Greece Outpaces Europe in September Passenger Traffic Growth, Athens Airport Up 5.5%

• 22 November, 25

Greece’s air passenger traffic rose by 4.1 percent in September compared to the same month in 2024, outperforming both the European Union and continental averages, according to the latest preliminary air traffic report released by European airport trade body Airports Council International Europe (ACI Europe).

The data highlights another strong month for Athens International Airport (AIA), which recorded a 5.5 percent year-on-year increase in passenger volumes, ranking second among Europe’s “Mega” airports — those handling between 25 and 40 million passengers annually.

Athens among Europe’s fastest-growing ‘Mega’ airports

Athens International Airport trailed only Copenhagen Airport (+9.5 percent) in its category and outperformed Milan Malpensa (+4.7 percent), Antalya (+4.2 percent), and Dublin (+3.7 percent). The growth confirms Athens’ sustained momentum through late summer, following a robust performance throughout the peak travel months.

The capital’s airport continues to rank among Europe’s most dynamic hubs in its passenger segment, reflecting strong inbound and outbound demand and Greece’s ongoing appeal as a leading tourism destination.

Greece maintains a solid lad over the EU average

At the national level, Greece’s 4.1 percent growth rate exceeded both the EU+ average of 2.7 percent and the overall European airport network’s 3.6 percent increase.

The country’s performance kept pace with Germany (+3.2 percent) and surpassed major markets such as Spain (+2.5 percent) and Italy (+1.7 percent). Although no regional Greek airports featured among the top five performers by category in September, the data shows that Greece’s air traffic expansion remains broad-based and resilient.

European passenger traffic up 3.6%

Across Europe, passenger traffic increased by 3.6 percent in September 2025 compared to the same month last year. Non-EU+ airports led growth with an 8.3 percent jump, more than double that of the EU+ market, where traffic rose by 2.7 percent. International travel (+4.3 percent) continued to expand faster than domestic demand (+1 percent).

The strongest EU+ performers were Slovakia (+14.7 percent), Poland (+13.2 percent), Slovenia (+13.1 percent), Romania (+11.1 percent), and Malta (+10.5 percent). In contrast, several mature markets saw declines, including France (-1 percent), the UK (-0.3 percent), Estonia (-5.8 percent), and Latvia (-5.1 percent).

Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE, noted that the figures “once again confirmed the overall resilience of passenger traffic” amid a low-growth economic environment. He added that performance disparities reflect “structural changes in the aviation market, varying levels of market maturity and intensifying airport competition.”

The September results close out a solid third quarter for European airports, with passenger traffic expanding by 3.9 percent overall — signaling steady resilience as the industry moves into the final months of 2025.

Cre: Greek Travel Pages