Swiss airports hit record 13.3 million passengers in Q1
Swiss airports handled a record 13.3 million passengers, including transit travellers, on scheduled and charter flights in the first quarter of 2026.
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Swiss airports hit record 13.3 million passengers in Q1
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This represents an increase of 0.7 million passengers, or 5%, compared to the same period in 2025.
According to the figures reported on Friday by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), Zurich Airport recorded 6% more passengers (6.9 million), Geneva Airport saw 3% more (4.6 million) and Basel-Mulhouse Airport was up by 7% (1.8 million).
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The most noticeable increases were registered for destinations in Turkey (+14%) and Italy (+10%).
By contrast, the number of aircraft movements (take-offs and landings) rose only slightly during the period under review: +0.5% to 102,100.
Zurich Airport recorded 2% more aircraft movements (52,800), Geneva Airport was down by 2% (34,800), while Basel-Mulhouse was stable (14,200).
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The year 2025 closed with a record 60 million passengers, beating the previous all-time high of 59 million in 2019 – the last pre-Covid year.
Growth has been constant over the past few decades: in 2015 there were 49 million travellers, compared to 39 million in 2010 and 34 million in 2000.
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The progression is even more remarkable when looking further back to 1990 (20 million), 1980 (12 million), 1970 (7 million) and 1960 (2 million). In 1950, about 300,000 people boarded a plane in Switzerland.
Translated from Italian by AI/sb
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