European air traffic surpasses pre-pandemic levels as Istanbul Airport leads rankings
Turkish Airlines airplane with Air Traffic Control Tower of Istanbul Airport in Istanbul, Türkiye on June 3, 2023. (Adobe Stock Photo)
European air traffic has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, with the continent’s network recording an average of 31,068 daily flights during the third week of April 2025, according to the latest EUROCONTROL European Aviation Overview report released Wednesday.
The data, covering April 21-27, shows traffic at 102% of 2019 levels and a 6% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Overall traffic in the reported week was 2.8% higher than the previous week, which included Easter holidays in most European states.
Istanbul solidifies position as Europe’s aviation powerhouse
Istanbul Airport has established itself as Europe’s busiest aviation hub, handling 1,482 daily departures and arrivals, representing a 24% increase compared to 2019 levels. Amsterdam Schiphol (1,419 flights), London Heathrow (1,357), Paris Charles de Gaulle (1,344), and Frankfurt (1,314) round out the top five busiest airports.
“Six of the top 10 airports are currently handling traffic above their 2019 levels,” the report noted, listing Istanbul, Palma de Mallorca, Rome, Barcelona, London and Madrid among those exceeding pre-pandemic performance.
Air traffic delays persist despite overall growth
The report also highlighted challenges in air traffic management, with en-route delays increasing by 47% compared to the same period in 2024, averaging 32,583 minutes daily across the network. “ATC capacity/staffing” was responsible for 69% of all en-route delays, particularly in France and Greece, while weather issues accounted for 22%, primarily due to flooding in central Europe midweek.
France accounted for 42% of all en-route delays, with Spain (12%) and Greece (10%) also contributing significantly to network congestion.
On a positive note, punctuality improved compared to 2024, with arrival punctuality increasing by 5.1 percentage points to 82.1%, and departure punctuality rising by 4.8 percentage points to 76.3%.
Ryanair leads airline rankings as Türkiye’s carriers show strength
Among airlines, Ryanair maintained its position as Europe’s busiest carrier with 3,501 daily flights, a 39% increase over 2019 levels. Eight European airlines ranked among the global top 25 carriers, with Ryanair (5th) and easyJet (9th) in the top ten.
Turkish Airlines Group ranked 11th among global operators with 1,471 average daily departure flights, showing continued strength with a 3% increase over 2024 figures. Türkiye ranked sixth among the busiest European states with 3,244 average daily flights, representing a 15% increase over 2019 levels and a 3% rise compared to the previous week.
Fuel prices drop as international connections recover
The report also noted economic factors affecting the industry, including a 7% drop in jet fuel prices to $2.02 per gallon as of April 18, following OPEC+ members’ unexpected announcement to increase output by 0.4 million barrels per day in May.
For carriers, EUROCONTROL billed €863 million in en-route charges for March 2025, representing a 19% increase compared to March 2024 and 48% more than in 2019, driven by higher unit rates and increased traffic volumes.
Traffic between Europe and Israel is showing strong recovery, up 50% compared to April 2024, reflecting the impact of the Hamas conflict on aviation during that period. Nearly 90% of European states are recording higher flight numbers compared to last year.
