Austrian commercial airports recorded a positive development in air traffic in the first half of 2025. A total of around 16,9 million passengers at the country's six commercial airports, representing growth of 2,3 percent over the previous year.
The increase in freight volume was even more significant, rising by 3,0 percent to 181.132 tons. These figures signal a continued recovery and strengthening of air traffic in Austria, which is considered the "backbone of mobility" for tourism and the economy. Despite regional differences, the airports are optimistic about the upcoming peak travel season and are calling for fair framework conditions and targeted investments to sustainably secure this positive development.
Positive results in the first half of 2025
The Austrian Airports Association (AÖV) has published the latest traffic figures for the first half of 2025 (January to June), which paint a clear picture of the upswing. A total of 16.858.726 passengers passed through the terminals of the six Austrian airports in Graz, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Linz, Salzburg, and Vienna. This represents an increase of 2,3 percent compared to the same period last year.
The development in the cargo business is also particularly encouraging . Cargo volume increased by 3,0 percent in the first half of 2025 to a total of 181.132 tons . This is an important indicator of economic activity and the role of airports as logistics hubs. Scheduled and charter flight movements also increased: with 134.066 takeoffs and landings, a rise of 3,3 percent was recorded compared to the first half of 2024.
Mag. Norbert Draskovits, President of the Austrian Association of Austrian Passenger Transport (AÖV) and Managing Director of Linz Airport, commented on the figures with confidence: "The passenger growth of recent years will continue in the first half of 1. The holiday season has started very promisingly, and we expect smooth operations at all airports with very good passenger numbers for the summer months." This assessment is supported by the general recovery of the tourism industry and the population's renewed desire to travel.
Regional differences: winners and losers of growth
While the overall figures for Austria's airports are positive, a detailed analysis of the individual locations reveals significant differences in passenger development:
- Vienna Airport (VIE): As the country’s largest airport and Austria’s most important international hub, Vienna recorded an increase in passengers to 14.736.470 travelers, representing an increase of 2,4 percent compared to 2024. Flight movements in Vienna increased by 3,0 percent to 112.956 takeoffs and landings. These figures underscore Vienna's dominance in Austrian air traffic and its role as a gateway to Eastern and Southeastern Europe, as well as intercontinental traffic.
- Linz Airport (LNZ): Linz Airport stands out with its exceptionally high growth rate, with passenger volume increasing by an impressive 61,5 percent to 110.678 passengersFlight movements also increased significantly (+47,7% to 2.254). This phenomenal growth could be due to new flight connections, increased demand for holiday travel from the region, or a consolidation of flight offerings.
- Klagenfurt Airport (KLU): Klagenfurt also recorded a remarkable increase of 27,8 percent to 78.593 air travelersFlight movements increased by 22,0 percent to 965 takeoffs and landings. Here, too, these figures indicate a successful development of the route network or the region's increasing attractiveness as a travel destination.
- Innsbruck Airport (INN): Innsbruck, known as the gateway to the Alps, recorded 630.546 passengers (+2,1%). Flight movements remained almost unchanged at 5.121 (-0,2%). Despite the relatively low growth, Innsbruck remains an important airport, especially for winter tourism and charter flights.
- Graz Airport (GRZ): Graz Airport experienced a slight decline in passenger traffic of 2025 percent to 1,9 passengers in the first half of 366.292. However, flight movements increased slightly by 3,1 percent to 4.902 movements. This could indicate a shift in flight offerings or increased capacity utilization of existing flights.
- Salzburg Airport (SZG): Salzburg was the only major airport to record a decline in passenger numbers, falling by 3,6 percent to 936.147. Flight movements increased slightly by 1,0 percent to 7.868. Despite the decline, Salzburg remains an important airport, particularly busy with tourists during the winter. Possible reasons for the decline could be a reduced number of charter flights or a shift in tourist flows.
These regional differences demonstrate the dynamism of the Austrian aviation market. While some airports are benefiting from new connections and strong demand, others face challenges in maintaining their position or tapping into new growth opportunities.
Importance of airports for tourism and the economy
Julian Jäger, Vice President of the Austrian Association of Austrian Airports (AÖV) and CEO of Flughafen Wien AG, emphasized the central role of airports for the country: "This summer has shown that our airports are the backbone of mobility and indispensable for tourism and the economy." This statement is supported by a recent survey, according to which 78 percent of passengers give Austria's airports top marks, and 40 percent of travelers arrive from abroad. This underscores Austria's attractiveness as a travel destination and the importance of airports as the first point of contact for international visitors.
Airports are not only gateways for tourists, but also crucial hubs for the domestic economy. They facilitate business travel, the export and import of goods (reflected in strong freight growth), and create numerous jobs, both directly at the airports and indirectly in the tourism and logistics sectors. A well-functioning air transport infrastructure is therefore a locational factor and contributes significantly to Austria's competitiveness.
To secure this strength in the long term, Jäger formulated clear demands: "Fair framework conditions, targeted investments, and better regional connections are needed." This may include investments in the infrastructure of the airports themselves, such as terminal expansions or the modernization of runways, but also improved connections between airports and the regional transport network to optimize accessibility. Fair framework conditions could relate to regulatory aspects, fee structures, or competitiveness in the European context.
The Association of Austrian Airports (AÖV)
The AÖV, founded in 1956, is the representative body of the six Austrian federal state airports. Its members are the airports of Graz, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Linz, Salzburg, and Vienna. The working group serves as a platform for promoting cross-company cooperation, the regular exchange of know-how on operational processes, and the representation of common interests in national and international aviation and airport-related decisions.
The AÖV maintains intensive exchanges with its sister associations in Germany (ADV – Association of German Commercial Airports) and Switzerland (SIAA – Swiss International Airports Association). This cooperation enables Austrian airports to network internationally, exchange best practices, and effectively represent common interests.
Outlook and challenges for the second half of the year
The positive development in the first half of 2025 gives cause for optimism for the coming months. The summer months are traditionally the busiest period for most European airports, driven by holiday travel. The expectation of "very good passenger numbers" indicates that the industry can continue these positive trends.
Nevertheless, airports continue to face challenges. In addition to the aforementioned demands for investment and fair framework conditions, these include operational aspects such as ensuring smooth operations with high capacity utilization, the availability of sufficient staff, and adapting to changing travel needs and regulations. The ability to respond flexibly to market developments and continuously optimize the range of flight connections will be crucial to securing the future growth of Austrian airports. Global supply chains and the global economy also remain important factors that can influence cargo volumes.
Austria's commercial airports have experienced a successful first half of 2025, characterized by noticeable passenger growth and strong growth in the cargo business. While Vienna Airport consolidated its leading role, Linz and Klagenfurt achieved impressive growth rates, while Graz and Salzburg suffered slight declines. This dynamic underscores the fundamental importance of airports as drivers of tourism and the economy. The AÖV's calls for targeted investments and improved framework conditions are therefore crucial to continuing this positive development and ensuring the competitiveness of Austrian air transport in a constantly changing global environment.