Fewer flights, more passengers: Düsseldorf in the air traffic dilemma!

Fewer flights, more passengers: Düsseldorf in the air traffic dilemma!

The demand for air travel from and to Düsseldorf is increasing. Last year, over 20 million people visited the Düsseldorf Airport , which is the highest value since the beginning of Corona pandemy. Despite these increasing passenger numbers, the number of flights has decreased, which indicates an interesting development in the aviation industry.

in 2024 a total of 20,33,371 passengers were counted, an increase of 4.83 % compared to 2023. Especially in December 2024, the number of travelers rose by 6.66 % to 1,271,505. This is in contrast to the falling flight number - in February 2025 only 9,111 flights took place, which is noticeable in view of 265 different routes and 86 airlines.

less flights despite increasing passenger numbers

The number of short -haul flights have been reduced by up to 53.3 percent since 2019, with a significantly noticeable decline in domestic routes. Experts attribute this primarily to the growing demand for long -haul flights. Düsseldorf Airport has established itself as a popular starting point for such trips, with around 95,000 long -haul flights of a total of 156,000 flights that cover over 800 kilometers.

Economy plays a central role here. Airlines achieve higher income with long -haul flights, which explains the investments in larger machines for more passengers. In addition, high air taxes and fees, as well as the increasing search of travelers for more environmentally friendly and cheaper alternatives, burden flight connections.

future developments

The changes in the world of work, in particular through mobile work and digital conferences, have also led to a decline in business trips. In view of these developments, Düsseldorf Airport plans to expand the range of long -distance routes outside the EU by 2045, especially the United States and Asia. The average travel width of the passengers is currently 1486 kilometers - an indication that the trend continues towards longer trips.

With 47 countries and diverse routes, Düsseldorf Airport remains an important hub in European air traffic. Although the number of flights drops, passenger demand remains high, which will be crucial for the economic future of the location.

For further information on the recent developments in the air traffic area and the statistics of the Düsseldorf Airport, we refer to the official pages of düsseldorf Airport and Destatis .