Financial Year 2025 and a Look Back at 100 Years of Salzburg Airport

Salzburg Airport handled 1,774,454 passengers during the 2025 financial year, representing a slight decrease of less than one per cent compared to the previous year. At the same time, Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW), a key indicator of the airport's economic performance, increased by almost 0.3%.

"The aviation industry continues to face significant challenges. Many markets have yet to fully recover from the pandemic, while supply chain constraints in aircraft manufacturing continue to limit capacity. Wars, restricted airspace, rising fuel costs and unresolved supply issues are placing additional pressure on the industry. At the same time, high operating costs and passenger taxes in some European countries are distorting competition, while around 600 airports across Europe compete for existing and new airline services. Against this backdrop, we are very satisfied with our 2025 results, particularly regarding our flight schedule and passenger numbers. Our core business is to safeguard established routes, strategically increase frequencies and continuously add attractive new destinations from Salzburg, thereby further strengthening the international connectivity of Salzburg and the region," says Bettina Ganghofer, Managing Director of Salzburg Airport, commenting on the current volatile market environment.

Clear strategies are essential to stabilise and further develop the existing route network. This is based on up-to-date market research, continuous market analysis, close cooperation with regional stakeholders and partners, and intensive collaboration with the airlines.

The objective is to offer an attractive destination portfolio with reliable connections to international hub airports – benefiting travellers, tourism and the regional economy alike. Stefan Schnöll, Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Deputy Governor of Salzburg, underlines this importance: “The airport is an employer, an economic driver and Salzburg's gateway to the world. With strong direct connections to major international hubs, it enables people in Salzburg to discover the world while safeguarding the competitiveness of our region.”

EUR 8 Million Invested in Safety, Future Projects and Ongoing Operations

Investments totalling almost EUR 8 million, with a clear focus on terminal development ahead of construction commencing in 2027, characterised the 2025 financial year. Around EUR 2.5 million was invested in the terminal redevelopment project alone. By 2033, the airport and its shareholders will invest a total of EUR 105 million in this major future-oriented project. Another key focus remains the ongoing remediation of PFAS contamination in the groundwater, resulting from mandatory firefighting exercises using firefighting foam over previous decades. To date, a total of EUR 12 million has been invested in the construction of a groundwater treatment plant, geotechnical investigations and modifications to the well system as part of the first technical remediation phase, including EUR 1 million in 2025 alone.

Further investments included a state-of-the-art airport fire engine (EUR 0.51 million), the commissioning of the Entry/Exit System (EES) (approximately EUR 1 million; more than EUR 5 million invested in the overall project), the conversion of a diesel passenger bus to electric propulsion (EUR 0.27 million), IT infrastructure measures (EUR 0.25 million), new photovoltaic installations (EUR 0.23 million) and the replacement of the de-icing material storage facility (EUR 0.17 million). Salzburg Airport continues to meet increasing requirements in terms of safety and operational efficiency while preparing for the comprehensive terminal redevelopment. At the same time, it remains committed to complying with regulatory requirements and pursuing its environmental objective of achieving Net Zero CO₂.
 

Financial Highlights 2025 (Comparison 2019–2025)

The 2025 financial year was operationally highly successful for Salzburg Airport. Despite continued financial challenges, the Group generated consolidated revenue of EUR 85,658,572.93. Operating performance improved once again and, despite necessary provisions of almost EUR 11.9 million for environmental remediation, the Group achieved a positive consolidated result. This underlines the airport's strong operational performance. Particularly encouraging was the development of the Group's cash flow. At the end of the reporting period, cash and cash equivalents amounted to EUR 40.6 million.

"We are looking to the future with great confidence. The airport is financially sound and has a strong liquidity position, providing an essential foundation for the approximately EUR 300 million we plan to invest in the future of the airport over the next 15 years. Of this amount, EUR 105 million will be invested in the new terminal development. Preparatory works are already commencing this year, while the main construction phase will begin in 2027," says Stephan Moser, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Salzburg Airport.
 

Economic Driver, Critical Infrastructure and Building for the Future

Salzburg Airport is Austria's second-largest airport and plays a vital role as an economic driver and a key element of the region's critical infrastructure. Around 1,300 jobs are based at the airport, with more than 450 permanent employees, supported by seasonal staff, ensuring smooth day-to-day operations. "Our employees ensure the airport's high standards of quality and hospitality every single day through their commitment and dedication. The numerous international awards the airport has received would not have been possible without their outstanding efforts," emphasises Stefan Schnöll.
The major terminal redevelopment project will fundamentally modernise the airport's infrastructure. "The airport is the lifeline of tourism and business and, at the same time, our gateway to the world. With the terminal redevelopment, we are creating a modern and efficient infrastructure that will meet the demands of today and tomorrow," says Schnöll.

