In its annual report, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has provided a detailed analysis of German air traffic for the summer season of 2025 with its DLR Tourism Report. Compiled and published by the Insititue of Air Traffic in Hamburg, the report examines the development of tourist flight offerings, popular travel destinations, and market dynamics. While air traffic continues to recover, it still lags behind 2019 levels. Tourist routes, in particular, are driving growth, while market shares and dynamics between airports continue to shift. The study highlights the key factors shaping air travel in the summer of 2025.
"Through various report series such as the DLR Tourism Report, we provide comprehensive analyses and background information on the current state of air traffic," explains Prof. Dr.-Ing. Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, Chairwoman of the DLR Executive Board. "With our independent and differentiated presentation, we at DLR make a valuable contribution to the aviation industry and public stakeholders."
Development of Tourist Flight Offerings
According to findings from the DLR Institute of Air Transport, flight volumes in summer 2025 will remain around 18 percent below 2019 levels but will increase by three percent compared to 2024. Tourist destinations, in particular, will see growth: Offerings on these routes are expected to be 5.8 percent above 2019 levels and 3.3 percent higher than in 2024. Demand for flights to Southern Europe and the Balkans is rising, with flights to Turkey increasing by 2.3 percent and flights to the Balkans surging by 16.1 percent. Meanwhile, slight declines are expected for North Africa, with a more significant drop for the Caribbean.
Smaller Airports Experience Above-Average Growth
While major hubs such as Frankfurt and Munich will see moderate growth compared to 2024, smaller airports are benefiting more from the increasing demand for holiday travel. Locations such as Memmingen and Niederrhein (Weeze) are even expected to surpass their 2019 traffic levels.
Europe Remains the Leading Destination Region
Approximately 89 percent of all flights departing from Germany in summer 2025 will be bound for European destinations. The most sought-after destinations remain Spain, Turkey, Italy, and Greece. Bulgaria and Romania are also seeing above-average growth in flight connections. Palma de Mallorca will continue to be the most frequently served international destination, with over 3,500 planned flights in July 2025 from 24 German airports.
Development of Domestic Air Travel
Domestic air traffic in summer 2025 will increase by four percent but will remain at only about 50 percent of pre-crisis levels. While long-haul flights to the USA are expected to decline slightly, tourist connections to Greece, Portugal, and Turkey have already reached 2019 levels.
Airline Market Shares and Competition
Despite a decline of 19.6 percent compared to 2019, Lufthansa remains the largest airline in the German market, followed by Eurowings (-30.5 percent) and Ryanair (-13.9 percent). Eurowings, in particular, has seen a significant decline, while Sun Express (+57 percent) and Air Dolomiti (+53 percent) have experienced strong growth on certain routes, especially to Turkey and within Europe.
Intense competition prevails on tourist routes: In addition to traditional holiday carriers such as Condor and TUIfly, low-cost airlines like Ryanair and Wizz Air also serve numerous vacation destinations. Lufthansa and Eurowings pursue a hybrid business model that caters to both business and leisure travelers.
Focus on Tourist Air Travel
Travel motivations vary depending on the destination. While leisure travelers dominate regions with well-developed tourism infrastructure, business travelers are more common in economically significant metropolitan areas. The study categorizes tourist air routes into five main segments. These include classic warm-water destinations such as Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Turkey. The Balkan region is becoming increasingly popular for vacationers, while long-haul flights primarily serve the Caribbean, parts of Asia, North America, and North Africa.
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Download the report here.