Germany's Air Transportation Landscape Undergoes Structural evolutions
In a significant development for the German aviation sector, the Airport Association ADV published a comprehensive passenger survey in 2024, marking it as the largest study in German aviation to date. The findings of this survey paint a fascinating picture of the evolving landscape of air travel in the country.
One of the key takeaways from the survey is the dominance of private and tourist travel. Four out of five passengers in the German aviation market are using airplanes for these purposes, a trend that has been on the rise since 2014. City trips, event visits, and visiting friends and relatives (VFR traffic) are gaining importance, with the share of these travels increasing from 26% to 39% during this period.
Retail is another area that has seen growth in the airport terminals. Every fifth air passenger is shopping in the terminal, with the share being higher for international flights (21%) compared to national ones (13%). Around 45 percent of passengers are also making use of the gastronomic offerings at the airport.
However, the share of business travelers has been on a steady decline, falling by 15 percentage points since 2014. This trend is further accentuated by the rise of hybrid work models and digital communication. Today, only one in five passengers is traveling for business purposes.
Experts attribute the decline in inbound traffic to pandemic-related disruptions and insufficient flight offerings. The proportion of foreign visitors arriving in Germany by airplane is at an all-time low, with inbound traffic dropping from 32% in 2017 to 21% in 2024.
For airport accessibility, the car remains the most used means of transport for arrival, accounting for 48 percent. Its share has increased by 9 percentage points since 2017. Public transport, taxis, or ride services have not gained significant ground in the same period.
Ralph Beisel, CEO of ADV, has called for a political shift in thinking, suggesting that Germany should abolish the aviation tax to strengthen tourism, similar to Sweden. This move could potentially boost the tourism industry and encourage more travel, both domestic and international.
Dominik Lelle, a member of the online editorial team of AERO INTERNATIONAL since 2023, is passionate about making the world of aviation tangible and exciting for readers. Outside of the editorial office, Lelle is a passionate traveler himself, always looking forward to discovering new horizons.
The growth in these segments reflects growing social mobility. As more people travel for private and tourist purposes, the aviation industry in Germany is poised for exciting changes and developments.
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