Why Did Athens International Airport Hit 34 Million Passengers in 2025?
Key Points
- 134 million passengers were reported at AIA in 2025, a 6.7% increase over the previous year.
- 2The record traffic is driven by a strong Greece tourism recovery and increased global air travel demand.
- 3AIA is undergoing a multi-phase, €1 billion expansion to raise annual capacity to 40 million passengers by 2032.
Athens International Airport (AIA) has reported a new milestone for Eleftherios Venizelos passenger numbers.
Preliminary figures for 2025 show the airport handled approximately 34 million passengers. This total sets an AIA record passenger traffic 2025. The result represents a strong 6.7% annual passenger traffic increase over the previous year. The airport’s continued success reinforces its role as a critical gateway in Southern Europe.
Driving the Growth: Tourism and Demand
This robust performance follows a record-breaking 2024. In that year, Athens International Airport traffic reached 31.85 million passengers. That figure was a 13.1% surge compared to 2023.
Airport leadership credits the growth to the strong Greece tourism recovery. Greece has successfully extended its travel season, boosting visitor arrivals. The airport is the main base for Aegean Airlines, which connects Athens to numerous international destinations. The overall increase reflects strong global air travel demand across the region. This trend aligns with general European airport growth.
Addressing Capacity Challenges
Such rapid growth creates airport capacity challenges that AIA is actively addressing. The airport's original design allowed for modular expansion. To accommodate the rising traffic, AIA is moving forward with a major expansion program.
Multi-Phase Expansion Project
- The investment program is valued at approximately €1 billion.
- The goal is to boost the airport’s annual capacity from 26 million to 40 million passengers by 2032.
- The first phase aims to increase capacity to 33 million passengers by 2028.
- The work includes a new multi-storey car park and an expansion of the main terminal.
This significant investment is crucial for maintaining service quality. It will help AIA manage the increasing passenger volumes efficiently. The expansion will also enhance the passenger experience with new features. These include new public spaces and commercial zones.
Industry Impact and Outlook
The strong commercial aviation news Greece is generating impacts the entire region. The airport's success is vital to the Greek economy. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has consistently highlighted the strength of Southern European markets. AIA’s performance is a key indicator of this regional resilience.
AIA's commitment to infrastructure investment is a positive signal for airlines and travelers. However, construction during the expansion phases may cause temporary inconveniences. The airport's management aims to minimize disruption by delivering new facilities in phases. The airport was recognized among the world's top airports in 2025. This underscores its position as a model of best practice internationally. For more updates on this and other aviation news, visit flying.flights. You can find official statistics on the Athens International Airport website.
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