ACI EUROPE, the European airport trade body, has released its traffic report for March and the first quarter of 2026, revealing a 3.8% year-over-year increase in passenger traffic across the European airport network. This growth remains consistent with February’s 4.2% increase, despite disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict that began on February 28.
Passenger volumes at airports in the EU+ market grew by 4.1% in March, slightly up from February’s 3.9%. However, growth in the rest of Europe slowed to 2.6%, down from 5.9% in February, largely due to the severe impact on Israeli airports, which saw an 86.3% decline in passenger traffic.
Resilience Amid Geopolitical Shocks
Olivier Jankovec, Director General of ACI EUROPE, highlighted the resilience of air travel demand despite the geopolitical turmoil. “The first month of the Middle East war has once again demonstrated the robustness of air transport demand in the face of major shocks. While many European airports lost direct connectivity to the region, traffic flows to Asia quickly adapted through alternative routes, even boosting intra-European traffic. The transatlantic market also remained highly dynamic,” he said.
Looking ahead to the peak summer months, Jankovec expressed cautious optimism, noting that passenger volumes are not expected to contract unless significant jet fuel shortages arise. He added that Middle Eastern airlines are restoring their European networks, while European carriers have made only limited capacity adjustments, thanks to fuel-cost hedging strategies and sustained demand.
However, Jankovec warned of uncertainty beyond the summer, with the traffic outlook heavily dependent on geopolitical developments and the fallout from the oil crisis. “A cost-of-living shock could test demand resilience,” he cautioned.
National Market Highlights
Within the EU+ market, Slovakia led passenger traffic growth with a staggering 130.7% increase, followed by Slovenia (+17%), Denmark (+13.8%), Malta (+12.5%), and Croatia (+10.8%). Conversely, Cyprus experienced a 15.3% decline, attributed to media coverage of a drone incident at a nearby British base, despite stable safety conditions on the island.
Among major EU+ markets, Italy (+4.8%) and Spain (+3.9%) outperformed, while Germany (+3.1%), the UK (+2.8%), and France (+1.2%) lagged behind, partly due to national aviation taxes.
In the Non-EU+ market, North Macedonia (+36.3%), Moldova (+25.3%), Bosnia & Herzegovina (+21.3%), Uzbekistan (+15.9%), Türkiye, and Serbia (both +11.3%) posted the highest growth rates.
Performance of Major Airports
Among Europe’s largest airports, Istanbul (+7.7%) and Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (+7.2%) recorded the strongest growth in March. London Heathrow (+6.9%) was the busiest European airport, handling 6.64 million passengers. Spanish hubs also performed well, with Barcelona (+5.4%) and Madrid (+4.2%) showing solid growth. In contrast, Frankfurt (+2.1%), Munich (+1.4%), and Amsterdam (+1.4%) saw more modest increases, while London Gatwick (-2.5%) and Rome Fiumicino (-0.1%) experienced slight declines.
Small Airports Show Mixed Recovery
Small airports (handling fewer than 1 million passengers) achieved the highest year-over-year growth in March, with an 8.9% increase. However, they remain the furthest behind pre-pandemic levels, with passenger volumes still 32.1% below 2019 figures.
Freight and Aircraft Movements
Freight traffic bore the brunt of the Middle East conflict, with volumes at European airports declining by 3.1% in March. This contrasts sharply with January (+6.4%) and February (+8.9%). Aircraft movements also slowed, increasing by 1.3% compared to February’s 2% growth.
Airport Group Performance
Passenger traffic growth varied across airport size categories in March:
- Majors (40+ million passengers): +3.2%
- Mega (25-40 million passengers): +4.8%
- Large (10-25 million passengers): +1.9%
- Medium (1-10 million passengers): +5.6%
- Small (<1 million passengers): +8.9%
Notable performers included Istanbul IST (+7.7%), London Heathrow (+6.9%), Copenhagen (+16.2%), and Reus (+275.5%). Small airports like Córdoba (+4007.4%) and Bucharest BBU (+530.1%) saw extraordinary growth, albeit from a low base.
Outlook
While European air travel continues to demonstrate resilience, the industry faces significant uncertainties tied to geopolitical tensions, energy costs, and potential economic shocks. The coming months will test the adaptability of airlines and airports as they navigate these challenges.