Copenhagen Airport welcomes 3.45 million passengers in July as Southern Europe drives summer travel

Copenhagen Airport handled 3.453 million passengers in July 2026, a 3.6% increase compared with the same month last year, as strong outbound holiday demand and growing inbound tourism continued to boost traffic during the peak summer season.

According to the airport, two-thirds of travellers were international passengers, while Danish residents travelling abroad or returning home accounted for the remaining third.

“July was a month of high travel activity,” said Peter Krogsgaard, Chief Commercial Officer of Copenhagen Airport. “Many Danes have been travelling on holiday, while Copenhagen and the rest of Denmark continue to attract international visitors. Strong air connectivity makes it easier to travel the world, but it also makes Denmark more accessible to tourists and international businesses.“

Spain remains favourite destination

Spain once again ranked as the most popular holiday destination from Copenhagen, with 294,000 passengers travelling on direct flights to one of the country’s 12 served destinations. Málaga, Mallorca and Barcelona were among the busiest routes.

Italy recorded the strongest growth, becoming the airport’s second-largest leisure market after passenger numbers increased 11% year-on-year to 263,000. Greece, Turkey and France completed the list of the five most popular Mediterranean destinations.

Combined, these five countries accounted for 1.1 million passengers, meaning one in every three travellers passing through Copenhagen Airport in July was flying to or from one of these Mediterranean markets.

Krogsgaard attributed Italy’s strong performance to both increased airline capacity and rising demand.

“Airlines have added more capacity on routes to Italy, and interest in the country has grown significantly. At the same time, more Italians are choosing to visit Denmark,” he said.

Denmark benefits from ‘coolcation’ trend

The airport also highlighted continued growth in inbound tourism from Southern Europe, driven in part by the growing popularity of so-called “coolcation“ destinations offering milder summer temperatures.

According to Copenhagen Airport, visitors from Spain, Italy, France and Greece generated a record 1.5 million overnight stays in Denmark last year. Official statistics show overnight stays from those four markets increased by a further 3% during the first five months of 2026.

The airport believes its extensive network of direct international flights is helping strengthen Denmark’s tourism industry by making the country more accessible to both leisure and business travellers.

“Copenhagen and Denmark continue to be highly attractive destinations for European tourists,” Krogsgaard said. “More direct air routes make it easier to visit, benefiting employment, restaurants, museums, attractions and the wider Danish economy.”