European air travel reached record levels in 2025, with airports handling 2.6 billion passengers, a 4% increase year-on-year, according to a new Colliers report.
Prague's Václav Havel Airport recorded passenger growth of over 17%, placing it alongside Liverpool, Budapest and Kraków as one of Europe's fastest-growing airports with over five million passengers annually. "Air travel accounts for 56% of all visitors to European countries. Airports today serve not only as transportation hubs but increasingly as catalysts for economic and real estate development in their surrounding areas," says Josef Stanko, Director of Market Research at Colliers.
Major European airports are planning significant expansions. London Heathrow has received government approval to begin permitting for a third runway, expected to increase capacity to 150 million passengers by 2035. Istanbul's new international airport is expected to reach 200 million passenger capacity by 2028. Spanish operator Aena announced a €13 billion investment in airport expansion, with nearly half going to Barcelona and Madrid.
The growth is transforming surrounding areas beyond airport infrastructure. Tourist spending in key European destinations is estimated to grow at 4-5% annually through 2034, with food and beverage accounting for roughly 22% of total tourist spending. Demand is increasing for logistics parks, distribution centers, office spaces and flexible workspaces near airports.
"Airports are no longer just gateways to a city. They are becoming economic engines and for the real estate market, one of the key indicators of future growth," Stanko notes. Analysts expect the total capacity of Europe's ten largest airports to increase by 60% over the next 25 years, approaching one billion passengers annually.
