Passenger traffic across the European airport network increased by 4.4% in 2025, returning to a normalised development pace after the post-pandemic recovery period, according to the ACI EUROPE – Air Traffic Report 2025.
In Europe, traffic dynamics were driven in particular by Central and Eastern European countries, where several states exceeded the continental average: Slovakia (+20.2%), Poland (+14.4%), Hungary (+11.1%), Slovenia (+10.7%), along with Malta (+12.3%) and Cyprus (+10.7%). Mature markets in Western Europe recorded more moderate growth: the United Kingdom (+1.7%), France (+2.1%), Germany (+3.2%), while Italy (+4.4%) and Spain (+3.9%) benefited from favourable macroeconomic and aviation policies, maintaining a steady growth rate.
Eugen Doga – Chisinau International Airport ranked first in the medium-sized airport category, becoming one of the most dynamic airports in Europe in 2025. The Republic of Moldova recorded a passenger traffic increase of 46.8%, far above the European average of 4.4%.
“This outstanding performance is driven by several factors: expansion of the route and destination network; higher flight frequencies; development of the low-cost segment; and growing demand for regional and European mobility. ACI EUROPE data show that Chisinau Airport has grown at a pace more than 10 times higher than the European average, consolidating its role as a regional hub and surpassing the performance of airports in traditional markets,” the airport authority explains.
Country with the highest connectivity was Germany – 13 destinations (Frankfurt, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Dortmund, Memmingen, Nuremberg, Frankfurt Hahn, Munich, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Bremen, Cologne, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden).
Italy showed the highest number of scheduled flights – 4,825 round-trip flights.
Top 5 passenger destinations were: Antalya, Istanbul, London, Sharm El Sheikh and Bucharest.
The report confirms that route expansion, increased frequencies, and partnerships with airlines remain key drivers of positive passenger traffic trends. This growth accelerates Moldova’s connectivity with major European and international markets, strengthening Chisinau Airport’s status as a strategic hub for regional and continental mobility. (Moldpres)