01 Industry overview
The airport industry at a glance
The airport industry handled 9.8 billion passengers in 2025, exceeding pre-pandemic traffic as Asia-Pacific growth, capacity investment and international travel reshape a financially pressured, infrastructure-intensive global sector.
- 9.8B[16]
- Global passengers, 2025
- $146B[16]
- Global airport revenue, 2023
- 3.6%[16]
- Passenger CAGR to 2050
- 16%[16]
- Top 20 traffic share, 2025
- Market size
- Global airport revenues reached $146 billion in 2023, up 21.4% from 2022 but still 11.4% below the $158.6 billion recorded in 2019. The 2026 ACI economics analysis, based on 2024 financial data, covers more than 1,000 airports representing approximately 82% of global passenger traffic.[16][68]
- Forecast & CAGR
- ACI World and ICAO project global passenger traffic to exceed 12 billion by 2030 and reach about 19.5 billion by 2042. The longer-term outlook implies a 3.6% compound annual growth rate to 2050, although aircraft-delivery constraints, labor shortages, geopolitical risks and trade-policy uncertainty could slow realized growth.[16]
- Market share & regions
- Asia-Pacific airports led the 2025 ranking shifts, supported by infrastructure investment, improved connectivity and tourism demand. The 20 busiest airports handled 1.59 billion passengers, equal to 16% of global traffic, while international passenger traffic reached an estimated 4.0 billion in 2025.[16]
- Segmentation
- Airport income is divided mainly between aeronautical and non-aeronautical activities. In 2023, aeronautical revenue was $79 billion, or 53.6% of total revenue, while non-aeronautical revenue was $54 billion, or 36.7%; non-aeronautical activities include retail, food and beverage, parking, property, advertising and passenger services.[68][16]
- Key players & concentration
- The sector is operationally fragmented across thousands of airports, but traffic is concentrated at major hubs: the 20 busiest airports accounted for 1.59 billion passengers, or 16% of global traffic, in 2025. Atlanta remained the busiest airport overall, while Dubai led international passenger traffic with 95.2 million passengers.[16]
- Pricing
- Non-aeronautical revenue averaged $7.57 per passenger globally in 2024, while operating expenses averaged $10.31 and capital costs $5.33 per passenger. ACI also reports that airport charges represented less than 4% of airline operating costs in its benchmark data, underscoring the importance of passenger spending, concessions and property income to airport economics.[68][16]
- Trends, drivers & challenges
- Passenger traffic reached 9.8 billion in 2025, up 3.7% from 2024 and 6.5% above 2019, driven by international travel, tourism and connectivity improvements. Airports nevertheless face congestion, infrastructure-financing pressure, elevated debt costs, labor bottlenecks, aircraft-delivery constraints and decarbonization requirements; capital costs reached $40 billion in 2023, 1% above pre-pandemic levels.[16]
- Consumer behavior & competition
- Passenger volumes have recovered faster than airport commercial spending: non-aeronautical revenue per passenger declined to $7.57 in 2024, about 12% below 2019 in real terms. Competition is therefore shifting toward retail, dining, parking, digital personalization, seamless processing and differentiated terminal experiences, while international traffic remains the faster-growing demand segment.[68][16]
- M&A
- Airport ownership and airport-services consolidation remain active. AviAlliance completed its £1.53 billion acquisition of AGS Airports in January 2025, covering Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports, while ASUR completed its acquisition of URW Airports for an enterprise value of $295 million in December 2025. In October 2026, SITA agreed to acquire Collins Aerospace Airport Solutions, with closing expected in the first half of 2027 subject to approvals.[18][90][1]
- Regulation
- International aviation emissions regulation is increasingly shaping airport investment and operating decisions. Under CORSIA, the post-pilot-phase baseline for 2024–2035 is set at 85% of 2019 emissions, while ACI estimates that global airport capital investment needs could reach $2.4 trillion by 2040 to accommodate demand and support lower-carbon growth.[91][68]
- Latest news
- ACI World’s final 2025 dataset, released on July 15, 2026, recorded 9.8 billion global passengers and found that the 20 busiest airports handled 1.59 billion passengers. The release identified Asia-Pacific as the main source of ranking changes, while Atlanta retained the top position for total passenger traffic.[16]
Passengers carried at the airport (European Union)
Paris–Charles de Gaulle leads with 70 million passengers.
02 Ranking
Top 9 Companies in the Airport Industry
The leading companies in the airport industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.
Updated November 10, 2026 · Next review December 10, 2026
VINCI leads Gitnux's 2026 airport ranking with an Overall score of 8.8, with VINCI Airports managing more than 70 airports across 14 countries. Vanderlande Industries is the highest-ranked baggage systems provider at 8.7, driven by systems moving more than four billion bags worldwide each year.
Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓
Editor's top 3 picks
Where to start, by need.
#1 Overall · Leader in airport operations
VINCI
FR
Ranked #1 · 8.8 · Airport operations
Why we picked it: They run airport concessions and operations at multi-country scale, with operating margin signals of 12.8%.
Leader in airport IT for baggage
Vanderlande Industries
NL
Ranked #2 · 8.7 · Airport IT for baggage
Why we picked it: They cover baggage handling and passenger systems at high throughput, with R&D at 16% of revenue.
#3 overall
Aena
ES
Ranked #3 · 8.6 · Airport operations
Why we picked it: They operate major airport networks and report 46.8% operating margin alongside 9.5% revenue growth.
Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Pick 2 is the highest-ranked company in the top 5 that adds a new segment; no further segment places in the top 5, so pick 3 follows rank.
