The Romanian civil aviation sector concluded 2025 with record-breaking figures, confirming a solid growth trajectory and enhanced resilience of the national airport infrastructure. According to public data, total passenger traffic reached the milestone of 28,547,056, marking an evolution of nearly 10% compared to the previous year and exceeding the pre-pandemic reference level of 2019 by over 22%.
This dynamic reflects not only the increased appetite for mobility among citizens but also the maturation of the local market through the diversification of route portfolios and the entry of new airlines into the national ecosystem.
Consolidating the Bucharest Hub and the Explosion of Traffic at Băneasa
Bucharest remains the central pillar of Romanian aviation, with the capital's two air gateways together handling approximately 18 million passengers.
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”Henri Coandă” International Airport Bucharest (Otopeni): Set a new historical high, exceeding the threshold of 17 million passengers for the first time (a 6.64% increase compared to 2024). The evolution was supported by major infrastructure projects, such as the modernization a runway and its related taxiways.
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”Aurel Vlaicu” International Airport Bucharest Băneasa: Represents the great operational surprise of the year, reporting a spectacular growth of 548.74%, with traffic of nearly 700,000 passengers. Its success demonstrates the efficiency of the business model adapted to scheduled and low-cost flights in a secondary urban terminal.
Regional Dynamics: Cluj-Napoca, Iași, and the New Engines of Growth
Outside the capital, regional airports continue to play a crucial role in decentralizing air traffic:
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Cluj-Napoca Airport: Maintains its second position nationally, with over 3.5 million passengers.
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Iași Airport: Exceeded the 2.2 million passenger threshold, consolidating its status as a strategic regional hub for the eastern part of the country.
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Growth Champions: In percentage terms, after Băneasa Airport, the largest jumps were recorded by Tulcea (+404.2%) and Oradea (+51.9%). Oradea's success is closely linked to the implementation of Public Service Obligation (PSO) contracts, facilitating direct connectivity with international hubs.
Challenges and Asymmetries in Sectoral Development
Although the general trend is upward, the analysis of 2025 data also reveals points of contraction. Three airports in Romania recorded traffic decreases compared to 2024, highlighting the need for commercial repositioning strategies:
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A 19.4% decrease (-108,608 passengers). O scădere de 19,4% (-108.608 pasageri).
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A 28.2% decline (-60,048 passengers). Un declin de 28,2% (-60.048 pasageri).
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Arad: The largest percentage decrease, at 41.6%, operating below the threshold of ten thousand annual passengers.
From the perspective of the Romanian Airline Companies Association ”Carpathia” (RACA), the 2025 figures confirm the need for sustained investment in ground infrastructure and operational stimulus policies. The growth in passenger volume must be accompanied by increased efficiency in air navigation services, a chapter where ROMATSA scored positively in 2025, ranking among the top European providers in terms of punctuality.
For 2026, the sector's priorities focus on completing new terminals (such as the Otopeni expansion project for 30 million passengers), digitalizing check-in flows, and adapting to sustainability requirements (SAF and green technologies).
Romanian aviation demonstrated in 2025 that it possesses the technical and managerial capacity to handle record volumes, remaining an essential engine for Romania's economic integration into the European space.