**European airports saw a clear rebound in passenger traffic in May 2026**, following an unusual 0.7% drop in April — the first decline since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the latest monthly report from ACI Europe, traffic across the continent rose 3.2% compared to May 2025, with EU+ airports (EU member states plus the UK, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and associated partners) posting a 3.4% increase. Within the EU itself, growth reached 4.2%, while non-EU+ markets grew only 2%.
**National disparities are widening**, shaped by a mix of robust leisure demand, ultra-low-cost carrier expansion, higher aviation taxes, and capacity cuts. Among EU+ countries, Slovakia (+112.8%), Malta (+16.5%), Estonia (+13.1%), and Slovenia (+11.2%) recorded the strongest growth. In contrast, Cyprus (-4.1%) remains penalised by the Middle East conflict, while Iceland (-6.2%), Austria (-5%), and Latvia (-2.3%) suffer from capacity reductions. Switzerland (-5.3%) is hit by SWISS flight cancellations due to staff shortages, aircraft groundings, and runway works at EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse. Among major markets, Italy (+5.1%) and Spain (+5%) outperformed the European average, while France (+1.7%) and the UK (+0.9%) lagged behind. Germany (-0.6%) was affected by the grounding of Lufthansa CityLine's fleet, which weighs on domestic and regional supply.
**Outside the EU+, the Balkans and Central Asia drove growth**, with North Macedonia (+27.4%), Albania (+26%), Montenegro (+17.8%), Uzbekistan (+16.2%), and Armenia (+12.7%) posting strong gains, benefiting from rapid low-cost expansion and shifting tourism and diaspora flows. Conversely, Israel (-17.2%), Azerbaijan (-6.1%), Georgia (-5.9%), and Kosovo (-4%) underperformed due to geopolitical tensions and capacity adjustments. Turkey, a major hub connecting Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, grew only 1.8% in May, signalling a more moderate pace after years of strong increases.
**London Heathrow retained its position as Europe's busiest airport** with 7.12 million passengers, though it saw a slight 1.2% year-on-year decline. Istanbul Airport is now only 3,012 passengers behind, growing 2%. Spanish airports led among the top ten, with Barcelona (+6.5%), Palma de Mallorca (+4.9%), and Madrid (+4.8%) posting strong performances. Palma de Mallorca even surpassed London Gatwick and Munich, highlighting the dominance of leisure demand and tourist flows to the Balearic Islands.
**Small airports (under 1 million passengers) recorded the strongest annual growth** at 7.2% on average, but remain 25.5% below pre-pandemic 2019 levels, reflecting a regional network that has not fully recovered. Some platforms saw spectacular gains driven by the return of domestic or seasonal routes and new operators: Stockholm Bromma (+927.9%), Kastoria (+750.4%), Bucharest Băneasa (+204.6%), Hatay (+190.8%), and Syros Island (+157%). Among medium-sized airports (1–10 million passengers), Bratislava (+131.1%), A Coruña (+74.7%), and Skopje (+28.6%) illustrate the vigour of regional point-to-point and low-cost traffic.
**Air freight also rose 2.5% in May** compared to May 2025, after a mixed start to the year. Among the top ten cargo airports, Leipzig (+14.1%), Brussels (+12.4%), and Amsterdam (+10.2%) posted double-digit growth, while Istanbul, Frankfurt, and Paris-CDG handled the largest absolute tonnages. Aircraft movements remained nearly flat, up only 0.8%, reflecting the impact of the Middle East conflict and tighter capacity management by airlines.