Europe’s busiest airports have been revealed with last year’s winner managing to hold onto the top spot for the fourth year in a row. After 11.2million flights took off across Europe in 2025, Istanbul Airport, one of two in the Turkish city, has been ranked as the busiest airport, with an average of 1,490 flights arriving and departing every day.

Air travel in 2025 was up by 4% compared to the previous year, with increases in the vast majority of European countries. London Heathrow placed third, as it did last year with 1,315 daily flights, whilst Amsterdam Airport Schiphol claimed the runner up spot with 1,351. Paris Charles de Gaulle and Frankfurt in Germany made up the top five, with 1,314 and 1,261 daily arrivals and departures respectively.

Ivaylo Danailov, CEO of flight compensation specialists SkyRefund, which conducted the study, said: “2025 was something of a paradox for European air travel.

“While we saw a recovery towards pre-pandemic traffic levels and a significant drop in total cancellations, the passenger experience remained blighted by delays, with nearly a quarter of flights failing to arrive on time.

“For passengers, this means that while your flight is more likely to take off than it was in 2024, it is statistically more likely than ever to land late enough to trigger compensation under EU261/UK261 regulations.

“Travellers should remember that a three-hour delay is often worth up to €600 (£522), regardless of what the airline may attribute it to.”

The full ranking reveals some surprising movements compared with pre-pandemic figures.

Airports in Spain, Italy and Turkey have posted strong growth, driven by booming demand for leisure travel.

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Turkey had two airports in the top 10, with Antalya in sixth place, closely followed by Rome Fiumicino in seventh.

Gatwick, the UK’s second biggest airport was ranked in eighth place, whilst Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca completed the top 10.

Mediterranean gateways such as Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona and Istanbul have seen notable increases as sun-seekers and holidaymakers return in force.

Experts say the reshuffling illustrates how travel patterns have changed since 2019, with carriers adapting routes and frequencies to meet new preferences.

Domestic and short-haul travel has recovered strongly, while long-distance services are steadily climbing back towards pre-Covid levels.