- Passenger traffic at Athens International Airport grew in June, but not enough to inspire sonnets.
- Year-to-date numbers are up, keeping airport management’s prediction skills intact for now.
- June registered a 5% increase over last year, and morale rose by at least 0.3% among statisticians.
- International routes carried the real weight, with a near 6% rise in globetrotters.
- The parade included five new airlines, some sticking around longer than others.
- Airport construction projects are in full swing, promising more parking for all those cars that won’t fit in carry-ons.
- If these figures persist, Athens International Airport might cross 30 million passengers for the second year, drawing envy from airports that peaked during the disco era.
June brought a gentle nudge in passenger traffic for Athens International Airport: a 5% bump compared to last year. Total numbers climbed to 3.454 million passengers, proof that summer in Greece still attracts both tourists and the statistically curious. Out of these, 2.441 million snubbed the domestic beach scene for international skies, an increase of 5.8%. The other 1.012 million took to domestic flights, charitable supporters of local aviation, with a 1.9% uptick.
The real show came in the first six months of the year, where traffic numbers stretched to 15.075 million. This put a 7.6% increase on the scoreboard compared to the same period in 2024. The crystal ball at airport headquarters says if this spectacle persists, year-end totals could waltz past the 30 million mark for the second time, leaving underperforming European hubs to stew in their own existential crises.
International routes did most of the work, with 10.831 million travellers opting out of Greek island hopscotch for overseas adventures—an increase of 9.8% over last year. Domestic flights nudged ahead by 2.2%, reaching 4.243 million passengers, proving that even routine commutes can be counted on for incremental growth.
New Faces, New Spaces: Airlines and Expansion in Athens
The spike in passenger traffic arrived on the backs of both familiar flight schedules and several bold newcomers. Five new airlines found their way onto the arrivals board: World2Fly, Air Albania, Sky Up, Sichuan Airlines and Air Haifa (the latter bowing out early, citing reasons that were not related to in-flight snacks but to conflict in the Middle East). Meanwhile, established carriers found time in their busy schedules to add flights or surprise travellers with new routes.
All these feet through the terminal create a need for more space, apparently not satisfied by the current geometry. Athens International Airport shrugged off budget anxiety and started laying down concrete for a seven-story parking structure boasting approximately 3,500 spaces, conveniently close to the terminal for the chronically late. A plan is also in play for 32 new aircraft parking stands up by the northwestern runway, along with a service building, because even planes need somewhere to stretch their wings between journeys.
So, just how grand is the spectacle? If the numbers keep their upward twitch, Athens International Airport will secure its spot among Europe’s busiest hubs. Not enough for poetry, but enough to keep statisticians grinning well into next quarter. If you’re planning a trip, grab a seat before someone else gets all the good parking.