Budapest Airport Prepares for Easter Weekend Rush: Arrive Early!
Budapest Airport Sets New Passenger Record in 2025
Budapest Airport has continued its impressive growth trajectory into 2025, closing the first quarter with over four million passengers—an impressive 15.5% increase compared to the same period last year. March alone saw nearly 1.47 million travellers pass through Liszt Ferenc International Airport, reflecting a 13.3% year-on-year growth. The most popular destinations among Hungarian travellers in March were London, Tel Aviv, Istanbul, Paris, and Milan.
This rapid rise in passenger numbers follows the momentum built in 2024, a year that already set records for the airport. With a strong start to the new year, Budapest Airport is gearing up for another surge during the upcoming spring holiday weekends, including Easter and Labour Day.
Katalin Valentínyi, Deputy CEO for Communications and Governmental Relations at Budapest Airport, advises travellers to arrive early at the airport, especially during peak periods. She recommends that passengers flying outside the Schengen Zone should arrive 2.5 to 3 hours before departure, while for Schengen destinations, two hours is sufficient.
To help mitigate congestion, the airport recommends online check-in and using self-service baggage drop kiosks. Passengers can also check estimated waiting times for security screening both online and on screens throughout the terminal. Even during rush hours, wait times rarely exceed 12 minutes thanks to improved throughput and preparation.
In anticipation of high traffic during long weekends and holidays, Budapest Airport has increased staffing and operations. On an average day, the airport sees around 50,000 passengers, but this number is expected to rise significantly during peak travel days.
For summer 2025, Budapest Airport has announced 11 new routes and increased flight frequencies to several existing destinations. The airport now offers connections to 136 destinations via 200 scheduled flights, providing a record 13.8 million available seats. This expanded network is part of the airport’s diversified route development strategy, which supports both tourism and business travel.
Passengers should also be aware of current changes to airport access: due to ongoing renovations, only taxis are allowed on the upper-level departure roadway. Buses and private vehicles must use the lower arrival level. These works are expected to be completed by the end of June.
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