Full ranking
| # | Company | Overall ↓ | Impact | Performance | Momentum | Innovation | Company snapshot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VINCI Airport operations · FR | 8.8 | 9.9 | 7.3 | 8.6 | 8.7 | |
Company snapshot · VINCI · Data as of November 10, 2026 VINCI Airports manages more than 70 airports across 14 countries.[92]
| |||||||
| 2 | Vanderlande Industries Airport IT for baggage · NL | 8.7 | 8.0 | 8.2 | 9.1 | 9.9 | |
Company snapshot · Vanderlande Industries · Data as of November 10, 2026 Vanderlande systems are capable of moving more than four billion bags worldwide each year.[93]
| |||||||
| 3 | Aena Airport operations · ES | 8.6 | 8.3 | 8.7 | 9.0 | 8.7 | |
Company snapshot · Aena · Data as of November 10, 2026 Aena Group airports handled 384.8 million passengers in 2025.[55]
| |||||||
| 4 | GMR Airports Infrastructure Airport operations · IN | 8.6 | 7.2 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 7.8 | |
Company snapshot · GMR Airports Infrastructure · Data as of November 10, 2026 GMR Airports manages major airport assets and is described as the world's second-largest private airport operator.[94]
| |||||||
| 5 | Royal Schiphol Group Airport operations · NL | 8.5 | 7.5 | 9.6 | 9.3 | 7.8 | |
Company snapshot · Royal Schiphol Group · Data as of November 10, 2026 Schiphol Group operates Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, a major European connectivity hub.[76]
| |||||||
| 6 | Fraport Airport operations and airport services worldwide · DE | 8.1 | 8.3 | 7.8 | 8.2 | 7.8 | |
Company snapshot · Fraport · Data as of November 10, 2026 More than 184 million passengers used airports actively managed by Fraport in 2025.[65]
| |||||||
| 7 | TAV Airports Airport concessions and integrated airport services · TR | 8.0 | 7.7 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 7.8 | |
Company snapshot · TAV Airports · Data as of November 10, 2026 TAV operates 15 airports in eight countries and served 113 million passengers in 2025.[95]
| |||||||
| 8 | Heathrow Airport Holdings Owner and operator of Heathrow Airport · GB | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.8 | |
Company snapshot · Heathrow Airport Holdings · Data as of November 10, 2026 Heathrow welcomed more than 84.5 million passengers in 2025.[96]
| |||||||
| 9 | Airports of Thailand Airport operations in Thailand · TH | 7.3 | 7.0 | 8.1 | 7.0 | 7.0 | |
Company snapshot · Airports of Thailand · Data as of November 10, 2026 Airports of Thailand operates Thailand's principal airport network, including six major airports.[97]
| |||||||
How we score
- Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
- Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
- Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
- Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.
Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.
Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.
Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 10, 2026.
Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.
Cite this ranking
APA
David Kowalski. (2026, February 27). Top 9 companies in the airport industry. In Airport Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/airport-industry-statistics/#top-companies
03 Trends & forecasts
Top 10 Airport Industry Trends & Forecasts 2027
What is changing in the airport industry, with the evidence behind each trend and a forecast for 2027.
Forecasts were generated by an AI model from the cited evidence. They are estimates, not guarantees.
01Passenger growth moderates after recovery
High confidenceGlobal airports handled 9.8 billion passengers in 2025, up 3.7% from 2024 and 6.5% above 2019. However, ACI reported that global passenger growth slowed to 0.6% year on year in the first half of 2026, indicating a weaker near-term expansion path.[16]
Forecast 2027: Global passenger traffic is likely to grow by roughly 2–4% in 2027, reaching approximately 10.1–10.2 billion passengers. Growth should remain positive but below the pace recorded during the post-pandemic rebound.
02International traffic outpaces domestic demand
High confidenceInternational passenger traffic rose 6.1% in 2025, compared with 1.7% growth in domestic traffic. International travel also reached an estimated 4.0 billion passengers, strengthening the role of global hubs and long-haul connectivity.[16]
Forecast 2027: International traffic should continue to grow faster than domestic traffic in 2027, supported by tourism, visiting-friends-and-relatives travel and restored connectivity. The strongest gains are likely to come from Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and other internationally connected markets.
03Asia-Pacific gains traffic share
High confidenceACI identified Asia-Pacific airports as the main source of ranking changes in 2025, driven by infrastructure investment, connectivity improvements and tourism demand. Kuala Lumpur International Airport, for example, increased passenger traffic by 11% to 63.4 million passengers.[16]
Forecast 2027: Asia-Pacific airports are likely to capture a disproportionate share of global passenger growth in 2027. New terminal capacity and expanding China-linked and intra-Asian networks should support further ranking gains for large regional hubs.
04Capacity investment accelerates across hubs
High confidenceACI estimates that airports require approximately $2.4 trillion in capital investment between 2021 and 2040, including expansion, maintenance and new greenfield capacity. The investment requirement reflects long-term passenger growth and persistent slot constraints.[16][68]
Forecast 2027: Airport capital programs should remain elevated in 2027, with priority given to brownfield terminal upgrades, airside efficiency and resilience rather than only new airports. Higher financing costs will favor projects with clear traffic, commercial and public-policy returns.
05Aircraft shortages constrain airport growth
High confidenceIATA reported an aircraft order backlog of approximately 18,100 aircraft in May 2026, almost 60% of the active fleet, while the hypothetical delivery gap was about 5,600 aircraft. Airlines are therefore extending aircraft lives and operating with constrained capacity.[13]
Forecast 2027: Aircraft availability is likely to limit the conversion of airport demand into flight movements in 2027. Airports may see stronger passenger loads and larger aircraft before they see a full return to unconstrained schedule growth.
06Airport commercial yield remains pressured
High confidenceGlobal non-aeronautical revenue per passenger declined to $7.57 in 2024, about 12% below 2019 in real terms. Non-aeronautical revenue represented 36.7% of total airport income, making retail, parking, food and beverage and property income central to financial performance.[68]
Forecast 2027: In 2027, airports will intensify efforts to raise spend per passenger through personalization, premium services, better concessions and integrated parking and retail offers. Passenger growth should lift total commercial revenue, but real revenue per passenger is likely to recover only gradually.
