Václav Havel Airport Prague has returned to pre-pandemic passenger numbers faster than originally forecast. This progress highlights the successful transformation the airport has undergone. With the upcoming winter flight schedule, travelers will have the option to choose from over 115 destinations. Development projects at Václav Havel Airport Prague are also making further progress.
The last few years have been challenging for Prague Airport, as it faced several factors impacting the aviation sector. These included the consequences of the pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and issues surrounding the former national airline, České aerolinie. “Václav Havel Airport Prague has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, particularly in the aviation business. The result is entirely new connections and increased capacity to holiday destinations. Contrary to initial forecasts, we will reach the 2019 operating figures as early as 2025, a year earlier than expected, surpassing 18 million passengers. This gives us additional incentive to accelerate ongoing development projects and ensure sufficient capacity for the anticipated rise in air travel demand,” says Jiří Pos, Chairman of the Management Board of Prague Airport.
Prague Airport expects to handle 16.2 million passengers in 2024, a 17% increase compared to 2023. In the last twelve months, 100 new projects have been introduced, including 32 new destinations, 26 new routes, and 42 capacity and frequency increases. These achievements were recognized by the Routes World Award 2024 in the category for airports with 10-20 million passengers per year, which the Prague Airport aviation business team received in Bahrain in October.
In 2024, a total of 74 airlines will operate flights from Prague Airport to 180 destinations worldwide. The total number of passengers handled will reach 100% of the 2019 level, excluding routes to Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. Low-cost airlines will carry 7.4 million passengers throughout the year, accounting for 45% of total traffic, a 136.4% increase compared to 2019. Holiday flights are expected to carry 4 million passengers, representing 25% of the total volume, a 151.6% rise compared to 2019. Long-haul flights will account for 1.2 million passengers, representing 7% of total traffic.
The newest connections include direct flights to Tallinn, Vilnius, Abu Dhabi, Beijing, and Toronto. Prague Airport continues to prioritize long-haul connections to the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, as well as routes in North America, including Newark, Philadelphia, and Chicago.
Prague Airport’s winter flight schedule, effective from 27 October 2024, will offer connections to over 115 destinations. New destinations for the winter schedule include Edinburgh, Nice, Naples, and Birmingham, along with holiday destinations such as Bahrain, Mexico, and Cuba.
A recent IPSOS report indicates that nine out of ten Czechs plan to continue traveling by plane next year. For 80% of respondents, the development of air transport is crucial for the country’s economic growth, emphasizing the role of a modern, efficient airport such as Václav Havel Airport Prague.
In tandem with air transport projects, important development projects are also underway, including the construction of a new car park, scheduled for completion in 2029, and the expansion of Terminal 2. The airport has also committed to reducing its CO₂ emissions and aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.
