EQS-News: Vienna Airport set new records in 2024: Strong passenger growth to 31.72 million, about 50,000 (+0.2%) more than in the pre-crisis year of 2019

Vienna Airport set new records in 2024: Strong passenger growth to 31.72 million, about 50,000 (+0.2%) more than in the pre-crisis year of 2019

• Passenger development in 2024: The Flughafen Wien Group handled 41.4 million passengers, an increase of 9.1% – Passenger traffic at Vienna Airport equalled 31.7 million, about 50,000 travellers (+0.2%) more than the pre-crisis level of 2019

• Traffic guidance for 2025: slight growth expected in the Flughafen Wien Group to approx. 42 million passengers and slightly positive development with about 32 million passengers at Vienna Airport

• Financial outlook for 2025: revenue growth to about € 1.08 billion, EBITDA of approx. € 440 million, Group net profit of around € 230 million, investments equalling about € 300 million financed from the company’s own funds

• Top travel destinations in 2024: Antalya, Barcelona, Mallorca were the most popular summer vacation destinations – Bangkok, New York, and Taipei were the top long-haul destinations – Germany, Spain and Italy as the top three country destinations of 2024

• 2024 showed the best cargo results in the history of Vienna Airport: strong increase of 21.6% in cargo volume to 297,945 tonnes

• Vienna Airport on the path to a 5-Star Airport Rating: The Southern Terminal Expansion project is progressing very well – Tenant acquisition is fully underway

“New all-time highs in 2024 for passenger and cargo volumes – A new direct flight connection to Singapore in 2025“

“2024 was an absolute record-breaking year for Vienna Airport and the best in our 70-year history. With 31.72 million passengers, we achieved a new all-time high, and the cargo volume of 297,945 tonnes marked a new historical high as well. This shows that the crisis related to the coronavirus pandemic is no longer negatively impacting business results, and our upswing is continuing. We anticipate slightly growing passenger volumes in 2025, and positive impetus provided by additional flight connections. Starting in June, we look forward to the new direct flight connection to Singapore offered by the airline Scoot. Moreover, our home carrier Austrian Airlines as well as other airlines have already announced exciting new destinations for the summer. The Asian market is also picking up steam and holds great potential for the future. This can be supported by abolishing the air transport levy in line with the Swedish model. The new Southern Terminal Expansion, our key project designed to enhance the quality of service as well as the time spent at the airport, is proceeding on time and as specified in the project plan. Construction work is in full swing and tenant acquisition is fully underway. Starting in 2027, the new terminal area will provide 70,000 m² of additional waiting areas, modern security checkpoints, an increased shopping and restaurant offering as well as spacious lounges,” states Julian Jäger, Joint CEO and COO of Vienna Airport.

“Positive financial outlook for 2025: revenue increase to approx. € 1.08 billion expected in 2025 – The Flughafen Wien AG share registered a new all-time high of € 55.20”

“Flughafen Wien AG continues to be economically successful. The Flughafen Wien AG share recorded a new all-time high in 2024, featuring a share price of € 55.20, and market capitalization is at around € 4.5 billion. We expect Group revenue to increase to approx. € 1.08 billion and a Group net profit of about € 230 million. Our strong financial position will also enable us to make substantial investments in 2025, which we will completely fund from our own resources.  This year € 300 million will be dedicated to various expansion and modernization projects such as the Southern Expansion project. Accordingly, the AirportCity is continuing to grow. TUI Austria is relocating its corporate headquarters to the airport site. We expect the new federal government to implement a growth-promoting economic policy and abandon an ideologically motivated hostility to aviation as well as a simplification and acceleration of bureaucratic procedures and the cutting of excessive red tape,”

says Günther Ofner, Joint CEO and CFO of Vienna Airport.

2024 passenger development: The Flughafen Wien Group handled 41.4 million passengers (+9.1%)

The Flughafen Wien Group (Vienna Airport and the international strategic investments in Malta Airport and Kosice Airport) reported an increase of passenger traffic in the period January-December 2024 to a total of 41,412,671 travellers, comprising a rise of 9.1% year-on-year. This improvement also corresponds to a rise in passenger traffic of 4.8% compared to the pre-crisis level of 2019.

Passenger development in 2024: 31.7 million passengers at Vienna Airport (+7.4%) – Seat load factor 3.5pp higher than before the pandemic
Vienna Airport registered a 7.4% rise in the number of passengers it handled in the period January to December 2024, recording a total of 31,719,836 travellers, thus 0.2% (about 50,000 passengers) above the pre-crisis year of 2019. The number of local passengers at Vienna Airport climbed by 8.9% to 24,865,388 travellers, whereas transfer passenger traffic was up 2.1% to 6,757,308. Capacity utilisation of the aircraft (seat load factor) also improved considerably, equalling 80.8% for the entire year 2024 (+ 0.3pp vs. 2023) and thus 3.5 percentage points above the seat load factor in the record year of 2019. Cargo volume (air cargo and trucking) showed a strong upward trend, increasing by 21.6% in 2024 to 297,945 tonnes.

