European skies recorded their busiest summer on record in 2026, with airlines operating more flights during the peak July and August holiday period despite disruption linked to the Middle East war.
Data from Eurocontrol, Europe’s aviation safety and air traffic management organisation, showed that the continent handled an average of 35,959 flights per day during the two-month period. That was 2.4% higher than the same period in 2025.
The busiest day came on Friday, July 10, when 37,640 flights were recorded across Europe, marking a new daily traffic record.
Despite the increase in air traffic and disruption caused by the conflict, punctuality also improved. Eurocontrol said 72.6% of flights arrived on time, an increase of 1.2 percentage points compared with 2025.
France continued to account for the largest share of delays linked to air traffic control management problems, representing 32% of all such delays across Europe.
Eurocontrol said the US-Iran war had influenced travel patterns during the 2026 tourist season. The conflict also encouraged some Europeans to choose holiday destinations within the continent, as travellers looked for locations perceived to be closer and safer amid wider regional uncertainty.
Southern and southeastern European countries benefited from the change in travel patterns. Eurocontrol reported lower traffic in Bulgaria, Hungary and Türkiye, while Albania, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia recorded significant increases.
The report also pointed to continued growth in southwestern Europe, highlighting a shift in demand toward destinations that remained accessible despite geopolitical tensions.
Greece experienced particularly strong demand, with record passenger numbers at its airports placing considerable pressure on the country’s air traffic control system during the busiest part of the summer season.
Fourteen countries recorded their highest-ever daily traffic for arrivals and departures during the summer. They included Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Moldova, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain and Türkiye.
Airlines also experienced exceptionally high levels of activity. Several carriers and airline groups reported record traffic during the period, including Aegean, Air Serbia, easyJet, Jet2.com, Pegasus, Royal Air Maroc, Ryanair, Sky Express, SunExpress, Turkish Airlines and Wizz Air.
The figures indicate that Europe’s aviation sector remained resilient despite geopolitical disruption and changing tourist preferences. While the conflict affected traffic patterns in parts of eastern and southeastern Europe, demand for flights to other European destinations helped push overall summer traffic to unprecedented levels.