07Airport cost pressure stays elevated
High confidenceACI reported 2024 average airport operating expenses of $10.31 per passenger and capital costs of $5.33 per passenger, compared with $7.57 in non-aeronautical revenue per passenger. This cost structure shows why airports remain financially dependent on aeronautical charges, commercial income and external financing.[68]
Forecast 2027: Operating and capital costs are likely to remain above pre-pandemic norms in 2027 because of labor, construction, energy and debt-service expenses. Airports will respond through phased projects, productivity programs and selective passenger and airline fee increases.
08Digital identity expands passenger automation
High confidenceSITA reports that 77% of airports use self-service kiosks, 63% use automated bag drop and biometric border control is live at 54% of airports. Forty-five percent plan to use airline- or airport-issued digital identity credentials, up from 27% in 2024.[1]
Forecast 2027: By 2027, more airports will connect digital identity across check-in, bag drop, security, border control and boarding. Adoption will be strongest at major international hubs, although privacy rules, fragmented government systems and airline cooperation will limit universal deployment.
09AI shifts toward operational control
High confidenceSITA reports that 60% of airports already use AI in passenger-flow management and that 48% plan to implement cross-silo data streaming, sharing or synchronization by 2027. The use cases focus on forecasting queues, allocating resources and managing disruption.[1]
Forecast 2027: In 2027, AI spending will move from isolated pilots toward integrated airport operations centers, queue prediction, baggage coordination and disruption response. Measurable value will depend more on data interoperability and governance than on the availability of new algorithms.
10Sustainable aviation fuel remains scarce
High confidenceIATA projects sustainable aviation fuel output of only 2.4 million tonnes in 2026, equivalent to about 0.8% of global jet-fuel demand, while approximately 500 million tonnes would be required in 2050 for the industry’s net-zero pathway.[13]
Forecast 2027: SAF availability will remain insufficient in 2027, so airports will focus on enabling infrastructure, fuel blending, storage, supply agreements and book-and-claim systems rather than relying on SAF alone for emissions reductions. Airport-led electrification and energy-efficiency projects will therefore remain important complementary measures.
04 Statistics
Technology & Innovation
AI adoption is already operational: 57% of surveyed airports used AI mainly for internal or operational efficiencies in 2024.
AI in the airport industry
- 57% of surveyed airports primarily use AI for internal or operational efficiencies in 2024, while 18% use it mainly for customer-facing technologies.[1]
- More than half of airports were preparing to deploy AI tools such as machine learning and computer vision by 2027.[2]
- 26% of surveyed airports reported that they were not using AI in 2024.[1]
- 236 airports participated in SITA’s 2024 global survey covering airport technology, including AI adoption.[1]
Automation in the airport industry
- 26% of surveyed low-cost carriers had deployed biometric solutions at key airport touchpoints by 2024.[3]
- 73% of European airport passengers expressed confidence in using digital services in a 2024 ACI EUROPE survey.[4]
- 11% of European airport passengers lacked confidence in or actively avoided digital services in 2024.[4]
- 68% of surveyed low-cost carriers planned to deploy self-service at key airport touchpoints by 2030.[3]
- 20% of surveyed full-service carriers had deployed biometric technology at key airport touchpoints by 2024.[3]
- 30% of surveyed full-service carriers had deployed self-service technology at key airport touchpoints by 2024.[3]
Digital Transformation in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)
- Across surveyed freight forwarders and logistics providers, 23% had digitized more than 75% of business processes or transactions in November 2024.[5]
- Among global logistics decision-makers, 69% expected digitalization to improve efficiency in 2025.[6]
- Across surveyed freight forwarders and logistics providers, 49% had digitized 50% or fewer of business processes or transactions in November 2024.[5]
- Among global logistics decision-makers, 63% expected digitalization to enhance customer experience in 2025.[6]
- Among global logistics decision-makers, 51% identified high costs as a challenge to digitalizing logistics operations in 2025.[6]
Technology Adoption in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)
- Among 2026 transportation-management survey respondents, 15% of logistics service providers reported using AI at scale.[7]
- Across transportation and logistics organizations, 53% were partially or fully deploying automated real-time shipment tracking to address knowledge-worker shortages in 2024.[7]
- Across transportation and logistics executives surveyed in Europe and North America, 44% were using AI for transportation planning and optimization in 2025.[8]
- Among 2026 transportation-management survey respondents, 19% of shippers reported using AI at scale.[7]
- Across transportation and logistics organizations, 53% were partially or fully deploying AI to reduce workloads in 2024.[7]
Cloud Computing in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)
- Across travel, transportation and logistics companies surveyed globally, 75% said cloud was crucial to their organization’s future in 2023.[9]
- Across travel, transportation and logistics companies surveyed globally, 85% said leadership viewed cloud as a long-term investment in 2023.[9]
- Across travel, transportation and logistics companies surveyed globally, 84% had increased AI and machine-learning investment during the preceding one to two years.[9]
- Across travel, transportation and logistics companies surveyed globally, 89% planned to increase AI and machine-learning investment during the following one to two years.[9]
Big Data in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)
- 45% of surveyed multinational logistics and supply-chain organizations said in 2024 that they were using logistics data to its full potential, according to a survey of 60 organizations.[10]
- Among global logistics decision-makers, 49% expected digitalization to improve data visibility in 2025.[6]
- 38% of surveyed GCC logistics organizations used structured data, while 20% recognized a systematic link between data and business insights, according to a 2023 study.[11]
- 12.5% of transportation and storage enterprises used both cloud computing and big-data analytics, according to the OECD’s 2026 sectoral comparison of enterprise technology adoption.[12]
- Among global logistics decision-makers, 34% identified data analytics, including cloud platforms and AI-powered solutions, as the most critical technology in 2025.[6]
- 9.5% of transportation and storage enterprises used big-data analytics alone in the OECD’s 2026 cross-sector comparison, based on the latest available enterprise data.[12]
05 Statistics
Data & Analytics
Data integration plans focus on shared operational views, with 48% of airports planning cross-silo data streaming, sharing, or synchronization by 2027.
