European Union commercial flights exceed two million in summer

Eurostat reported that commercial flights within the European Union exceeded two million during the summer months of 2026. In August alone, 708,980 flights were recorded, representing a 2.3 percent increase compared to August 2025 and a 5.7 percent increase compared to August 2024.

July was identified as the busiest month of the summer period with 709,931 flights. June saw 662,480 flights. The data, based on Eurocontrol figures, includes scheduled and non-scheduled flights for passengers, freight, and mail conducted under instrument flight rules (IFR).

Regional trends varied across the bloc. In August, flight numbers increased in 19 EU member states, while eight countries saw a decline. Slovakia experienced the highest growth at 37.0 percent, followed by Malta at 12.4 percent and Estonia at 8.3 percent. Conversely, the largest decreases occurred in Austria (-4.7 percent), Cyprus (-3.0 percent), and Germany (-2.4 percent).