7 Busiest Airports in Europe

If you’re planning a European trip this summer, then something you are probably thinking about is which is the best airport to fly into.

A good way to know which airports are offering the best deals is how many people passengers the airport is transporting each year and the size of the airport.

The bigger and busier the airport, the more planes can land and take off, which means cheaper flights (usually).

Another interesting thing to take into account is that just because a city has a bigger population doesn’t always mean that they have the biggest airport. So today I’m going to be ranking the biggest and busiest airports in Europe for all you plane fanatics and fellow travelers out there.

7. Barcelona El Prat Airport

49.9 million passengers in 2023
5.9 square miles

The Barcelona El Prat Airport dates back to 1916, when a small military airport was built where the airport stands today. This airport is a great place to fly into if you are looking to explore Spain starting from the east side of the country.

The city of Barcelona is one of the best cities in Europe. It’s right on the beach and the city’s old town is like something out of a fairytale. Some of the top tourist destinations in Barcelona are the Sagrada Familia, Gothic Quarter, and Park Güell.

6. Frankfurt am Main Airport

59.4 millon passengers in 2023
8.9 square miles

The Frankfurt Airport opened in 1912 and by 1936 was known as a “world airport”. An interesting fact about this airport is that Frankfurt is Germany’s fifth-largest city but has Germany’s largest airport.

Frankfurt is a great place to fly into because it is cheaper than the other airports in the country and is right in the center of Germany. This way you can fly in and then take a train or bus to either the north or south of the county, depending on what your preferences are.

Some of the best things to do in Frankfurt are the Städel Museum, Palm Gardens, and walk across the Iron Footbridge.

5. Adolfo Suárez de Madrid-Barajas Airport

60.2 millon passengers in 2023
11.7 square miles

The Madrid Airport was built in 1933 and was named after the Spanish politician Adolfo Suárez. Madrid is the capital city of Spain and is very centrally located.

Some of the things in Madrid that can’t be missed are El Retiro Park, Plaza Mayor, and the Mercado de San Miguel. Madrid is known for its nightlife, so if you like to party, then this is the place for you!

4. Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport

Canal in Amsterdam with colorful buildings and a bridge with bicycles. — Photo Credit: Deposit Photos.

61.7 millon passengers in 2023
10.8 square miles

Speaking of partying, Amsterdam is definitely number one on this list of top party cities. There’s not much that’s illegal here, so if you really want to go wild, this is the place to do it.

However, there are lots of other things that Amsterdam is famous for that have nothing to do with partying, such as the Anne Frank House, the Royal Palace of Amsterdam, and the beautiful canal-lined streets.

This airport is just 5.6 miles from the city center and can easily be accessed by train or even bike! Another fact about this airport is that it’s actually about 13 feet below sea level.

3. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

Eiffel Tower with pink skies and reflection in the water — Photo Credit: Deposit Photos.

68.3 million passengers in 2023
12.5 square miles

With about 1,500 flights taking off and landing here each day, this is the third busiest airport in Europe. Paris is one of the most visited places on the planet, so I’m surprised that it isn’t higher up on the list.

Paris is known for the Eiffel Tower (of course), The Louvre (duh), and the Notre-Dame Cathedral (yeah, we know). It’s also famous for its many bakeries, cafes, and French restaurants around the city. Paris is usually the cheapest place to fly into in France and, in my opinion, the most beautiful city on this list.

2. Istanbul Airport

Dramatic red glowing sunset over Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey.

76.2 million passengers in 2023
29.5 square miles

This airport was a surprise to me. I guess with this airport being twice as big as the second-largest airport on this list, it makes sense that it is the second busiest airport in Europe.

Istanbul is a city that’s part of two continents. Two-thirds of the population lives on the European side of the city, and one-third lives on the Asia side. Istanbul is known for its rich history and stunning religious mosques.

Although this city has the highest population in Turkey, it’s not the capital of Turkey, as many people think it is.

1. London Heathrow Airport

London Bridge under pink and purple skies

79.2 millon passengers in 2023
4.7 square miles

London Heathrow Airport is the smallest but busiest airport on the list and if you’ve ever flown in here, you can feel that’s true. The inside of this airport feels like pure pandemonium, and you basically can know for certain that your flight will be delayed getting in and out (at least, that was my personal experience having flown into this airport tens of times).

The other thing about the London Heathrow Airport is that it’s pretty expensive to get to the city center from the airport.

Anyway, enough about the airport. London is a beautiful city that has many well-known places like Tower Bridge, The Tower of London, and Big Ben. It has many famous neighborhoods too like Notting Hill, Camden, and Greenwich which are all adorable and places you need to visit.