Swedavia’s air traffic surges: Impressive December and full-year 2023 statistics reflect strong recovery

Friday, January 5, 2024

In 2023, the upward trajectory in air travel persisted, primarily propelled by a surge in international journeys and an expanded array of routes and destinations at Stockholm Arlanda Airport. Swedavia’s airports collectively accommodated over 32 million passengers throughout the year, marking a 17 percent rise from the previous year and reaching approximately 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels. December witnessed a reinforcement of the robust international travel trend and a slight amelioration in the weaker domestic travel trend. The aviation operations at Swedavia’s airports remained robust, with Stockholm Arlanda experiencing an enhanced passenger experience owing to the implementation of a new security control and an improved commercial offering, contributing to a substantial uptick in customer satisfaction. The prevailing trends in 2023 are anticipated to persist into the early months of 2024, given the uncertainties surrounding the economic landscape and global events.

Swedavia’s President and CEO, Jonas Abrahamsson, remarked, “The air travel recovery continued in 2023 with a strong trend in international travel, while the weaker trend in domestic traffic strengthened somewhat towards the end of the year. During the year, the operational capability was generally very strong at our airports in general and Stockholm Arlanda in particular. Thanks to our dedicated staff and our investments in both a state-of-the-art, world-class security control at Stockholm Arlanda and a strengthened commercial offering, the passenger experience and customer satisfaction have been improved.”

Throughout the year, Swedavia’s airports welcomed the addition of nearly 40 new routes and 9 new destinations, spearheaded by major carriers such as SAS, Ryanair, and Eurowings. Notable additions included SAS introducing a new route from Åre Östersund to Copenhagen in December and SAS adding the Arlanda-Agadir route in November. Other significant expansions encompassed United reinstating the New York-Arlanda route, the commencement of operations by Wizz Air and Royal Jordanian Airlines at Stockholm Arlanda, and SAS operating a New York-Gothenburg Landvetter route during the summer travel season of 2023.

The implementation of a modern security control in Terminal 5 at Stockholm Arlanda led to a substantial reduction in waiting times, with the average waiting time in December being less than 2 minutes for passengers passing through the new security control.

For the entire year 2023, Swedavia recorded a total of over 32 million passengers across its ten airports, reflecting a 17 percent increase from the full-year 2022. International travel experienced a 19 percent surge to almost 24 million passengers, while domestic travel increased by 10 percent. In December alone, over 2.2 million passengers traveled through Swedavia’s airports, with international flights showing a 5 percent increase to nearly 1.7 million passengers, while domestic travel decreased by 13 percent to almost 600,000 passengers compared to December of the previous year.

Stockholm Arlanda Airport served close to 22 million passengers in 2023, marking a 19 percent increase compared to 2022. International travel witnessed a 20 percent upswing to just over 18 million passengers, and domestic travel increased by 13 percent to more than 3.5 million passengers. In December, Stockholm Arlanda Airport served more than 1.5 million passengers, reflecting a 3 percent increase from December of the previous year. International travel in December increased by 7 percent to 1.3 million passengers, while domestic travel rose by 12 percent to just under 250,000 passengers.

Göteborg Landvetter Airport reported a total of more than 5 million passengers in 2023, signifying a 17 percent increase from 2022. International travel grew by 18 percent to over 4.5 million passengers, while domestic travel increased by 8 percent to nearly 700,000 passengers. In December, the airport served more than 350,000 passengers, marking a 5 percent increase from December 2022. International travel in December increased by 10 percent to 300,000 passengers, while domestic travel decreased by 21 percent to just over 40,000 passengers.

Other Swedavia airports exhibited diverse trends throughout 2023 and in December. Åre Östersund, Luleå Airport, and Umeå Airport demonstrated the strongest performance compared to 2022. Luleå Airport experienced the most significant recovery in traffic levels compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

However, Malmö Airport and Bromma Stockholm Airport reported weaker trends compared to other airports, with a 26 percent and 20 percent decrease in travel, respectively, compared to December of the previous year.

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