The Routes Europe 2026 Awards will recognize outstanding achievements in airport and destination marketing, with 15 airports, four destinations and five airlines reaching the finals this year.
Six awards will be presented, including three dedicated to airport excellence in route development marketing. These airport awards are categorized by passenger volume—Under 5 Million, 5–20 Million and Over 20 Million—and recognize airports that have demonstrated exceptional marketing support for their airline partners.
The Destination Award recognizes destinations for their support of airline partners, while the Airline Award highlights the importance of collaboration in developing successful and profitable routes. An Overall Winner will be selected from among the category winners.
The Airport and Destination categories were reviewed and scored by a panel of airline judges, while the Airline category was evaluated by a panel of editorial judges.
Today, we profile the finalists from the three airport categories, with the Destination and Airline finalists to be featured next week. The winners will be announced during the Routes Europe 2026 Networking Evening on May 19 in Rimini, Italy.
More News And Analysis From Routes Europe 2026
Under 5 Million Passengers
Bratislava Airport, Slovakia
Bratislava Airport (BTS) recorded its strongest year on record in 2025, handling 2.44 million passengers, a 25% increase year on year and the highest annual total in the airport’s history. Growth was driven by a data-led route development strategy and expanded airline partnerships, including the opening of a Wizz Air base and continued expansion by Ryanair. A total of 28 new scheduled routes were launched during the year, including 14 by Wizz Air and 12 by Ryanair. Wizz Air expanded from two routes to 16 in 2025 and plans further growth to 32 routes in 2026, supported by four based aircraft. The airport also secured certification for E-category aircraft operations, enabling long-haul charter services using widebody aircraft.
Cork Airport, Ireland
Handling 3.4 million passengers, Cork Airport (ORK) enjoyed its busiest ever year in 2025, marking a 13% increase year on year and its second consecutive year of double-digit growth. The airport has added 12 new routes since 2024 and now offers more than 50 routes across the UK and continental Europe, supported by eight airline partners. Growth has been underpinned by a collaborative route development strategy, strong airline engagement and targeted marketing campaigns, including digital and out-of-home initiatives promoting hub connectivity and long-haul access via European gateways. Cork also launched a €200 million capital development program in 2025 to expand capacity beyond 5 million passengers.
Dubrovnik Airport, Croatia
Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) surpassed 3 million annual passengers for the first time in 2025, handling 3.1 million passengers, a 4.6% increase compared with 2024, alongside a 4.4% rise in aircraft movements to 26,682. Growth was driven by strong route development and airline partnerships, including expansion of United Airlines’ New York Newark service, which extended its season and increased to daily operations. The airport also added new routes by Ryanair to Gothenburg, Katowice and Marseille, while Swiss launched services to Zurich, and key carriers including Lufthansa and KLM increased frequencies. Cargo throughput also rose significantly in 2025, exceeding 300,000 kg.
Florence Airport, Italy
Florence Airport (FLR), operated by Toscana Aeroporti, handled 3.8 million passengers in 2025, up 9.4% year on year, supported by 20 airlines serving 40 destinations. The airport added two new carriers—Air Corsica and Air Serbia—and launched five new routes, including Alghero, Belgrade, Brussels, Elba Island and Nice, while existing airlines increased capacity and frequencies, including British Airways doubling daily service. Growth has been driven by a data-led route development strategy focused on high-yield markets and strong hub connectivity. The airport supports airline partners through transparent incentive programs and comprehensive co-marketing campaigns.
Memmingen Airport, Germany
Memmingen Airport (FMM) welcomed 3.69 million passengers in 2025 and achieved a recovery rate of 214.7% compared with 2019 levels, with seat capacity reaching 217.4% of pre-pandemic levels. The airport serves 62 destinations across 27 countries with eight airline partners, supported by a low-cost, point-to-point network strategy focused on demand-driven growth. The airport’s catchment spans four countries, supporting consistent year-round demand with limited seasonality. A structured incentive program and performance-driven marketing approach support airline partners and route maturity.
5-20 Million Passengers
Glasgow Airport, Scotland
Glasgow Airport (GLA) has an additional 1 million seats available in 2026 compared with 2025 with 15 new routes, including eight new destinations and four new airlines across short- and long-haul markets. The airport’s route development strategy is underpinned by advanced data analytics, using multiple data sources to identify demand and support new services, including Edelweiss and the return of United Airlines’ transatlantic operations. Glasgow works closely with airline partners through structured engagement and targeted marketing, including a six-figure campaign with Lufthansa that delivered a 5% load-factor increase on the Frankfurt route.
Larnaka International Airport, Cyprus
Larnaka International Airport (LCA) achieved record performance in 2025, handling 9.9 million passengers, up 15% year on year and 21% above pre-pandemic levels, despite a challenging geopolitical environment. The airport expanded its network to more than 100 destinations across 39 countries, supported by 57 airlines, including seven new entrants. Ten new routes were launched during the year, while increased frequencies and larger aircraft added 1.7 million seats, with half of existing routes gaining at least one additional weekly frequency. Growth has been driven by a data-led route development strategy and strong airline partnerships, alongside incentive schemes returning an average of 25% of airport fees.
