Bratislava Airport Ranks as the Third Most Successful Airport in Europe
In 2025, M. R. Štefánik Airport Bratislava recorded one of the strongest growth rates in Europe. With a double-digit increase in passenger numbers of 25.2%, the airport ranked third among the most successful medium-sized European airports. This is according to the annual statistics published by ACI Europe, the international association of European airports. By comparison, European airports recorded an average year-on-year passenger growth of just 4.4% in 2025.
ACI Europe (Airport Council International Europe) represents more than 600 airports in 55 countries across Europe and the Caucasus. Member airports are categorised by annual passenger volumes, with Bratislava Airport classified as a medium-sized airport, handling between 1 and 10 million passengers per year.
“Last year, Bratislava Airport handled a record 2,438,215 passengers on arrivals and departures — the highest figure since its establishment and 25% more than in 2024. Double-digit growth was not common among European airports in 2025. Thanks to a significant number of new air connections, we also expect double-digit growth in 2026, while according to ACI Europe forecasts, European airports are expected to grow at an average annual rate of 3.3%,” explained Dušan Novota, CEO of M. R. Štefánik Airport.
In 2025, Bratislava Airport successfully surpassed pre-pandemic traffic levels, restoring passenger numbers beyond those recorded in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic. The airport’s recovery rate reached 106%, while 41% of European airports are still operating below their pre-pandemic passenger volumes.
Within the EU+ market, the strongest-performing countries in 2025 included Slovakia (+20.2%), Poland (+14.4%), Hungary (+11.1%), and Slovenia (+10.7%), according to ACI Europe.