• Passenger volumes exceeded 2023 levels by over 30 per cent
• More than 27,000 passengers travelled through airport on busiest day
• Easter holiday rush and start of Cruise and Fly operations among the factors driving increased passenger flow

Passenger movements through Malta International Airport exceeded the 600,000-mark in March for the first time in the airport’s history, with the airport team welcoming 633,826 passengers last month. As March traffic registered a 30.1 per cent growth over 2023, the first quarter of 2024 was brought to a close with a total of 1,573,712 passenger movements.

Passenger volumes reached their peak towards the end of the month, with 27,250 passengers travelling through Malta International Airport on Thursday 28^th March. Apart from heralding the Easter long weekend, Maundy Thursday also coincided with the commencement of Cruise and Fly services offered by P&O Cruises, whose operations will extend to October.

This positive traffic performance was achieved on the back of an increase of 24.6 per cent over 2023 in the seat capacity deployed on flights to and from Malta, and a strong seat load factor of 87.2 per cent; the highest load factor to ever be recorded in March. Aircraft movements also increased by 20.5 per cent year-on-year to total 4,031 take-offs and landings last month.

With a combined market share of just over 50 per cent, Malta International Airport’s top three markets in March remained Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany. However, out of the top five markets, Poland achieved the most substantial growth of 80.6 per cent over 2023, surpassing the French market to secure fourth position on the airport’s market leaderboard.

After serving the Maltese Islands as the national flag carrier for the past 50 years, Air Malta’s final flight landed at the airport in the early hours of Sunday 31^st March, paving the way for the inaugural KM Malta Airlines flight to depart from our airport later that same day. Whilst thanking Air Malta for collaborating closely with our airport, and for the services it has provided to guests over the last half a century, we would like to take this opportunity to welcome its successor, KM Malta Airlines. We would also like to congratulate Universal Air on commencing operations from our airport towards the end of March.

Published 09.04.2024