Business intelligence in the airport industry
- 48% of airports plan cross-silo data streaming, sharing or synchronization by 2027 to create shared operational views.[1]
- 89% of airports say data-driven decision-making is a strategic priority, according to SITA’s 2025 research.[1]
- 75% of airports use building-management systems to monitor and optimize terminal energy, providing an operational intelligence application.[1]
- US$14.8 billion was airport IT spending worldwide in 2025.[1]
- 44% of airports cited airline cooperation as the top improvement needed to scale digital identity.[1]
- 53% of airports applied artificial intelligence to aircraft turnaround in 2025, up from 36% in 2024.[1]
Data analytics in the airport industry
- 36% of airports applied artificial intelligence to aircraft turnaround in 2024, before rising to 53% in 2025.[1]
- 45% of airports plan to use airline- or airport-issued digital identity credentials, up from 27% in 2024.[1]
- 87% of passengers expressed satisfaction with biometric identification in IATA’s 2026 survey.[13]
- 58% of passengers used biometric identification during their airport journey in the 12 months before IATA’s 2026 survey.[13]
- 53% of airports apply artificial intelligence to aircraft turnaround, according to SITA’s 2025 research.[1]
- 73% of airports plan to invest in artificial intelligence for prediction and automation, globally.[1]
Data Quality in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)
- Across supply management organizations, 67% said their data quality was better or significantly better than two years earlier in 2024.[14]
- Across supply management organizations, 33% rated their data-security ability as very high for assuring data quality in 2024.[14]
- Across transportation and logistics shippers, 33% identified data quality as a top barrier to scaling artificial intelligence in 2026.[7]
- Across supply management organizations, 49% rated their data quality as good or excellent in 2024.[14]
Data Governance in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)
- Across supply management organizations, 61% had a dedicated data-governance function in 2024.[14]
- Across supply management organizations with a data-governance function, 47% housed it in a center of excellence in 2024.[14]
- Across supply management organizations with a data-governance program, 81% found the program useful in 2024.[14]
- 19% of shipper respondents said their supply chain governance maturity was running ahead, meaning proactive and predictable, in the 2024 global survey.[15]
- 49% of shipper respondents said their supply chain governance maturity was running in place, with no noticeable progress, in the 2024 global survey.[15]
- 33% of 3PL respondents said their supply chain governance maturity was running ahead, meaning proactive and predictable, in the 2024 global survey.[15]
KPIs in the airport industry
- 4.31 out of 5 was the 2024 overall-satisfaction score for airports serving fewer than 2 million passengers annually.[16]
- 4.39 out of 5 was the 2024 worldwide airport ease-of-travelling index.[16]
- 4.08 out of 5 was the 2024 overall-satisfaction score for European airports.[16]
- 4.65 out of 5 was the 2024 overall-satisfaction score for airports in the Middle East.[16]
- 4.87 out of 5 was the 2024 global airport satisfaction score for shopping and dining.[16]
- 4.32 out of 5 was the 2024 global airport satisfaction score for arrival at the airport.[16]
06 Statistics
Strategy & Growth
Capacity targets and operating levels are used to model throughput expansion, including Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s planned 62 million passengers per year and 48 aircraft movements per hour.
Growth in the airport industry
- 35 million passengers per year is the existing capacity target for Ninoy Aquino International Airport under its 2024 PPP project.[17]
- 40–42 aircraft movements per hour was Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s existing operating level cited in its 2024 PPP project.[17]
- 31.85 million passengers used Athens International Airport in 2024, up 13.1% from 2023.[18]
- 62 million passengers per year is the planned capacity for Ninoy Aquino International Airport under its 2024 PPP project.[17]
- 48 aircraft movements per hour is the planned operating level for Ninoy Aquino International Airport under its 2024 PPP project.[17]
- 9.9 billion passengers were forecast to use airports worldwide in 2025, according to ACI’s industry outlook.[19]
Differentiation in the airport industry
- 37% of global airport revenue came from non-aeronautical commercial activities in 2024, including retail and other passenger services.[16]
- 6.3% was the global airport industry’s return on invested capital in 2024, a financial performance measure distinguishing airport operators’ investment outcomes.[16]
Mergers and acquisitions in the airport industry
- 18% of global airport public-private partnership transaction value in 2024 came from mergers and acquisitions.[20]
- 32.6% was Ardian’s ownership interest in Heathrow after its late-2024 and mid-2025 acquisitions.[21]
- £1.53 billion was the enterprise value of AviAlliance and PSP Investments’ 2024 acquisition of AGS Airports.[22]
- £3.26 billion was the value of the first combined Heathrow transaction advised by RBC Capital Markets for Ardian.[21]
- €4.3 billion was the value of Hungary and Vinci’s 2024 acquisition of Budapest Airport.[23]
- £870 million was the value of Ardian’s additional 10% Heathrow acquisition described by RBC Capital Markets.[21]
Strategic partnerships in the airport industry
- 12 years is the initial term of Los Angeles International Airport’s 2024 common-use passenger lounge concession agreement with AD Partnership LLC.[24]
- Three years is the optional extension period for Los Angeles International Airport’s 2024 common-use passenger lounge concession agreement with AD Partnership LLC.[24]
- One new airport connection—to Trenton-Mercer Airport—was scheduled to begin in September 2025 under the Philadelphia International Airport–Landline–American Airlines partnership.[25]
- 50 weekly frequencies linked Paris-Charles de Gaulle with Delhi in 2024, according to the airport partnership involving Groupe ADP and GMR Airports.[26]
- Four airports were connected to Philadelphia International Airport by Landline’s premium motor-coach partnership with American Airlines at the beginning of fiscal 2024.[25]
07 Statistics
People & Workforce
Workforce training is measured in hours at airport operators, such as 1,060 employees completing Core Foundational training at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in 2024.
