This year’s holiday season ended with spectacular records at Chopin Airport. From June to September, the largest airport in Poland and one of the largest airports in Central and Eastern Europe, which is also the base of our national carrier PLL LOT, checked in over 8.4 million people. That’s 12 percent. more than in the same period last year.
Over 1.78 million people were served on charter flights alone, which constituted 21%. all travelers at that time. The most popular charter destinations chosen by passengers during the holiday season included: Antalya, Marsa Alam, Hurghada, Rhodes and Heraklion. In turn, regular flights were the most popular routes from Warsaw to and from London, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Copenhagen.
September turned out to be the fourth month in a row in which over 2 million passengers were checked in. 2,091,980 passengers passed through the gates at Okęcie, i.e. 11% more than last year. more than in the same month last year. Friday the 13th turned out to be a record day, when the airport served 76,013 people. Most of them went to or returned from European Union countries, but the share of passengers deciding to travel outside the EU from Warsaw is considerable and constantly growing. In the last month of the third quarter, over 1.3 million Schengen travelers traveled from Chopin Airport, and nearly 743,000 non-Schengen passengers. people.
September at the capital airport also brings records in cargo tonnage. For the first time in the 90-year history of Chopin Airport, the total weight of cargo and mail exceeded 11,000. tons, reaching 11,367 tons. That’s almost 15 percent. more than in September 2023. The tonnage of cargo itself was also record-breaking and reached a mass of 16% greater than in the same period last year, i.e. 10,628 tons.
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An important investment
Chopin Airport is preparing for extensive modernization, details of which will be announced at the turn of the year. The planned investments are aimed at further increasing capacity and ensuring the highest standards of passenger service and air operations. This is another step in the strategic development of the port, in line with the growing demand for aviation services in the region.
– Modernization of Chopin Airport will make it possible to handle the potential generated by Masovia. If we did not implement the investment, we would lose 32 million passengers by 2032, who without this expansion would have to use other airports, including abroad. The investments will be returned and amortized by the time the CPK opens. All works will be financed by PPL from the company’s profits. The state budget will not allocate additional money for this, says Andrzej Ilków, president of the management board of PPL SA, the manager of Chopin Airport in Warsaw.
The dynamically growing traffic at the Warsaw airport is consistent with the good financial results of Polish Airports. In 2023, revenues from the sale of the company managing Chopin Airport, Warsaw-Radom Airport and Zielona Góra-Babimost Airport reached PLN 1.309 billion. They were therefore higher by 32.2%. than in 2022 and by 23.8 percent. higher than in pre-pandemic 2019. Net profit amounted to PLN 374.1 million, i.e. it was higher by as much as 2,652%. compared to 2022 and by nearly 5%. compared to the record-breaking year of 2019
PPL attributes its very good financial results to the dynamically growing passenger traffic. From the beginning of this year to the end of October, over 18 million people used the capital’s port. This allows us to predict that Chopin Airport will end 2024 with a spectacular result.
– September ends a very intense period at our airport, i.e. a time when traffic, mainly excursion and tourist traffic, is increased. However, we do not expect a significant decline in passenger traffic in the WINTER 2024/2025 season, says Andrzej Ilków.
Everything indicates that in 2024 Chopin Airport will serve over 20 million passengers (in 2023 there were 18.5 million).
– We do not stop and continue to work diligently to ensure the highest possible level of services provided and to make the offer more attractive for our passengers – adds the president of PPL SA
New directions in the winter season
The development of Chopin Airport is illustrated by the constantly expanding network of connections. For example, in September LOT Polish Airlines launched direct flights from Warsaw to Lyon. Cruises depart six times a week. A large number of new or returning destinations appeared at the Warsaw airport on the last weekend of October with the launch of the winter flight network.
– Holiday connections are disappearing, and in their place there are new proposals – both for lovers of ski trips and relaxation in a warmer climate – says Andrzej Ilków.
For example, on December 20, Air Arabia will launch flights to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. They will take place five times a week, on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Qatar Airways is increasing aircraft capacity on its Doha route, replacing the Airbus A320 with a Boeing 787-8, which will double the number of passenger seats and cargo space.
An attractive option for those craving even more sun will be a LOT charter connection to the island of Langkawi, which belongs to Malaysia. Flights to the tropics are operated once a week, and from January twice. Trips to Malaysia are offered by the ITAKA travel agency.
In the WINTER 2024/2025 season, the connections operated by Ethiopian Airlines, which arrived at Chopin Airport at the beginning of July this year, will slightly change. Flights between Warsaw and Addis Ababa will change their stopover from Athens to Vienna.
Those who want to quickly and conveniently get from Warsaw to the Austrian Alps in late autumn and winter have gained additional opportunities. Flights to Innsbruck were offered by PLL LOT from October 27, and by Austrian Airlines from December 7. The national carrier’s planes will operate on this route three times a week, from Friday to Sunday, and Austrian Airlines will operate every Saturday.
The new proposals of the Warsaw airport also include an offer for those who love a mild winter on the Mediterranean Sea or are fans of city breaks. After a two-year break, the connection to Larnaca operated by LOT Polish Airlines returns. Cruises to Cyprus began on October 25 and in the winter season they are operated four times a week – on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
In turn, in February, the national carrier will launch direct flights from Warsaw to Lisbon. They will start on February 3, 2025, and the line will gradually increase their frequency, up to 7 times a week.
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