Athens airport revises expansion plans after first-half passenger growth

Athens, Greece. Athens International Airport is revising its major expansion programme after passenger traffic rose 4.5 per cent in the first half of 2026. The airport plans a more phased approach that could eventually lift annual capacity beyond 40 million passengers.

Traffic performance

The airport handled 15.75 million passengers between January and June, compared with the same period a year earlier, despite the impact of the conflict in the Middle East during the second quarter.

Domestic passenger traffic increased by 5.1 per cent year on year in the first half, while international traffic rose by 4.2 per cent.

Traffic growth was strongest in the first quarter, when passenger numbers increased by 8.1 per cent.

Second-quarter slowdown

Growth slowed to 2.2 per cent in the second quarter as geopolitical developments in the Middle East affected aviation demand.

Domestic traffic rose by 3.8 per cent between April and June, while international traffic increased by 1.5 per cent.

Passenger numbers in all three second-quarter months exceeded the corresponding months of 2025 in both domestic and international markets, except for international traffic in April.

International passenger traffic fell by 0.9 per cent in April, mainly because services to and from the Middle East were suspended.

Outlook and expansion

Following the traffic performance, Athens International Airport raised its full-year 2026 traffic guidance from low single-digit growth to mid-single-digit growth.

The airport, an aviation gateway for the wider eastern Mediterranean, reported the figures on September 9, 2026, with its financial results for the six months ended June 30.