Italian airports over 230 million passengers
Italian air transport continues to grow and exceeds 230 million passengers, confirming itself as one of the most dynamic markets in Europe. The figure emerges from the 2026 Fact Book of the ITSM - ICCSAI Transport and Sustainable Mobility Center of the University of Bergamo, presented today, June 4, 2026, in Rome during the conference "Between one era and another: to which air transport?", organized by ENAC in collaboration with the University of Bergamo.
The report, now in its twentieth edition, photographs a sector in transformation, called upon to manage traffic growth, environmental sustainability, technological innovation, alternative fuels, advanced air mobility and new competitive balances between airports and airlines.
For passengers, market growth means more connections, greater accessibility of territories and new travel opportunities, but also the need for adequate infrastructure, more efficient services and investments capable of supporting the increase in demand in the coming years.
According to the 2026 Fact Book, European passenger traffic grew by 4% in 2025, while Italy recorded an above-average performance, with an increase of 5%. Growth continues in the first months of 2026, with an increase of 4.2% until April.
The Italian airport system now has eight airports with over 10 million passengers. Among these, Rome Fiumicino (FCO) exceeds the threshold of 50 million passengers and ranks 7th in the European ranking, strengthening its role as a strategic hub for national, international and intercontinental traffic.
The report also highlights an improvement in direct intercontinental flights from Italy, while signaling a gap that is still open compared to the major European markets. For Travellers, this aspect is particularly relevant because the availability of direct long-haul flights affects the convenience of travel, travel times and the competitiveness of Italian airports compared to foreign hubs.
The cargo sector, on the other hand, is more fragile. In Italy, freight traffic grew less than the European average, with an increase of 1.7% compared to 3.6% recorded at European level. The main driver remains Milan Malpensa (MXP), up 4.3%, but the sector shows signs of slowing down in the first months of 2026, also due to geopolitical tensions, energy costs, possible airspace limitations and delays in the delivery of new aircraft.
The 2026 Fact Book also analyzes the changing role of hubs. Globally, there is a progressive reduction in connecting traffic, a phenomenon that penalizes the large European hubs in particular. The connectivity of the European network also remains below pre-Covid levels, confirming that the sector has not recovered uniformly in all segments.
On the airline front, Ryanair confirms itself as the leading European carrier, with over 200 million passengers. The share of low-cost airlines remains high throughout Europe and has a particularly significant weight in Italy: in the domestic market it represents 57.2% of the capacity offered, while on European connections it reaches 60.1%.
The report also points to the repositioning of ITA Airways, which is increasingly oriented towards medium and long-haul flights as part of the integration with Lufthansa and entry into Star Alliance. This path could affect the role of Rome Fiumicino and Italy's ability to strengthen intercontinental connections.
During the conference, ENAC recalled the need for infrastructure investments to accompany the expected growth in traffic. The estimates indicated speak of a possible transition from the current 230 million to 305 million passengers by 2035, a goal linked to the ability of the country system to make decision-making and implementation processes more efficient.
The theme of investment is also central to the passenger experience. Increasing airport capacity, improving services, making controls more fluid, expanding accessibility and strengthening connections means responding to an increasingly wide demand for mobility, which concerns tourism, work, family relationships, study and economic exchanges.
The 2026 Fact Book also confirms that air transport is no longer just an economic engine for business and tourism, but an essential service for connecting territories. Over the past two decades, the growth of the industry has helped to reduce the isolation of many areas, expanding travel possibilities and strengthening the role of airports as strategic infrastructure for development.
The challenge in the coming years will be to combine growth and sustainability, avoiding simplified readings and basing decisions on data, innovation and investment capacity. Italian air transport is thus in a transition phase: more passengers, more demand for connections, greater pressure on infrastructure and the need to govern the technological and environmental transformation of the sector.