Prague Airport, Czech Republic
Prague Airport (PRG) delivered strong growth and network expansion in 2025, handling 17.8 million passengers, a rise of 8.5% compared with 2024, and surpassing pre-pandemic levels. The airport supported the launch of 46 new routes, including 24 new destinations, and welcomed 12 new airlines, while more than 55 existing routes saw frequency or capacity increases, adding nearly 1.5 million seats (+7%). Long-haul growth remained a priority, with new services to Seoul, Abu Dhabi, Toronto and Sharjah, alongside the launch of Taipei service by Starlux Airlines—its first European destination—and American Airlines’ planned addition of Philadelphia in 2026.
Thessaloniki Airport, Greece
Thessaloniki Airport (SKG) reported a milestone year in 2025, handling a record 7.9 million passengers, up 8.2%, driven by strong international growth of 9.9% to 5.4 million passengers. The airport expanded its network to 83 routes across 31 countries, served by 40 airlines, and added four new carriers alongside new destinations including Izmir, Chisinau, Baden-Baden and Gothenburg. Growth was supported by targeted incentive programs designed to reduce seasonality, including a ‘shoulder months scheme offering up to €12 per departing passenger and a winter incentive program that has supported 13 new international routes.
Vilnius Airport, Lithuania
Vilnius Airport (VNO) surpassed 5 million passengers in 2025, a 6% increase year on year, supported by a 7% rise in seat capacity and load factors consistently above 80%. The airport expanded its network with two new airlines—flydubai and Israir—while airBaltic and Wizz Air each added a third based aircraft and launched 10 new routes, increasing seat capacity by 17%. Connectivity via major European hubs also improved through increased frequencies to Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Helsinki, Istanbul and Warsaw. A data-driven route development strategy and tailored incentive programs supported growth, including a passenger incentive scheme.
Over 20 Million Passengers
Athens International Airport, Greece
Athens International Airport (ATH) posted a record year in 2025, handling 34 million passengers, up 6.7% year on year and 33% above pre-pandemic levels. Growth was driven primarily by international traffic, which increased 8.6%, while domestic traffic rose 2.2%. The airport expanded its network to 164 destinations across 55 countries, served by 70 airlines. Strong demand extended beyond peak months, with off-season traffic rising about 10%, reflecting successful efforts to reduce seasonality and grow year-round connectivity. Aircraft movements reached nearly 284,000, up 5.7% year on year. Continued growth is supported by a long-term expansion program that will increase capacity to 40 million passengers annually.
Brussels Airport, Belgium
Brussels Airport (BRU) continued network expansion and airline engagement in 2025, supported by its “Have Seats, Will Travel” strategy combining data-driven route development with targeted market stimulation. The airport attracted six new airlines and launched 18 new routes and 12 destinations across 2025 and 2026, including long-haul services to Atlanta, Hong Kong and Sao Paulo. The network now includes 183 passenger destinations served by 71 airlines, with traffic forecast to reach 26 million passengers in 2026. Airline growth is supported by a €28 million incentive program and extensive market intelligence, including 60,000 annual passenger interviews and route simulation analysis.
Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, Turkey
Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) was the ninth-busiest airport in Europe in 2025 after handling a record 48.4 million passengers, up 36% compared with 2019 levels. The airport added four new airline partners, 15 new destinations and 27 new routes during the year, alongside 19 frequency increases. International traffic reached 56% of total passengers, up from 40% in 2019, while SAW’s share of Istanbul’s international traffic rose to 29%. The airport’s route development strategy is supported by proactive airline engagement, with more than 200 corporate meetings and participation in over 50 industry events in 2025.
Munich Airport, Germany
Munich Airport (MUC) has strengthened its network and long-haul connectivity, adding more than 30 new routes over the past two years, including 14 intercontinental services. Recent long-haul expansion includes new routes to Hong Kong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Taipei, alongside services to destinations such as Sao Paulo, Johannesburg, Calgary and Orlando. The airport has also attracted new carriers from Asia, including EVA Air, Vietnam Airlines and Cathay Pacific. Growth has been supported by strong performance from existing airline partners, with double-digit seat capacity increases from carriers including Discover Airlines, easyJet and Norwegian in 2025.
Rome Fiumicino Airport, Italy
Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) achieved a record year in 2025, surpassing 50 million passengers for the first time and reaching 51.3 million, up 4% year on year and 18% above 2019 levels. The airport expanded its network to more than 240 destinations across 80 countries, supported by 100 airline partners. Growth has been driven by strong long-haul performance, with 10.8 million passengers (+26% vs. 2019), and continued expansion across North America, Asia-Pacific and emerging markets. FCO added more than 30 new routes and six new airlines in 2025, with further growth planned for 2026.
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