Swedavia’s May traffic statistics nearly reaches pre-pandemic levels

Swedavia’s traffic statistics for May 2023. CREDIT: Stockholm Arlanda Airport. Photo: Orlando G Boström

The recovery in aviation continued in May with summer travel now picking up speed. In May, for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Swedavia’s airports had more than three million passengers in a single month. That is an increase of 14% compared to May last year and corresponds to 83% of pre-pandemic levels.

Demand for international flights in Europe remains strong, with the trend driven by airline investments in enhanced connectivity mostly via Stockholm Arlanda Airport. In conjunction with the Ascension Day holiday in late May, Arlanda reached its highest passenger volume for a single day since the start of the pandemic, with more than 40,000 departing passengers.

“The recovery in aviation continued in May, and many people give travel high priority despite a somewhat weaker economy. The trend is now also being driven by the sharp acceleration in summer travel, mainly due to strong demand for international flights in Europe. We at Swedavia are naturally really pleased that in May we had the privilege of welcoming more than three million passengers in a single month at our ten airports,” says Jonas Abrahamsson, Swedavia’s president and CEO.

“Travel at a number of our airports is now approaching pre-pandemic levels. That applies to Arlanda but also to a number of our regional airports, all of which are vital in assuring good connectivity throughout Sweden. Bookings show that many people are looking forward to travelling this summer, and we expect that travel will continue to be intense during the summer period at our airports,” notes Jonas Abrahamsson.

In May, Stockholm Arlanda Airport welcomed both Royal Jordanian’s launch of operations, with non-stop service to Amman, and United’s direct route to New York. The two investments enhance Swedish connectivity with the Middle East and the US, respectively.

The summer traffic programme this year is dominated by enhanced connectivity with both Europe and the US. In all, Swedavia’s airports offer more than 300 destinations this summer. That corresponds to a return of about 90% of the destination offering before the pandemic.

New routes that will launch at Swedavia’s airports in June-July:

June:

• Stockholm Arlanda–Porto with Ryanair
• Stockholm Arlanda–Tunis with Nouvelair Tunise
• Stockholm Arlanda–Ibiza with SAS
• Göteborg Landvetter–Bastia with Transavia France
• Göteborg Landvetter–Barcelona with Norwegian

July:

• Stockholm Arlanda–Montpellier with SAS
• Visby–Oslo with BRA
• Visby–Århus with BRA

Overall, more than three million passengers flew via Swedavia’s airports in May, which is an increase of 14% compared to May 2022 and 83% of the pre-pandemic level in May 2019. The trend is primarily driven by increased international travel via Stockholm Arlanda Airport and by airlines’ continued investments in new routes and air traffic via Swedavia’s airports. International travel increased 17% to 2.2 million passengers compared to May last year, while domestic travel increased 9% to more than 800,000 passengers.

Stockholm Arlanda Airport had more than two million passengers in May. That is an increase of 16% compared to May last year and 89% of the pre-pandemic level. International travel increased 18% to nearly two million passengers compared to May 2022, while domestic travel increased 10% to 350,000 passengers.

Göteborg Landvetter Airport had nearly 500,000 passengers in May, an increase of 14% compared to May last year and 81% of the pre-pandemic level. International travel increased 13% and domestic travel increased 15% compared to May last year.

Malmö Airport had 134,000 passengers in May, which is an increase of 1% compared to May last year and 68% of the pre-pandemic level. International travel decreased 2% compared to May last year while domestic travel increased 4%.

Bromma Stockholm Airport had 127,000 passengers in May, an increase of 14% compared to May 2022 and 53% of the level in May 2019. International travel increased 58% to 21,000 passengers, while domestic travel increased 9% to 106,000 passengers.

The air travel trend at Swedavia’s six regional airports varied widely in May. Åre Östersund Airport, Umeå Airport and Umeå Airport were the regional airports with the greatest passenger growth in May. Luleå Airport and Kiruna Airport had the best performance in May compared to their pre-pandemic levels.

May traffic trend – number of passengers: