The Routes Europe 2026 Awards celebrate the destinations driving air service growth across the region, recognizing standout route development partnerships and marketing initiatives.
The Destination Award spotlights the support and collaboration destinations provide to airline partners to help secure and grow services, while the Airline Award recognizes carrier-led partnership efforts.
Airports are honored across three passenger-volume bands—Under 5 Million, 5–20 Million and Over 20 Million—and an Overall Winner will be selected from this year’s category winners.
Finalists in the Airport and Destination categories have been assessed by a panel of airline judges, with the Airline category evaluated by an editorial panel. Winners will be announced at the Routes Europe Networking Evening on May 19 in Rimini, Italy.
More News And Analysis From Routes Europe 2026
Destination Award
Canary Islands Tourist Board – Promotur, Spain
Canary Islands Tourist Board – Promotur has strengthened the archipelago’s air connectivity through a long-term, data-driven route development strategy focused on sustainable growth and airline partnerships. The destination has expanded seat capacity by 33.6% compared with 2019, adding more than 6 million arrival seats, while passenger traffic has increased 24.3%. The Canary Islands now offer connectivity through 765 routes across 34 countries, supported by 52 airlines and 23.5 million arrival seats in 2025. Promotur supports airlines through a European Commission-approved Flight Development Fund focused exclusively on new routes, alongside advanced tourism intelligence and demand stimulation campaigns.
Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Tourism, Cyprus
Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Tourism has delivered record tourism growth through a strategic focus on air connectivity, market diversification and year-round tourism development. In 2025, Cyprus welcomed 4.53 million visitors, up 14% compared with pre-pandemic 2019 levels and 12.2% higher than 2024, while tourism revenue increased 15.2% to €3.7 billion. The island’s connectivity network now includes 54 airlines operating 132 routes across 48 countries, with inbound seat capacity reaching 6.9 million seats in 2025—22% above 2019 levels. The destination has diversified beyond traditional source markets, with strong growth from Poland, Germany and Romania, while also expanding routes into the Middle East and Central Asia.
Malta Tourism Authority, Malta
Aviation accounts for more than 98% of Malta’s tourist arrivals, with inbound tourism closely linked to air capacity expansion. In 2025, Malta handled more than 4 million inbound tourists, while airline seat capacity reached 11.8 million seats—almost double 2015 levels. Malta International Airport served 112 routes in 2025, supported by increased frequencies and a greater share of year-round operations. The destination’s strategy focuses on balancing legacy and LCCs, expanding short-haul connectivity and developing long-haul markets, including North America and Asia. Malta Tourism Authority works with Malta International Airport and airline partners through coordinated marketing support, performance monitoring and route development initiatives.
Saudi Air Connectivity Program, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Air Connectivity Program (ACP) has accelerated the kingdom’s international aviation expansion through a data-driven route development strategy aligned with tourism growth and economic diversification goals. Since launching in 2022, ACP has expanded from supporting three airlines and 18 routes to working with 20 airline partners across 27 routes in 2025. Seat capacity has grown from 1.3 million in 2022 to more than 3.4 million in 2025, while the program has supported a cumulative total of 82 routes and more than 7.4 million seats over four years. ACP works closely with airlines, airports, tourism authorities and civil aviation stakeholders to align route development with tourism demand, operational readiness and destination marketing.
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