Athens International Airport Records Strong Q1 2026 Performance – New India Route Carries 17,000 Passengers
Athens, April 20, 2026 — Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” continues to show strong resilience, recording solid passenger growth in the first quarter of 2026 despite geopolitical tensions and concerns over fuel prices in the Middle East.
International passenger traffic at Greece’s busiest airport increased by +8.5% in the January–March 2026 period compared to the same quarter last year, reaching over 4.54 million passengers. Total traffic (domestic + international) reached 5.8 million passengers, up 8.1% year-on-year.
Top Markets & Growth Highlights
Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom remained the three largest international markets for Athens Airport.
Strongest Growth Markets (Q1 2026):
Poland – Highest increase among top 20 markets
Egypt – +53%
Denmark – +39%
Spain – +23% (approaching 250,000 passengers)
China – +42%
Sweden – +59%
Portugal – +36%
Italy and Germany each exceeded 450,000 passengers, while the UK followed closely with nearly 400,000.
Promising New India Route
The new direct flights to India, launched by IndiGo on January 23, 2026 (Athens–Delhi and Athens–Mumbai), performed well despite the regional crisis. The route carried almost 17,000 passengers in its first quarter of operation.
Industry Concerns
Airport officials are closely monitoring developments in the Middle East, particularly the impact on fuel prices and potential supply shortages ahead of the critical 2026 summer season.
WT.24
Greek City Times
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