Prague Airport Handles 16.4 Million Passengers and Records 18% Year-on-Year Increase in 2024

“The number of passengers handled in 2024 is the third highest in history, which is very positive news, for example, for the economy of the Czech Republic. I am also pleased that the aircraft occupancy rate was high – on an average of over 83%. Larger aircraft with efficiently used capacity mean a lower burden on our surroundings and the environment in general,” Jiří Pos, Chairman of the Prague Airport Board of Directors, explained, adding: “In 2025, we should reach a historical record of 18.4 million handled passengers. This is due to systematic work in the area of ​​developing air connections across Europe and the world, competitiveness with regards to ​​charge policy and incentive programmes, and the operating conditions of Prague Airport. Last year, we managed to launch 41 new routes, and we increased the frequency of flights on 66 routes.” Of particular importance is the resumption of long-haul connections by Hainan Airlines to Beijing and SCAT Airlines to Astana, whose operations were interrupted by the pandemic situation, alongside the launch of a new connection by Egypt Air to Cairo – the first regular operation since 2011, when the Czech Airlines connection was terminated.

Last year, passengers used the direct flights between Prague and London the most, with almost 1.4 million people travelling on this route. In a year-on-year comparison, this connection recorded an increase in passenger numbers by 26%. The most frequently used connections last year also included flights to Paris (a total of 719 thousand passengers; +4% year-on-year), followed by Amsterdam (651 thousand passengers, +21% year-on-year), Milan (606 thousand passengers, +11% year-on-year), and Rome (536 thousand passengers, +37% year-on-year). In terms of the number of transported passengers to individual countries, the busiest connections were with Great Britain (2.1 million passengers, +29% year-on-year), Italy (1.9 million passengers, +22% year-on-year), and Spain (1.6 million passengers, +38% year-on-year). A total of 76 airlines operated at Václav Havel Airport Prague last year. Smartwings, Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air, and Lufthansa were the carriers which transported the greatest number of passengers in 2024.

This year, flights from Prague to new long-haul destinations, such as Abu Dhabi (Etihad Airways) and Toronto (Air Canada), will be launched. The arrival of other new carriers has also been confirmed, namely of the South Korean Asiana Airlines, which is to operate a regular connection to Seoul, and the German airline of Condor, which is to launch regular flights to Frankfurt am Main. This year, Prague Airport should increase the number of offered destinations to more than 190, with individual routes being operated by around 80 airlines.

ANNEXES:

Confirmed 2025 new destinations:

New Etihad Airways service to Abu Dhabi (four times weekly, effective 2 June 2025; Boeing 787)

New Air Canada service to Toronto (three times weekly, effective 6 June 2025; Airbus A330)

New Air Montenegro service to Podgorica (up to three times weekly, effective 1 May 2025; Embraer 195)

New Ryanair service to Trieste (twice weekly, effective 30 March 2025; Boeing 737-800)

New Air Baltic service to Vilnius (twice weekly, effective 22 May 2025; Airbus A220)

Confirmed 2025 new routes to already served destinations:

New Asiana Airlines service to Seoul (three times weekly, effective 1 April 2025; Airbus A350)

New Condor service to Frankfurt am Main (daily, effective 1 April 2025; Airbus A320)

Confirmed 2025 new carriers at Václav Havel Airport Prague:

New Etihad Airways service to Abu Dhabi (four times a week, effective 2 June 2025; Boeing 787)

New Air Canada service to Toronto (three times a week, effective 6 June 2025; Airbus A330)

New Asiana Airlines service to Seoul (three times a week, effective 1 April 2025; Airbus A350)

New Condor service to Frankfurt (daily, effective 1 April 2025; Airbus A320)