Cyprus airport passenger traffic rises from 2024 levels despite spring disruption

Larnaca, Cyprus. Passenger traffic through Larnaca and Paphos airports rose by 7.9 per cent in the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2024, despite spring disruption linked to regional instability, according to Hermes Airports figures.

The airports handled 8.82 million passengers between January and August, 3.3 per cent fewer than the 9.13 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.

Comparison with previous years

The two airports handled 8.18 million passengers in the first eight months of 2024. In 2025, they recorded 13.75 million passengers over the full year, compared with 12.30 million in 2024, an increase of approximately 12 per cent.

Eurobank Research described 2025 as an exceptional year for Cyprus tourism, when tourist arrivals reached a record 4.53 million, up 12.2 per cent from 2024.

2026 traffic trends

Passenger traffic in the first three months of 2026 was 2.56 per cent higher than in the corresponding period of 2025, reaching 1.84 million passengers compared with 1.79 million.

The trend changed during the spring. In March, passenger traffic fell to 599,139, down 15.3 per cent from 707,204 in March 2025 and 10.3 per cent from March 2024.

The figures indicate that traffic remained above 2024 levels despite the spring disruption, while the gap with the record 2025 season narrowed during the summer.