Swedavia reports strong air travel recovery in 2023, approaching pre-pandemic levels

Swedavia’s traffic statistics for December and the full year 2023 indicate a robust recovery in air travel, with over 32 million passengers passing through its ten Swedish airports. The increase represents a 17 percent rise from 2022, reaching nearly 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels. The growth primarily stems from expanded international travel and new routes, especially at Stockholm Arlanda Airport.

The implementation of a state-of-the-art security control at Stockholm Arlanda, coupled with enhanced commercial offerings, significantly improved customer satisfaction. New routes from various airlines, including SAS, Ryanair, and Eurowings, contributed to this growth, with 40 new routes and 9 new destinations added.

Despite variations across Swedavia’s airports, the overall year-end performance showcased a 19 percent rise in international travel, totalling over 24 million passengers. December witnessed over 2.2 million passengers, with a 5 percent increase in international travel. Notably, Stockholm Arlanda served close to 22 million passengers in 2023, marking a 19 percent increase from 2022.

While some airports experienced weaker trends, such as Malmö Airport and Bromma Stockholm Airport, others like Åre Östersund, Luleå Airport, and Umeå Airport demonstrated strong performances, with Luleå Airport making significant strides towards pre-pandemic traffic levels seen in 2019.