Portugal: In August 2022, 6.3 million passengers and 19.1 thousand tonnes of freight and mail were handled at national airports, corresponding to year-on-year variations of +63.1% and +18.6%, respectively (+122.5% and +20.0% in July, in the same order). Compared to August 2019, the movement of passengers decreased by 1.9% and the movement of freight and mail increased by 12.5% (-1.5% and +7.6% in the previous month, respectively).
In August 2022, there was a daily average of 99.4 thousand passengers disembarked at national airports (104.3 thousand in the previous month), approaching that recorded in August 2019 (101.3 thousand).
Between January and August 2022, the number of passengers handled increased by 203.3% vis-à-vis the same period of 2021 (-9.3% compared to the same period of 2019). The United Kingdom was the main country of origin and destination of flights, with growths of 416.4% in the number of disembarked passengers and 450.8% in the number of embarked passengers.
Monthly traffic at national airports
In August 2022, 22.9 thousand commercial aircraft landed at national airports, corresponding to 6.3 million passengers (embarked, disembarked and direct transits) and 19.1 thousand tonnes of freight and mail were handled (+31.5%, +63.1% and +18.6%, respectively, compared to August 2021). In July 2022, there had been variations of +46.6%, +122.5% and +20.0%, in the same order.
Compared to August 2019, there were variations of -1.4% in the number of aircraft landed, -1.9% in the movement of passengers and +12.5% in the movement of freight and mail (-2.1%, -1.5% and +7.6% in the previous month, respectively).
Considering the total number of passengers disembarked in August 2022, 79.0% corresponded to international traffic (74.4% in the same month of 2021), the majority coming from the European continent (65.2% of the total). Regarding embarked passengers, 80.0% corresponded to international traffic (75.6% in August 2021), with the main destination being airports at the European continent (67.5% of the total).
The daily movement of aircraft and passengers is typically heavily influenced by seasonal and weekly cycle fluctuations but was significantly affected by the impact of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, as shown in the figure below.
The year 2022 revealed a trend towards approaching the levels recorded in the pre-pandemic period. In August 2022, there was a daily average of 99.4 thousand passengers disembarked at national airports (104.3 thousand in the previous month), approaching that recorded in August 2019 (101.3 thousand).
Accumulated traffic at national airports
Between January and August 2022, the number of passengers handled at national airports increased by 203.3% vis-à-vis the same period of 2021 (-9.3% compared to the same period of 2019). The movement of passengers in Lisboa airport corresponded to 48.8% of total handled passengers (18.0 million) and increased by 229.7% vis- à-vis the same period of 2021 (-13.6% compared with the same period of 2019). Considering the three airports with the highest annual passenger traffic, Faro recorded the major increase compared to 2021 (+272.9%) and Porto recorded the closest approach to 2019 levels (-6.8%).
Considering the volume of passengers disembarked and embarked on international flights between January and August 2022, the United Kingdom was the main country of origin and destination of flights, with year-on-year growths of 416.4% in the number of disembarked passengers and 450.8% in the number of embarked passengers, compared to 2021, justified by the closure of the air corridor between Portugal and the United Kingdom for most of the period under review of 2021. France occupied the second position and registered increases of 143.6% in the number of disembarked passengers and 150.9% in the number of embarked passengers, compared to the same period of 2021. Spain took the 3rd position, as the main country of origin and destination.
Between January and August 2022, the movement of freight and mail at Lisboa airport represented 73.9% of the total, corresponding to 109.2 thousand tonnes (+37.0% vis-à-vis the same period of 2021). Compared to the same period in 2019, there was an increase of 11.5%.
Considering the group of other airports, the movement of freight and mail increased by 4.1% (+6.8% compared to the same period in 2019).
