shuttle has made significant strides in both its core and emerging markets. While Norway remains the bedrock of Norwegian’s operations, with Oslo Airport serving as the primary hub, the airline’s growth is increasingly fueled by its expansion in Denmark, France, Belgium, and the Baltic countries. Some of the key markets propelling this growth in 2025 include:
- France: Continued expansion with new routes, strengthening Norwegian’s presence in the French market.
- Denmark: Increased focus on connecting key Danish cities to popular European leisure spots, supported by Norwegian’s post-Widerøe acquisition strategy.
- Spain: Spanish leisure markets continue to play a significant role, particularly with direct routes from Norway to key cities like Barcelona and Valencia.
- Belgium: Strengthening connectivity between Norway and Belgium, with Brussels being a key addition to Norwegian’s growing network.
- Baltic Countries: Norway’s presence in Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania continues to expand, with more routes aimed at connecting these countries to the broader European market.
Solid Demand Across Nordic Markets
The airline’s robust demand in Nordic markets is another driver of its growth. In Q3 2025, Norwegian carried 8.4 million passengers across the group, a 3% increase YoY. This performance was bolstered by Norwegian’s capacity growth of 2%, with a focus on leisure routes for the summer season. The airline’s ability to attract passengers for both domestic routes within Norway and international destinations highlights the continued appeal of the Norwegian brand.
One of the highlights in this growth has been Norwegian’s deepening ties with Italy, particularly through the 16th route between Norway and Italy (Lamezia from Oslo), adding another popular southern European destination to the airline’s offerings. Norwegian is positioning itself as a key player in the Mediterranean market, tapping into demand for both leisure and business travel between Nordic countries and southern Europe.
Positive Booking Trends for 2026
Looking ahead to 2026, Norwegian Air is seeing positive booking trends, indicating that growth will continue into the new year. While the airline is making a slight cut of 5% in winter capacity YoY, bookings for the summer season are showing strong momentum. The airline’s focus on leisure destinations, both in Northern Europe and in popular tourist hubs across Southern Europe, aligns with market demands. With key destinations in Italy, Spain, and France continuing to attract customers, Norwegian is set to maintain its competitive edge in 2026.
In 2025, France, Denmark, Spain, Belgium, and the Baltic countries are pivotal in Norwegian Air’s over 3% growth, driven by record load factors and an expanding European network. This growth comes as the airline launches new routes and strengthens its presence in key European markets.
Norwegian Air is entering 2025 with a strong performance across a range of metrics, driven by record load factors, an expanding route network, and positive passenger trends. The airline’s strategy of focusing on both domestic markets like Norway and emerging destinations in Denmark, France, Belgium, and the Baltic countries is paying off. With more routes planned for 2026 and a strong holiday season ahead, Norwegian is well-positioned for continued success in the European travel market. The airline’s expansion into new destinations and commitment to customer satisfaction set it apart as a leader in European aviation. As travel demand rebounds, Norwegian’s robust growth is poised to continue, reaffirming its status as a key player in the competitive European airline industry.
