Busiest Airports in Europe

Air travel within Europe remains one of the busiest in the world. Understanding which airports see the most traffic can help travelers make informed decisions. Here are Europe’s busiest airports based on passenger numbers and operations.

London Heathrow Airport (LHR)

Heathrow is the largest and busiest airport in the United Kingdom. Serving around 80 million passengers annually pre-pandemic, it boasts four active terminals handling numerous international flights. It is a major hub for British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

• Location: West London, England
• Terminals: 4
• Annual Passengers: ~80 million
• Main Airlines: British Airways, Virgin Atlantic

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)

Known for its extensive connections, CDG is France’s primary international gateway. It usually handles around 70 million passengers each year. Air France uses CDG as its hub, providing extensive route networks.

• Location: Roissy-en-France, near Paris, France
• Terminals: 3
• Annual Passengers: ~70 million
• Main Airlines: Air France, Delta Air Lines

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)

Schiphol is the main international airport of the Netherlands. Typically catering to over 60 million travelers annually, it’s known for its efficiency. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and several budget carriers operate extensive networks from AMS.

• Location: Haarlemmermeer, near Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Terminals: 1 (divided into three large departure halls)
• Annual Passengers: ~60 million
• Main Airlines: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Transavia

Frankfurt Airport (FRA)

Frankfurt Airport is a major global hub. With a capacity of handling over 65 million passengers annually, it’s one of the busiest in Europe. Lufthansa makes Frankfurt its main hub, providing connectivity to numerous international destinations.

• Location: Frankfurt, Germany
• Terminals: 2
• Annual Passengers: ~65 million
• Main Airlines: Lufthansa, Condor

Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport (MAD)

Madrid-Barajas is Spain’s largest airport, managing approximately 55 million passengers each year. As the hub for Iberia Airlines, MAD features extensive connections to the Americas and Europe.

• Location: Madrid, Spain
• Terminals: 4
• Annual Passengers: ~55 million
• Main Airlines: Iberia, Air Europa

Istanbul Airport (IST)

Opened in 2019, Istanbul Airport quickly rose to prominence, handling close to 40 million passengers in its first year. Replacing Ataturk Airport, IST serves as the hub for Turkish Airlines, enhancing its reach across continents.

• Location: Arnavutköy, Istanbul, Turkey
• Terminals: 1 (another planned)
• Annual Passengers: ~40 million (initial year)
• Main Airlines: Turkish Airlines

Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN)

Serving Catalonia and the wider Mediterranean region, Barcelona-El Prat manages around 50 million passengers each year. With major operations from Vueling and Level, it balances a mix of low-cost and full-service carriers.

• Location: El Prat de Llobregat, near Barcelona, Spain
• Terminals: 2
• Annual Passengers: ~50 million
• Main Airlines: Vueling, Iberia, Level

Munich Airport (MUC)

Munich Airport is Germany’s second busiest, dealing with around 48 million passengers annually. Known for its efficiency and passenger experience, Lufthansa uses MUC as its secondary hub.

• Location: Munich, Germany
• Terminals: 2
• Annual Passengers: ~48 million
• Main Airlines: Lufthansa, Eurowings, Condor

Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO)

Named after Leonardo da Vinci, Rome Fiumicino Airport serves approximately 43 million passengers each year. Alitalia and Vueling are the primary carriers, connecting Italy with numerous global destinations.

• Location: Fiumicino, near Rome, Italy
• Terminals: 4
• Annual Passengers: ~43 million
• Main Airlines: Alitalia, Vueling

Dublin Airport (DUB)

Dublin Airport sees close to 30 million passengers annually, making it the busiest in Ireland. Aer Lingus and Ryanair offer extensive connectivity across Europe and North America.

• Location: Collinstown, near Dublin, Ireland
• Terminals: 2
• Annual Passengers: ~30 million
• Main Airlines: Aer Lingus, Ryanair

Zurich Airport (ZRH)

Switzerland’s largest airport, Zurich Airport handles about 31 million passengers per year. Swiss International Air Lines uses ZRH as its hub, providing numerous connections to Europe and beyond.

• Location: Kloten, Zurich, Switzerland
• Terminals: 3
• Annual Passengers: ~31 million
• Main Airlines: Swiss International Air Lines

Copenhagen Airport (CPH)

Copenhagen Airport is the busiest in Scandinavia, managing around 30 million passengers annually. Serving as a main hub for SAS, it offers excellent connections throughout Europe.

• Location: Kastrup, near Copenhagen, Denmark
• Terminals: 2
• Annual Passengers: ~30 million
• Main Airlines: Scandinavian Airlines (SAS)

Oslo Gardermoen Airport (OSL)

Norway’s primary international airport, Oslo Gardermoen, sees around 28 million passengers each year. It’s a crucial hub for Norwegian Air Shuttle and SAS, connecting Norway to various international destinations.

• Location: Gardermoen, near Oslo, Norway
• Terminals: 1
• Annual Passengers: ~28 million
• Main Airlines: Norwegian Air Shuttle, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS)

Vienna International Airport (VIE)

Austria’s busiest airport, Vienna International handles roughly 27 million passengers annually. Austrian Airlines uses it as a hub, providing extensive European and intercontinental connections.

• Location: Schwechat, near Vienna, Austria
• Terminals: 4
• Annual Passengers: ~27 million
• Main Airlines: Austrian Airlines

Europe’s airports are crucial for global connectivity. Understanding the scale and scope of their operations can improve travel planning and experience. Each airport has unique strengths and caters to different regions and needs.

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