ACI Europe: Athens Airport Leads October Growth in Europe Compared to Pre-Covid 2019

Athens International Airport (AIA) emerged as the top-performing mega airport in Europe for October 2024, recording an impressive 30.9 percent increase in passenger traffic compared to pre-pandemic 2019, according to the latest air traffic data from Airports Council International Europe (ACI Europe).

The achievement positions Athens as a central hub for Greece’s aviation sector, which saw an overall 32.4 percent rise in passenger traffic at the country level during the same period. The strong growth was complemented by regional success stories like Skiathos International Airport (JSI), which ranked among the top-performing medium-sized airports with an extraordinary 162.9 percent increase in traffic. Together, the results underscore Greece’s robust recovery and its growing appeal as a tourism and business destination.

Athens Airport led its category, outperforming other major European airports, including Palma de Mallorca (+19.4 percent), Lisbon (+13.3 percent), Manchester (+12.4 percent), and ISG – Istanbul (+11.7 percent).

The Greek capital’s airport also reported a notable 10.1 percent year-on-year increase in passenger traffic compared to October 2023, reflecting sustained growth momentum.

ACI: Europe’s Airports Continue Passenger Traffic Growth

Europe’s “Majors”.

According to ACI Europe, passenger numbers across the continent increased by a robust 5.5 percent compared to October 2023, in line with the growth reported during the preceding quarter (+5.2 percent in Q3). Traffic volumes now stand 3.3 percent above pre-pandemic levels (October 2019).

The growth was driven primarily by international passenger traffic, which surged 7.1 percent year-on-year, while domestic passenger traffic remained flat at -0.1 percent compared to October 2023.

Within the EU+ market (including the EU, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and the UK), passenger traffic increased by 5.7 percent compared to October 2023 and exceeded pre-pandemic levels by 3.9 percent.

Passenger traffic at Europe’s “Majors” (airports with over 40 million passengers annually) expanded by 4.9 percent in October compared to the same month last year, bringing them just 0.7 percent above pre-pandemic levels. Standout performances included Rome-Fiumicino (+15.1 percent), Barcelona (+8.2 percent), and Madrid (+5.5 percent).

ACI Insights on Market Trends

ACI Europe Director General Olivier Jankovec highlighted the evolving dynamics shaping Europe’s airport recovery, noting the extended demand for travel into the shoulder season.

“This reflects changing travel patterns and shifting seasonality, with extended demand for leisure and visits to friends and relatives (VFR) beyond the traditional summer peak into the ‘shoulder season’ that precedes the off-season winter months,” said Jankovec.

He further emphasized the resilience of demand despite rising airfares, economic pressures, and geopolitical tensions: “This also reflects strong demand resilience despite air fares having increased on average by +30% this year compared to pre-Covid, softening economic sentiment and increasing geopolitical tensions.”

ACI Europe Director General Olivier Jankovec.

Jankovec acknowledged the divergence in recovery rates, stating, “While Europe’s airport network as a whole has now exceeded pre-pandemic traffic levels, the reality remains that 45% of them still remain below such levels in October— with performance diverging widely across both national markets and the different segments of our industry.”

Diverging national performances

Despite overall growth, the ACI report revealed significant variations across national markets. While Italy (+9.1 percent) and Spain (+6.2 percent) posted strong year-on-year results, Germany’s recovery remains slow. Although German airports achieved a 4.1 percent increase in passenger traffic in October 2024 compared to October 2023, the country remains 12.1 percent below 2019 levels. ACI attributed this lag to national aviation policies, including taxation, which have constrained market recovery and air connectivity.