Europe in the summer of 2026, during the holiday season from July to August, experienced its busiest skies, setting a new record with an average of 35,959 flights per day. This figure represents a 2.4 percent increase compared to 2025, and on Friday, July 10, the number of flights reached 37,640.
Impact of the Middle East War on Domestic Tourism
Despite the increase in air traffic across the continent, 72.6 percent of flights were on time, which is 1.2 percent higher than last year. However, France accounted for 32 percent of delays due to issues in managing air traffic. The war between the United States and Iran has influenced this year's tourism season, but at the same time, it has encouraged many Europeans to opt for domestic travel, which is considered a safer option.
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Growth of Tourist Destinations in Southwestern Europe
The published report indicates that following these tensions, air traffic in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Turkey has decreased, while countries such as Albania, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia have seen significant increases in their traffic. Notably, at Greek airports, the number of passengers reached its peak, and the country's air traffic control system approached its limits.
In total, fourteen countries recorded their highest daily traffic in terms of passenger arrivals and departures in the summer of 2026. These countries include Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Moldova, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, and Turkey.
Additionally, several airlines also witnessed unprecedented traffic increases, including Aegean, Air Serbia, easyJet, Jet2.com, Pegasus, Royal Air Maroc, Ryanair, Sky Express, SunExpress, Turkish Airlines, and Wizz Air.
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