Athens International Airport: Passenger Traffic Up 18.5% in May

Athens International Airport (AIA) reported an 18.5% surge in passenger traffic in May, reaching 3.01 million passengers, compared to the same period in 2023. Both domestic and international passenger traffic exceeded last year’s figures by 10.6% and 22.3%, respectively.

Overall, during the first five months of 2024, airport traffic reached 10.71 million passengers, marking a 17% increase. Domestic passenger traffic increased by 9.0% while international passenger traffic rose by 20.8%.

The number of flights at Athens International Airport during this period amounted to 92,310, a 14.1% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Domestic and international flights experienced an uptick of 6.8% and 19.7%, respectively.

Meanwhile, Athens hotels saw an average occupancy rate of 68.7% in the first four months of 2024, up from 63.9% in 2023, according to the Athens – Attica & Argosaronic Hotel Association.

Furthermore, the Average Daily Rate (ADR) increased by 7%, reaching 110.77 euros, while Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) showed a 15.1% rise, reaching 76.12 euros compared to 66.13 euros in the same period of 2023.

Meanwhile, according to the data processed by Athens International Airport (AIA) for the first quarter of the year, the top 10 in foreign arrivals are dominated by Americans, followed by the British and Germans. Other top nationalities include Cypriots, Italians, French, Dutch, Israelis, Poles, and Turks.

The Athens International Airport is set to expand its international network in 2024, adding five new destinations, seven airlines, and 18 routes. The new destinations include Shanghai (China), Brest (France), Ancona (Italy), Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and Sharjah (United Arab Emirates).

For the first four months of 2024, AIA served 7.7 million passengers, a significant 16.5% increase. However, the growth is mainly driven by international travel, which saw a 20.2% increase in the first quarter of this year, while domestic travel rose by 8.4%.

The Athens International Airport recently unveiled an ambitious investment plan set to unfold in three strategic phases, which aims to accommodate 50 million passengers by 2045. The project demands an investment totaling 1.35 billion euros for the initial two phases alone.