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European airports experienced a major rebound in August 2025, with passenger traffic rising 4.9 percent year-on-year, driven primarily by strong international demand, according to ACI EUROPE’s latest air traffic report. This marks one of the most robust months for the region’s aviation sector since the pandemic, pushing total passenger volumes to seven percent above 2019 levels, signaling a full and sustained tourism recovery throughout the continent.
International travel led the surge with plus 5.6 percent growth, while domestic flights recorded a modest plus 1.6 percent increase, confirming that long-haul and intra-European leisure travel remain key pillars of the sector’s resilience.
Airports across the EU+ area, which includes the European Union, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, posted an overall plus four percent growth rate compared to August 2024. The strongest performers were Poland (plus 15.1 percent), Slovenia (plus 11.7 percent), and Romania (plus 10.3 percent), demonstrating the accelerating rise of Central and Eastern Europe as vibrant aviation and tourism hubs.
Meanwhile, Western European giants such as Germany (plus 4.2 percent), Spain (plus 3.8 percent), Italy (plus 2.8 percent), the UK (plus 1.7 percent), and France (plus one percent) grew at more moderate rates. In contrast, Latvia (minus 6.7 percent), Estonia (minus 4.5 percent), and Iceland (minus 2.5 percent) saw declines, reflecting regional disparities in travel demand and scheduling capacity across European air markets.
Outside the EU+, the rest of Europe saw plus 8.8 percent growth, underscored by record-breaking performances in Moldova (plus 46.6 percent), Israel (plus 38.1 percent), and Bosnia & Herzegovina (plus 20.4 percent). However, flight activity in Russia continued to decline, registering minus 13.3 percent, largely due to lasting geopolitical restrictions affecting its connectivity.
Among Europe’s leading aviation hubs, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport topped the list as the continent’s fastest-growing major airport with an impressive plus 21.5 percent increase in passenger numbers, while Istanbul Airport and London Heathrow each surpassed the eight million passenger mark for the first time in a single month.
In the mega-airport category (handling twenty-five to forty million passengers annually), Milan Malpensa (plus 10.2 percent), Copenhagen (plus 8.6 percent), and Athens (plus 6.8 percent) posted standout figures. These airports benefited from strong summer tourism demand and the continued expansion of low-cost carriers serving Mediterranean and Nordic leisure routes.
At large and medium-sized airports, dynamic growth driven by affordable carriers and holiday traffic defined the segment, with medium airports seeing a plus 5.8 percent jump and small airports increasing by 6.2 percent. Despite those gains, small airports remain twenty percent below pre-pandemic levels, signaling room for recovery in short-haul and regional connectivity markets.
The surge in international air traffic underscores Europe’s ongoing success in restoring its status as a top global travel destination. After years of travel disruptions, leisure travel, particularly to Southern and Eastern Europe, continues to propel economic revival in regional tourism economies.
This recovery directly supports Europe’s hospitality, retail, and cultural sectors, injecting billions in tourism revenue. Popular hotspots such as Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain retained high occupancy rates during the peak summer months, indicating strong traveler confidence and robust international appeal.
Despite the passenger boom, air freight volumes declined 5.8 percent year-on-year, although they remained seven percent above 2019 levels, signaling a correction from pandemic-era logistics highs. Key cargo hubs leading the segment included Liège (plus twenty-nine percent), Madrid (plus 11.4 percent), and Milan Malpensa (plus six percent), all of which capitalize on renewed trade flows and expanded e-commerce logistics networks.
Aircraft movements increased by 3.3 percent compared to August 2024, reflecting broader tourism and business travel recovery across Europe’s interconnected aviation system.
The August 2025 traffic surge confirms that Europe’s tourism-driven air travel boom remains resilient despite broader economic and geopolitical challenges. Continued expansion in low-cost carrier networks and renewed long-haul operations from Asia and North America are expected to maintain strong performance through the remainder of the year.
Countries such as Poland, Romania, and Slovenia are emerging as Europe’s new growth leaders, combining low fares with high inbound tourism demand. Meanwhile, legacy tourist centers like Paris, Rome, and London continue to experience solid recovery, supported by cultural events, conferences, and major international attractions.
ACI EUROPE’s findings highlight how airport infrastructure investment, air connectivity, and sustainability measures will shape future competitiveness. Airports are now focusing on digital upgrades and green transitions, prioritizing eco-friendly operations to align with EU decarbonization goals while maintaining growth momentum.
The five percent rise in passenger traffic in August 2025 cements Europe’s recovery as a global tourism powerhouse. With international travel back at pre-pandemic highs and destination airports across the continent operating at near-capacity, European aviation and tourism sectors are well positioned for continued success.
While regional disparities persist, the overall outlook for late 2025 and early 2026 remains optimistic, supported by stable consumer confidence, enhanced connectivity, and expanding leisure travel. Europe’s skies are once again filled with activity, reflecting not only a return to normalcy but also a revitalized era of exploration and economic vitality.