Top travel destinations in 2024: Summer Holiday destination Antalya, country destination Germany, long-haul Bangkok

The most popular vacation destinations for flights departing from Vienna Airport in 2024 were Antalya, Barcelona and Mallorca. Bangkok, New York and Taipei were the top three among long-haul routes. Germany, Spain and Italy were the most popular country destinations. In 2024, Italy, Spain and Great Britain recorded the strongest passenger growth in a year-on-year comparison.

Passenger records of international strategic investments

In 2024, the international strategic investments of the Flughafen Wien Group even succeeded in surpassing the previous years and the pre-crisis level. Malta Airport reported a passenger volume of 8,957,451 travellers in 2024, representing a rise of 14.8% from the previous year and 22.5% higher than the pre-crisis level of 2019. Kosice Airport handled 735,384 passengers in 2024, comprising a year-on-year passenger growth of 18.2% or 32.4% above the pre-crisis year of 2019.

Traffic guidance for 2025: Approx. 42 million passengers expected in the Flughafen Wien Group and about 32 million passengers at Vienna Airport
Flughafen Wien AG expects a slight growth in the entire year 2025, featuring approx. 32 million passengers at Vienna Airport as well as slight growth in the Flughafen Wien Group (Vienna Airport and the international strategic investments in Malta Airport and Kosice Airport) to approx. 42 million travellers.

Financial guidance 2025

Flughafen Wien AG expects total revenue of approx. € 1.08 billion in the entire year 2025, along with an EBITDA of about € 440 million and a Group net profit for the year before minority interests of around € 230 million. Total capital expenditures are anticipated to equal approx. € 300 million in 2025. 

The current passenger and financial guidance are based on the assumption that there will not be any additional adverse geopolitical effects or massive restrictions on flight traffic. 

Traffic development in December 2024: Ongoing good passenger development at the end of the year

Flughafen Wien Group: 3.0 million passengers in December 2024 (+9.5%)
In December 2024, the number of passengers handled by the Flughafen Wien Group (Vienna Airport, Malta Airport, Kosice Airport) equalled 3,013,621 travellers (+9.5% vs. December 2023).

Vienna Airport: 2.4 million passengers in December 2024 (+8.8%)
The number of passengers handled by Vienna Airport in the month of December 2024 also improved, increasing to 2,380,696 travellers, or 8.8% higher than in the prior-year month of December 2023.

Traffic results in December 2024 in detail

The number of local passengers at Vienna Airport climbed 11.3% from the previous year to 2,010,474 travellers. In contrast, transfer passenger traffic fell 3.1% to 362,998. The number of flight movements in December 2024 rose to 17,667 (+7.1% vs. December 2023). Cargo volume at Vienna Airport amounted to 25,023 tonnes in December 2024, comprising a very significant increase of 21.9% from the prior-year level.

The total number of passengers at Vienna Airport flying to destinations in Western Europe in December 2024 was up by 8.7% year-on-year to 826,883, whereas Eastern European traffic increased to a total of 200,161 passengers (+12.1%) from the prior-year month. Passenger traffic to North America equalled 32,977 passengers (+16.7%), and the number of passengers flying to Africa increased by 11.0% to a total of 29,495 travellers. Passenger volume to the Middle East in December 2024 was up by 2.1% to 66,547 travellers, whereas passenger traffic flying to East Asian destinations amounted to 52,714 passengers, up 29.2% from the previous year. 

In December 2024, Malta Airport reported an increase in passenger volume to 591,539 travellers (+11.8%) compared to the previous year. The total number of passengers handled at Kosice Airport climbed to 41,386 (+22.1%).

Details on the traffic results for December 2024 can be found in the table below.

Traffic Development December 2024

Note: Total number of passengers includes local, transfer and transit passengers,
Traffic data adjusted

Disclaimer

All statements made in this press release that refer to future developments of Flughafen Wien AG/Flughafen-Wien-Group are based on current assumptions and forecasts of the management. If the premises for these forecasts do not occur or risks indicated in the risk report arise, actual results may vary from these estimates. Despite the utmost care, all forward-looking statements are therefore made without guarantee and Flughafen Wien AG/Flughafen-Wien-Group assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.

Contact: Corporate Communications of Flughafen Wien AG 

Peter Kleemann, Spokes person

Tel.: (+43-1-) 7007-23000     

E-Mail: p.kleemann@viennaairport.com   

Investor Relations
Bernd Maurer
Tel.: (+43-1-) 7007-23126
E-Mail: b.maurer@viennaairport.com

Website: www.viennaairport.com