European airports surpass pre-COVID passenger numbers, but Finland’s recovery remains slow

Credit: Finavia

In 2024, European airports surpassed pre-COVID-19 passenger levels for the first time, with a 7.4% increase in air travel compared to the previous year. Overall, passenger volumes in Europe were 1.8% higher than in 2019, with many airports, especially in Turkey, Italy, and Spain, experiencing significant growth. However, Finland’s recovery has been slower. Passenger volumes in Finland remain 25% below 2019 levels, and the country is lagging behind its Nordic counterparts, where Norway’s airports saw 95% of 2019’s numbers, and Sweden’s were at 81%.

Finavia’s 20 airports served 19.6 million passengers in 2024, with Helsinki Airport accounting for 16.3 million of that total. Despite an overall increase in European passenger traffic, Finland’s air traffic recovery is hindered by the closure of Russian airspace, which affects both Asian flights and transfer passengers. Petri Vuori, Finavia’s Senior Vice President, noted that Finland’s air traffic recovery has been particularly slow, impacted by geopolitical factors.

International traffic in Finland saw growth of 8.8% in 2024, while domestic travel rose only 2.5%, remaining 6.3% below pre-pandemic levels. The growth in international traffic reflects a broader trend, with international routes expected to drive stronger growth in the future, both globally and in Europe. Globally, ACI World expects passenger numbers to grow significantly, reaching 17.7 billion by 2043 and 22.3 billion by 2053—almost 2.4 times the number of passengers in 2024.

Leisure travel has been a significant factor driving air traffic growth. European airports, particularly in tourism-driven destinations like Malta, Croatia, Italy, and Greece, saw a rise in passenger numbers. In Finland, leisure travel, particularly to Lapland, has been a key driver. Rovaniemi’s passenger numbers grew by 29% in 2024, with strong increases at other Lapland airports like Ivalo (+12.8%) and Kittilä (+9.9%). This shift toward leisure travel is evident in Finland, where Christmas season passenger numbers in Lapland airports are up 50–65% compared to 2019, while business travel is recovering slower, reaching only 50–60% of pre-pandemic levels.

The top five airports in Europe by passenger numbers in 2024 were London Heathrow (83.9 million), Istanbul (80.1 million), Paris Charles de Gaulle (70.3 million), Amsterdam (66.8 million), and Madrid (66.1 million). In Finland, the top five airports were Helsinki (16.3 million), Rovaniemi (948,000), Oulu (580,000), Kittilä (412,000), and Turku (255,000).

SIGN ME UP