Hiring in the airport industry
Employee retention in the airport industry
Remote Work in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)
- Among U.S. transportation, logistics, supply-chain and storage hires, 17.0% of hires at small companies were remote during the year ending September 2024.[31]
- In the U.S. transportation and warehousing industry, 13.9% of wage and salary employees worked from home in January 2025.[32]
- Across U.S. transportation and utilities, 20.3% of workers could work from home in 2024–2025, while 18.6% actually did so, according to annual averages.[33]
- Across U.S. transportation and utilities occupations, about 11% of workers worked remotely at least sometimes from October 2023 through September 2024.[34]
Hybrid Work in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)
- Across transportation and logistics companies surveyed globally, 42% reported a hybrid work arrangement in 2025.[35]
- Among transportation employers surveyed for the U.S. Job Outlook, 33.3% reported fully hybrid work arrangements in 2024.[36]
- Among U.S. remote-capable employees, 54% worked hybrid schedules in August 2026.[37]
- Globally, 25% of engaged employees were working in hybrid arrangements in 2025, compared with 30% of exclusively remote employees and 17% of on-site, non-remote-capable employees.[37]
Upskilling in the airport industry
- 1,402.5 total training hours were delivered by Atlanta’s Department of Aviation in 2024.[38]
- 55.58 average training hours were completed per employee at Athens International Airport in 2024.[39]
- 1,060 employees completed Core Foundational training at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in 2024.[38]
- 16,810.5 total training hours were delivered at Malta International Airport in 2024.[40]
- 46,076.6 training hours were offered to and completed by employees at Athens International Airport in 2024.[39]
Employee Engagement in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)
- Globally, 20% of employees were engaged at work in 2025, while 16% were actively disengaged.[37]
- In U.S. logistics, 40% of frontline workers wanted to quit in 2024, according to a survey of 500 logistics employees.[41]
- In U.S. logistics, more than 60% of frontline workers considered their roles long-term career commitments in 2024.[41]
- In U.S. logistics, 71% of frontline workers reported workplace stress in 2024.[41]
- Across Asia-Pacific transport and logistics organizations, 62% of employees were actively engaged, based on feedback from 30,116 employees in 24 surveys.[42]
Change Management in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)
- Across supply-chain organizations, only 15% of digital initiatives achieved at least 90% of their targeted benefits in Gartner research published in 2024.[43]
- Among third-party logistics providers using a change-management approach, 33% reported using one of the named frameworks surveyed in 2025.[44]
- Among surveyed shippers, 58% reported using a structured change-management framework in the 2025 Third-Party Logistics Study.[44]
- Among surveyed third-party logistics providers, 76% reported using a structured change-management framework in the 2025 Third-Party Logistics Study.[44]
- Across large logistics organizations, 76% of transformation initiatives failed to meet critical budget, timeline or KPI metrics in a global survey conducted in late 2023.[43]
08 Statistics
Customer & Sales
Passenger experience metrics track both service and messaging, including 59% of regular travelers across 16 countries believing airports offered value for money in 2025.
Customer experience in the airport industry
- 70% of North American airport passengers in 2024 agreed that their airport reflected a genuine sense of its city or region.[45]
- 59% of North American airport passengers in 2024 agreed that their airport helped alleviate travel stress.[46]
- 60% of North American airport passengers in 2024 agreed that they enjoyed spending time in their airport.[46]
- 85% of passengers were satisfied with security screening at five major UK airports in 2024.[47]
- 4.39 out of 5 was the worldwide airport ease-of-travelling score in 2024.[16]
Customer retention in the airport industry
- 48% of Affluent Leisure Travelers had an active relationship with an airport in 2026.[48]
- 59% of regular travelers across 16 countries believed airports offered value for money in 2025.[48]
- 30% of global travelers had an active relationship with an airport in 2026.[48]
- 79% of regular travelers across 16 countries were satisfied with their airport experience in 2025.[48]
Customer acquisition in the airport industry
Customer loyalty in the airport industry
- 71% of global travelers saw value in reward-based airport programmes in 2026.[48]
- 83% of global travelers viewed proactive access to flight data as a direct experience enhancement in 2026.[48]
- 18% of surveyed travelers had dropped out of elite frequent-flyer status in the latest Airport Dimensions research.[48]
- 52% of surveyed travelers were members of airline frequent-flyer programmes in the latest Airport Dimensions research.[48]
Lead generation in the airport industry
09 Statistics
Marketing & Brand
Analytics on passenger movement show demand for dwell-time measurement near retail; 34% of airports tracked passenger movement in 2025.
Digital marketing in the airport industry
- 34% of airports tracked passenger movement to understand dwell time near retail areas in 2025.[1]
- 82% of regular travelers were aware of airport flight-information services in 2025.[49]
- 51% of regular travelers were likely to use airport digital communication services in 2025.[49]
- 56% of regular travelers were likely to use a single airport mobile app in 2025.[49]
- 70% of regular travelers were likely to use airport flight-information services in 2025.[49]
Branding in the airport industry
- 875,000 engagements were generated by Changi Airport’s Finnair aircraft-livery content during fiscal year 2023–24.[50]
- 70% of North American airport passengers agreed in 2024 that their airport reflected a genuine sense of its city or region.[45]
- 320 million users were reached in Changi Airport’s strategic markets through targeted social content and campaigns during fiscal year 2023–24.[50]
- 960 million users were reached by Changi Airport’s social-media channels during fiscal year 2023–24.[50]
Influencer Marketing in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)
- 43% of worldwide B2B marketers who achieved positive results said micro-influencers generated the most success in 2024.[52]
- 55% of B2B companies used influencers in 2025, according to a global survey of marketing decision-makers.[53]
- 49% of B2B marketers selected industry relevance as a criterion for choosing influencers in 2025, globally.[53]
- 29% of B2B companies planned to adopt influencer marketing within the following year in 2025, globally.[53]
- 53% of U.S. B2B marketers reported a growing dedicated influencer-marketing budget in 2024 survey data.[52]
10 Statistics
Operations & Execution
Operational process targets include end-to-end time expectations, with 74% of surveyed air travelers expecting checked-baggage processing to take no more than 45 minutes.
