Passenger numbers at Lisbon Airport continued to rise in 2025 as Portugal’s aviation sector recorded another year of steady expansion. Preliminary figures released the National Statistics Institute show that national airports handled an estimated 73.75 million passengers last year, marking a 4.7 percent increase compared to 2024.
The growth outpaced the previous year’s 4.3 percent rise, reflecting sustained demand for travel to and from Portugal. Across the country, 255,704 commercial aircraft landings were registered in 2025, representing a 4.0 percent increase year on year. This follows a more modest 0.9 percent growth recorded in 2024, indicating a stronger recovery and expansion phase for airlines operating in Portuguese airports.
Lisbon Airport accounted for nearly half of all passenger traffic nationwide. The capital’s main gateway handled 36.1 million passengers, equivalent to 49.0 percent of the total, posting a 2.9 percent increase compared to the previous year. Porto Airport represented 23.0 percent of national passenger traffic and achieved a stronger growth rate of 6.3 percent. Faro Airport, serving the Algarve region, handled 10.4 million passengers, corresponding to a 14.1 percent share and recording a 5.8 percent increase.
The United Kingdom remained Portugal’s leading market for air travel in 2025. Passenger flows between the two countries increased 2.4 percent for arrivals and 2.2 percent for departures. France retained second position among key markets despite a decline of 2.3 percent in arriving passengers and 1.9 percent in departing passengers. Spain, Germany and Italy maintained their third, fourth and fifth positions respectively, highlighting the continued importance of European connectivity for Portugal’s tourism and business sectors.
While passenger traffic expanded, cargo and mail volumes showed a slight contraction. National airports handled 253,611 tons of cargo and mail in 2025, a decrease of 0.5 percent compared to the previous year. This contrasts with a strong 14.2 percent increase recorded in 2024. Lisbon Airport dominated freight activity, managing 77.4 percent of total cargo and mail traffic, amounting to 196,405 tons. This represented a 1.0 percent decrease year on year. Other airports collectively recorded a 1.2 percent increase, reaching 57,203 tons.
December figures reinforced the upward passenger trend. During the final month of 2025, Portuguese airports handled 4.9 million passengers, a 4.6 percent increase compared to December 2024. Cargo and mail volumes in the same month fell 8.8 percent to 20,200 tons. Statistical data also revealed that 2025 saw record monthly passenger numbers throughout the year, with the exception of February. In December alone, the average daily arrival reached approximately 82,100 passengers, representing a 5.2 percent increase compared to the same period a year earlier.