The main terminal, dating from 1966, and the amadeus Terminal 2, opened in 2005 and currently used as an "overfloor terminal" during the winter season and as an event venue outside the winter months, will be technically, architecturally and structurally integrated into one continuous, modern terminal landscape. Detailed planning for the comprehensive redevelopment and partial reconstruction is progressing at full speed, with construction scheduled to commence in early 2027. As a first preparatory step towards the end of this year, the existing Hangar 2 will be demolished to create space for the expansion of the current Terminal 2 building. "The objective of the redevelopment is to create a high-performance, efficient and future-proof terminal structure. The existing building layout results in high adaptation and operating costs and can only partially meet new technical and regulatory requirements, such as those arising from the Europe-wide Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires additional technology and significantly more space," explains Stefan Schnöll, Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Deputy Governor of Salzburg. During the construction period, temporary construction traffic and noise are to be expected. Salzburg Airport will keep the public informed about all relevant construction activities via its website. The official start of construction will be marked by a groundbreaking ceremony in 2027, with further details to be announced later this financial year.

Extensive Route Network with Strong Year-Round Services and Attractive Summer Destinations

For Summer 2026, Salzburg Airport offers a diverse flight programme. The most important year-round connections include Frankfurt (up to four daily flights), Düsseldorf (up to two daily flights), Hamburg (daily) and Berlin (up to five weekly flights). These are complemented by major European cities and international hub airports. Amsterdam is served year-round by Transavia (three weekly flights in summer and daily during winter), while Istanbul is served by Turkish Airlines with up to two daily flights. Year-round services to London include Gatwick with BA Euroflyer and Stansted with Ryanair. Additional year-round destinations are Dubai with flydubai, Belgrade with Air Serbia and Tel Aviv with EL AL/Sundor. "With our Summer 2026 schedule, Salzburg offers an attractive combination of strong hub connections and popular leisure destinations. Via international hubs such as Frankfurt, Istanbul and Dubai, our passengers can reach destinations all over the world, while numerous direct flights are available to Europe's most popular holiday destinations – and, for the first time this summer, also to Rome," says Bettina Ganghofer. Once again, the Mediterranean region and classic sun-and-beach destinations form the core of the summer schedule. Greece is strongly represented from May until early November with flights to Heraklion (Crete), Rhodes, Kos, Corfu, Karpathos and Zakynthos. The programme is complemented by flights to Olbia and Cagliari (Sardinia), Calvi (Corsica) and Lamezia Terme (Calabria). Spain remains an important market, with Palma de Mallorca served up to twice daily during the peak season. Additional Spanish destinations include Barcelona, Ibiza and Alicante. Further popular holiday destinations include Hurghada and Marsa Alam in Egypt, Marrakech in Morocco (from October), Monastir in Tunisia and Burgas in Bulgaria. Pristina, newly added to the network for Summer 2026, will be served twice weekly. The summer programme is further complemented by flights to Antalya in Türkiye and Larnaca in Cyprus. Scandinavia also remains directly accessible from Salzburg through Copenhagen, served twice weekly by SAS. In autumn, Genoa will be added to the schedule as an attractive option for cruise passengers. A new addition to the route network is the direct connection to Rome. South Tyrolean airline SkyAlps will operate nonstop flights between Salzburg and the Italian capital every Tuesday and Saturday.

For Salzburg as a tourism destination, international direct air services are of key importance. In addition to the traditional source markets of Germany, the United Kingdom (including seasonal services from Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow) and Scandinavia, visitors from the Middle East are becoming increasingly important. With direct connections to Dubai, Tel Aviv (supplemented during summer by additional Israir services of up to one flight per day and Sundor three times weekly), Riyadh (flynas) and Istanbul, Salzburg enjoys excellent connectivity to these growing markets, further strengthening its international accessibility as a tourism destination. "Salzburg Airport is not a luxury infrastructure project, but a vital hub for accessibility, employment and economic value creation throughout the region, and a decisive factor in ensuring the long-term competitiveness of Salzburg as a tourism destination," concludes Stefan Schnöll, Deputy Governor of Salzburg and Chairman of the Supervisory Board.

Salzburg Airport W. A. Mozart – 100 Years as a Gateway to the World

The year 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Salzburg Airport. On 16 August 1926, the first scheduled aircraft on the Munich–Salzburg–Bad Reichenhall route landed in Salzburg, ushering in the era of civil aviation in the region. To celebrate this milestone, Salzburg Airport W. A. Mozart will host a large public airport festival on 20 June 2026. Together with the Austrian Armed Forces, emergency services organisations and numerous partners, the airport will offer a varied programme for visitors of all ages.