Process optimization in the airport industry
- 56% of airports wanted to implement artificial-intelligence tools, including machine learning, large language models and computer vision, by the end of 2027.[1]
- 33% more travelers were processed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at New York John F. Kennedy International Airport after biometric processing improvements were introduced.[54]
- 73% of airports planned to invest in artificial intelligence for prediction and automation in 2025, according to a global airport technology survey.[1]
- 74% of surveyed air travelers expected the airport process to take no more than 45 minutes when traveling with checked baggage.[13]
- 86% of airports identified building energy efficiency as their top technology-related sustainability priority in 2024.[1]
Operational efficiency in the airport industry
- Boarding-airbridge revenue at Aena reached 105,241 thousand euros in 2025, 1.8% above 2024.[55]
- Dublin and Cork airports generated combined aeronautical and commercial EBITDA of 363 million euros in 2025.[56]
- Milan Malpensa and Milan Linate handled 42.3 million passengers in 2025, an 18% increase from 2024.[57]
- Aena recorded 910,254 thousand landing movements in 2025, 7.1% more than in 2024.[55]
- 1,401,161 thousand euros of Aena’s 2025 airport-charge revenue came from passenger charges, compared with 910,254 thousand euros from landing charges.[55]
Quality management in the airport industry
- Airport security-screening satisfaction scored 4.38 out of 5 globally in 2024.[16]
- Denver International Airport’s customer-satisfaction score increased to 4.13 out of 5 in the fourth quarter of 2025 from 4.08 in 2024.[58]
- Global airport overall experience scored 4.21 out of 5 in 2024, up from 4.17 in 2023.[16]
- Airport check-in satisfaction scored 4.47 out of 5 globally in 2024.[16]
- Global airport overall satisfaction scored 4.33 out of 5 in 2024, up from 4.30 in 2023.[16]
Supply chain in the airport industry
- Approximately 75% of Vancouver International Airport’s 2024 Canadian supplier spend went to suppliers in British Columbia.[59]
- Vancouver International Airport’s authority spent 398.2 million Canadian dollars in 2024, with approximately 95% going to Canadian suppliers.[59]
- 54% of London Luton Airport’s 2024 supply-chain spend went to suppliers within 20 miles of the airport.[60]
- London Luton Airport spent 183.8 million pounds through its supply chain in 2024.[60]
- Swissport’s 2024 procurement spend on goods and services totaled 996 million euros.[61]
Outsourcing / Offshoring in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)
- Across surveyed logistics companies in Germany, the rest of Europe and Latin America, 57% planned outsourcing projects in warehousing in 2026.[62]
- Across surveyed logistics companies in Germany, the rest of Europe and Latin America, about 60% had fully outsourced transportation services in 2026.[62]
- Across surveyed logistics companies in Germany, the rest of Europe and Latin America, 25% had fully outsourced warehouse operations in 2026.[62]
- Across surveyed logistics companies in Germany, the rest of Europe and Latin America, 65% expected outsourcing to continue increasing in 2026.[62]
11 Statistics
Finance & Pricing
Airport economics remain split between charges and commercial revenue, and airport operators report passenger charges plus other charge streams at scale.
Pricing strategy in the airport industry
- Aena generated 60,351 thousand euros from airport parking in 2025, 9.1% more than in 2024.[55]
- Aena generated 36,179 thousand euros from fuel-related charges in 2025, 3.1% more than in 2024.[55]
- Aena generated 3,200,430 thousand euros from airport charges in 2025, 4.8% more than in 2024.[55]
- Passenger charges represented approximately 87.2% of Pacific Airport Group’s Mexican aeronautical-services revenue in 2023.[63]
- Passenger charges represented approximately 86.0% of Pacific Airport Group’s Mexican aeronautical-services revenue in 2024.[63]
Cost reduction in the airport industry
- Aena’s total expenses, including depreciation and amortization, were 2,249,510 thousand euros in 2025, up 2.6% from 2024.[55]
- Aena’s expenses grew 2.6% in 2025 while total revenue grew 4.9%, producing a 2.8% increase in EBITDA.[55]
- Domestic airport costs at daa increased 9% to 537 million euros in 2025 from 491 million euros in 2024.[56]
- Aena’s security costs reached 548,129 thousand euros in 2025, 10.0% above 2024 as passenger and operational volumes increased.[55]
- Munich Airport Group’s procurement volume reached approximately 798 million euros in 2024, 23% above the previous year.[64]
Profitability in the airport industry
- Aena reported EBITDA of 1,654,613 thousand euros in 2025, 2.8% more than in 2024.[55]
- daa reported group turnover of 1.18 billion euros in 2025.[56]
- SEA Milan Airports reported operating revenue of 876.8 million euros in 2025, 6.5% above the previous year.[57]
- Fraport AG reported EBIT of 383.9 million euros in 2024, compared with 316.0 million euros in 2023.[65]
- Fraport AG reported EBITDA of 741.8 million euros in 2024, 92.4 million euros more than in 2023.[65]
Financial planning in the airport industry
- Swissport’s United Kingdom procurement beneficiaries accounted for 19% of its 2024 procurement activities.[61]
- Fraport AG recorded 2,675.5 million euros of total revenue in 2024 for financial planning and performance management purposes.[65]
- Aena recorded 2,249,510 thousand euros of total expenses, including depreciation and amortization, in 2025.[55]
- U.S. airports in the national airspace system were estimated to require 67.5 billion dollars in capital-development spending from 2025 through 2029.[66]
- Aena recorded 3,346,839 thousand euros of total revenue in 2025, providing the principal operating-revenue base for its financial planning.[55]
12 Statistics
Product & Service
Self-service and energy monitoring are widely deployed, with 77% of airports using self-service kiosks and 75% using building-management systems.
