IATA: EU air connectivity grew just 1% in 2025
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has published data showing that the number of air routes connecting the European Union grew by a net of just 1% in 2025, compared with an average annual growth rate of 1.5% over the past decade. The association attributes this to high costs and burdensome regulation, and is calling on European policymakers for change.
According to IATA, the year-on-year growth of the route network in 2025 is below the ten-year average rate of 1.5% a year, meaning that, in the association's view, the development of European air connectivity has effectively frozen.
- Routes discontinued in EU 2025
- 1,127
- New routes in EU 2025
- 1,281
- Of which reinstated routes
- 568
- Net increase in routes
- 154 (1%)
- Total number of routes
- 14,797
Thomas Reynaert, IATA's Senior Vice President for External Affairs, said the stagnation of EU connectivity in 2025 comes as no surprise, since the regulatory burden is, in his view, disproportionate, costs are high, and the bloc's competitiveness has long gone unaddressed. As an example, he cited consumer protection, where he said the flaws of the current rules are well known, yet efforts to fix them are making the situation worse.
Reynaert added that these very problems are making it harder for carriers to expand the route network on which Europe relies to support employment and economic growth.
IATA notes that air transport and the tourism linked to it support more than 9.2 million jobs in the EU and contribute €760 billion to the union's GDP. According to the association, the expansion of air routes underpins Europe's connectivity both internally and externally, enabling business, social and tourism opportunities.
Reynaert added that Europe's prosperity depends on extensive and efficient connections both within the continent and with other parts of the world, with every new air route creating jobs and business and social opportunities. He said European policymakers have a number of options for setting smarter regulation and helping carriers grow.
Priorities for European policymakers
- Reform of EU261 passenger rights regulation, specifically raising the time thresholds for compensation eligibility.
- Cutting the cost of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by introducing a book-and-claim system that would let carriers buy SAF wherever it is produced most efficiently, scrapping the current e-SAF mandate, and using revenue from the Emissions Trading System (ETS) to fund cheaper SAF production.
- Stricter regulation of airport and air navigation charges to improve cost efficiency.
- Greater flexibility in releasing airport slots during crisis periods.
- Abolishing national travel taxes, following Sweden's example.
According to Reynaert, the most urgent opportunity is precisely the reform of EU261 - modest adjustments to the compensation thresholds would, he said, help cut the regulation's costs, estimated at €8 billion. He noted that European policymakers are currently discussing this very step and urged them to act without delay, given record fuel prices and rising infrastructure costs.