After a severe dip in passenger numbers following the outbreak of COVID-19, an increase in travellers in 2021 meant Schiphol reclaimed a spot as one of the top five busiest airports in Europe. 

Schiphol was Europe's fourth-busiest airport last year

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 saw a number of major European airports slip out of the top five, and by the end of the year all five of the continent’s busiest airports were in Russia and Turkey. 

However, thanks to the EU Digital COVID-19 Certificate and the relaxation of various international travel restrictions, other European airports saw passenger numbers climb, resulting in a reshuffle of what Airports Council International (ACI) Europe calls the Majors.

Schiphol Airport may once again be a key transport hub, but passenger numbers are, unsurprisingly, far below what they were pre-pandemic. While the airport welcomed over 25 million travellers last year, this was still a 64,4 percent decrease compared to 2019.

Busiest European airports in 2021

According to a report published by ACI Europe, the busiest European airports in 2021 were:

1. Istanbul Airport
2. Sheremetyevo International Airport, Moscow
3. Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
4. Amsterdam Schiphol Aiport
5. Moscow Domodedovo Airport

For the full report, visit the ACI Europe website.