Product development in the airport industry
- 73% of airports plan to invest in artificial intelligence for prediction and automation, indicating continued development of AI-enabled airport operations products, globally.[1]
- 60% of airports use artificial intelligence in passenger-flow management, globally.[1]
- 54% of airports have biometric border control live, with adoption expected to reach 83% by 2028, globally.[1]
- 63% of airports plan to increase IT spending, supporting development of new digital airport products and services, according to SITA’s 2025 survey of airports worldwide.[1]
- 77% of airports use self-service kiosks, showing broad deployment of passenger-processing products, globally.[1]
Product lifecycle in the airport industry
- 75% of airports use building-management systems to monitor and optimize terminal energy use, globally.[1]
- 86% of airports identified building energy efficiency as their top sustainability priority in 2024, globally.[1]
- More than 850 assets were identified as missing from Denver International Airport’s asset-management records during an audit follow-up.[67]
After-sales in the airport industry
- 4.19 out of 5 was the 2024 overall-satisfaction score for North American airports.[16]
- 4.21 out of 5 was the worldwide airport overall-experience score in 2024, based on ACI’s survey of 367 airports.[16]
- 4.47 out of 5 was the 2024 global airport satisfaction score for check-in services.[16]
- 3.89 out of 5 was the 2024 overall-satisfaction score for African airports.[16]
- 4.77 out of 5 was the 2024 overall-satisfaction score for Asia-Pacific airports.[16]
Value proposition in the airport industry
- 19% of operating revenue at John F. Kennedy International Airport came from non-aeronautical sources in 2023.[66]
- US$1.5 billion in passenger-service revenue was generated at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in 2022 from retail, food, parking, car rental and related services.[66]
- 48% of total airport costs were offset by non-aeronautical revenues worldwide in 2024.[68]
- US$7.57 was worldwide non-aeronautical airport revenue per passenger in 2024.[68]
- 54% of operating revenue at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport came from non-aeronautical sources in 2023.[66]
13 Statistics
Sustainability & Ethics
Emissions accreditation and intensity reporting are central, with 1.54 kilograms of CO2e average emissions intensity per passenger at accredited airports during May 2024–May 2025.
Sustainability in the airport industry
- 91% of passengers at Schiphol passed through security within 10 minutes in 2024.[69]
- 91 complaints per million passengers were recorded at Munich Airport in 2024.[64]
- €1.057 billion was invested in the quality of Royal Schiphol Group’s airports in 2024.[69]
- 24% of Heathrow’s operational waste came from aircraft cabin waste in 2024.[70]
- 42% was the overall Sustainable Development Goal alignment score for the world’s 150 busiest airports across 48 countries in 2024.[71]
ESG in the airport industry
- 97.2% of airports in ACI’s 2023 ESG survey identified climate-change mitigation as an ESG topic.[72]
- 87.9% of airports in ACI’s 2023 ESG survey identified business ethics as an ESG topic.[72]
- 22 airport sustainability reports were included in the 2025 scoping review of large U.S. airports.[73]
- 95.4% of airports in ACI’s 2023 ESG survey identified energy management as an ESG topic.[72]
- 90.7% of airports in ACI’s 2023 ESG survey identified regulatory compliance as an ESG topic.[72]
Ethics in the airport industry
- 18% of Airports of Thailand business partners were trained in business ethics in 2024.[74]
- 60% of Airports of Thailand business partners were trained in business ethics in 2025.[74]
- 100% of Heathrow’s standard supplier contracts include anti-bribery, modern-slavery-prevention and anti-tax-evasion clauses.[70]
- 86% of Heathrow colleagues completed mandatory annual anti-corruption training in 2024.[70]
CSR in the airport industry
- 36% of San Francisco International Airport tenants were enrolled in food donation in 2024.[75]
- 17% of Munich Airport’s 2024 donations and sponsorship budget went to social welfare.[64]
- 32% of Munich Airport’s 2024 donations and sponsorship budget went to culture.[64]
- 4% of Munich Airport’s 2024 donations and sponsorship budget went to education.[64]
- 13% of Munich Airport’s 2024 donations and sponsorship budget went to environmental projects.[64]
Circular economy in the airport industry
- 44.5% of Schiphol Airport’s operational residual flows were separated in 2019, excluding Category 1 aircraft waste.[76]
- 48.7% of Schiphol Airport’s operational residual flows were separated in 2021, excluding Category 1 aircraft waste.[76]
- 14% of Heathrow’s major-project construction waste was recovered as refuse-derived fuel in 2024.[77]
- 50.3% of Schiphol Airport’s operational residual flows were separated in 2020, excluding Category 1 aircraft waste.[76]
- 82% of Heathrow’s major-project construction waste was recycled in 2024.[77]
Carbon footprint in the airport industry
- 542,559 tonnes of CO2e were reduced in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by accredited airports during May 2024–May 2025.[78]
- 53.6% of global passenger traffic was handled by airports accredited under Airport Carbon Accreditation during May 2024–May 2025.[78]
- 590 airports in 91 countries and territories were accredited under Airport Carbon Accreditation during May 2024–May 2025.[78]
- 1.54 kilograms of CO2e was the average emissions intensity per passenger at accredited airports during May 2024–May 2025.[78]
- 8.1% was the reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by accredited airports during May 2024–May 2025.[78]
14 Statistics
Risk, Compliance & Legal
Cyber and risk governance are recurring gaps in transportation surveys, with 69% of executives saying cyber resilience stayed primarily with cybersecurity teams in 2024.
