Athens International Airport has once again been ranked number one in Europe, as voted by airlines!
At this year’s largest annual gathering of the European aviation industry , “Routes Europe 2026” (May 18–20) held in Rimini, Italy, Athens International Airport— "repeating last year’s success, " as the organizers noted—once again took first place for its marketing strategy and efforts to develop the Athens market, in the most competitive category of over 20 million passengers!
As noted in the relevant announcement, the Routes Awards are unique in their kind, as the voting and decision-making process are exclusively in the hands of the airlines, which recognize excellence in global aviation development.
This year’s distinction is even more significant, as it comes just a few months after Athens International Airport ’s great success at Routes World 2025, confirming Athens’ steady momentum as one of the most competitive and rapidly growing aviation markets globally. In the Athens airport category, the airports of Rome, Munich, Brussels, and Istanbul (Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport) were also in the running.
In 2025, AIA set a new record, serving 34 million passengers, a 6.7% increase compared to 2024. At the same time, 21 airlines, including 9 new to the Athens market, added services to the airport’s network, with 29 new destinations, while 20 additional frequency increases and new services on existing routes further strengthened the city’s connectivity.
Ioanna Papadopoulou, Director of Communications & Marketing at Athens International Airport, stated:
“We are particularly pleased to have taken first place in the highly competitive Routes Europe awards, and this serves as a strong incentive for us to continue working with the same dedication to enhancing the connectivity of our airport and our city.
This distinction holds special significance for us, as it comes from the airlines, which recognize both the ongoing momentum of the Athens market and the airport’s steadfast support for their continued growth.
A heartfelt “thank you” to the airlines for their trust and, of course, to my colleagues on the AIA aviation marketing team for their hard work and truly collaborative effort, which has yielded exceptional results.”