European airports see slower Q1 2025 growth as post-Covid recovery enters stabilisation phase

Passenger traffic across Europe’s airports grew by +4.3% in Q1 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to ACI EUROPE. This marked a slowdown from the +10.2% growth seen in Q1 2024, as the post-Covid recovery enters a more stable phase. Compared to pre-pandemic levels (Q1 2019), traffic was up +3.2%.

ACI Europe airport traffic shows steady growth in Q1 2025 despite signs of market normalisation

International traffic drove growth, rising +5.7%, while domestic volumes remained flat. Compared to Q1 2019, international traffic increased by +8.9%, with domestic down 12.8%. Growth slowed through the quarter, from +6.9% in January to +3.4% in February and +3% in March, the latter affected by Easter falling in April.

Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE, said: “Our Q1 data shows that the post pandemic travel boom is fading as we are moving towards ‘normalised’ growth rates in passenger volumes… we remain confident about the Summer season.” However, he warned that “unprecedented macro economic uncertainty” caused by the Trump administration’s actions could pressure demand later in the year.

Airports outside the EU+ outperformed, with +5.7% growth, led by Israel (+60.4%), Moldova (+56%), Bosnia & Herzegovina (+41.7%), and others in Central Asia and the Balkans. Türkiye remained flat, and Russia declined.

In the EU+, traffic rose by +4.1%, with Slovakia (+15.9%), Poland (+15.4%), and Hungary (+14.7%) among the top performers. The UK (+1.7%) and Germany (+1.1%) lagged behind, while Italy (+6.6%) led the larger markets.

Airport size segments showed varying trends. Small airports saw the highest year-on-year growth at +13.4% but are still -34.5% below 2019 levels. Large airports (10–25 million passengers) grew by +6.1%, with Tel Aviv, Krakow, and Budapest leading.

Among the Majors (over 40m passengers), growth slowed to +3%. Rome Fiumicino (+9.4%) and Istanbul Sabiha Gokçen (+9.0%) topped the list. London Heathrow saw a -1.5% dip after a major power outage, while Frankfurt declined by -0.9%.

Freight volumes declined by -1.7%, with Liège and Madrid bucking the trend. Aircraft movements rose +3.7% year-on-year but remained -5.3% below pre-pandemic levels.

Across airport groups, growth ranged from +3.0% at the largest hubs to +13.4% for the smallest airports. Bucharest BBU (+1348.6%) and Antakya HTY (+272.8%) saw dramatic rebounds among smaller facilities.

Read the full report here. 

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