Compliance in the airport industry
- 86% was Schiphol Group’s compliance rate on temporary-obstacle inspections in 2023.[76]
- 373 passenger and visitor injury incidents requiring in-house emergency-response attention were reported at Schiphol Airport in 2023.[76]
- 96.62% was Schiphol Group’s compliance rate on auxiliary-power-unit inspections in 2023.[76]
- 97.95% was Schiphol Group’s compliance rate on ground-handling inspections in 2023.[76]
Risk Management in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)
- Among global logistics decision-makers at consumer brands, 59% identified building risk-management frameworks as a strategic priority in 2025.[79]
- Across 400 global transportation and logistics decision-makers, 53% identified regulation as one of the greatest risks to business success in 2024.[80]
- Across global transportation and logistics companies, 90% reported having robust risk-management frameworks in 2026, according to a survey of 331 transportation leaders.[81]
- Across global transportation and logistics companies, 75% had moved away from purely reactive risk strategies by 2026, according to a survey of 331 transportation leaders.[81]
- Among global logistics decision-makers at consumer brands, 60% were already using artificial intelligence extensively for risk management in 2025.[79]
Cybersecurity in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)
- Among Florida transportation and logistics organizations, 40% had an incident-response plan for ransomware readiness in 2024.[82]
- Among global transportation executives, 69% said cyber resilience remained primarily the responsibility of cybersecurity teams rather than an enterprise-wide priority in 2024.[83]
- Among global transportation organizations, 73% reported that cybersecurity budgets were reactive rather than proactive in 2024.[83]
- Among global transportation executives, 70% identified digital transformation as a barrier to cybersecurity resilience in 2024.[83]
- Among global transportation executives, 53% said cybersecurity was included in broader corporate strategy discussions in 2024.[83]
Data Privacy in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)
- Among third-party logistics providers surveyed in the United States, 13% did not share data with external partners in 2024, partly because of privacy and security concerns.[15]
- Among European freight and transport organizations, 18% identified data security as a concern when exchanging information in 2024.[84]
- Among transportation shippers surveyed in the United States, 36% cited privacy concerns as an obstacle to sharing data with external logistics partners in 2024.[15]
- Among European freight and transport organizations, 16% identified data privacy as a concern when exchanging information in 2024.[84]
- Among transportation shippers surveyed in the United States, 18% did not share data with external partners in 2024, partly because of privacy and security concerns.[15]
Crisis Management in the transportation and logistics sector (sector benchmark)
- Among transportation and logistics organizations surveyed globally during the COVID-19 crisis, 69% reported that their business had been affected in 2020.[85]
- Among transportation and logistics organizations surveyed globally during the COVID-19 crisis, 43% believed additional crisis planning would have added value in 2020.[85]
- Among shippers surveyed in the 3PL market, 13% identified risk management and contingency planning as a major challenge in 2024.[86]
- Among affected transportation and logistics organizations surveyed globally during the COVID-19 crisis, 24% were unsure of the pandemic’s long-term business impact in 2020.[85]
- Among large companies globally, 82% reported having business continuity plans in 2025, while nearly 40% had never tested them.[87]
Governance in the airport industry
- 380 Tier-1 suppliers were recorded by Airports of Thailand in 2025.[74]
- 4% of Airports of Thailand management positions in revenue-generating functions were held in 2025.[74]
- 47% of Airports of Thailand’s total workforce were women in 2025.[74]
- 75% of Airports of Thailand customers used online channels in 2025.[74]
- 411 employees worked for Airports of Thailand in 2025.[74]
15 Statistics
Globalization & Expansion
International traffic remains the fastest-growing measured demand segment, with 95,192,160 international passengers using Dubai International Airport in 2025.
Globalization in the airport industry
- 2.5 billion passengers traveled through European airports in 2024, exceeding the region’s 2019 passenger volume.[4]
- 73,554,772 international passengers used Incheon International Airport in 2025, ranking it third worldwide.[16]
- 4.0 billion international passengers traveled through airports worldwide in 2025, up 6.1% from 2024.[16]
- 95,192,160 international passengers used Dubai International Airport in 2025, making it the world’s busiest airport for international traffic.[16]
- 9.4 billion passengers were served by airports worldwide in 2024, 4% above the 2019 level globally.[16]
Cultural adaptation in the airport industry
- 200 languages were supported through language-access services at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in a case study of its multilingual passenger base.[88]
- 15% of passengers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport did not speak English as their primary language, highlighting the airport’s language-access needs.[88]
Supplier management in the airport industry
Stakeholder management in the airport industry
- 67% of surveyed airport managers reported internal-organizational stakeholder engagement as a high-activity area after the pandemic.[73]
- 65% of surveyed airport managers reported engagement with airlines, ground handlers and concessionaires as a high-activity area after the pandemic.[73]
- 67% of surveyed airport managers reported government and regulatory stakeholder engagement as a high-activity area after the pandemic.[73]
Key questions about the Airport Industry
What is the current scale of global airport traffic and revenue?
How fast is passenger demand expected to grow?
Which companies lead the airport industry?
What technology shifts matter most for airport operations in the near term?
How is the industry structured between fragmented airports and concentrated hubs?
What is the economic role of non-aeronautical activity in airport finance?
Cite This Report
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David Kowalski. (2026, February 27). Airport Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/airport-industry-statistics
David Kowalski. "Airport Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 27 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/airport-industry-statistics.
David Kowalski. 2026. "Airport Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/airport-industry-statistics.
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Social media in the airport industry