Brindisi Airport Statistics

Brindisi Salento Airport (BDS) serves as a key gateway to Italy’s Puglia region and the Salento peninsula. It operates within the Aeroporti di Puglia network, alongside Bari, Foggia and Taranto airports.

Brindisi Airport handles over 3 million passengers annually, reflecting a strong post-pandemic recovery and setting multiple records.

• The airport processed 3.44 million passengers in 2025, a 1.5% increase from 3.39 million in 2024 and 3.17 million in 2023, marking a new record.
• Before the pandemic, BDS reached 2.70 million passengers in 2019.
• Passenger traffic dropped 62.2% to 1.02 million in 2020, one of the steepest declines during the COVID-19 crisis.
• Recovery gained momentum with 1.86 million passengers in 2021, 3.07 million in 2022, and 3.17 million in 2023, with 2022 exceeding pre-pandemic levels by 13.7%.

How many Domestic vs International Passengers does Brindisi Airport Have?

Brindisi Airport primarily serves domestic travelers but has seen notable international growth, highlighting its importance to both business and leisure sectors.

• Domestic passengers totaled 2.48 million in 2025, or 72% of total traffic.
• International passengers accounted for 949,192, or 27.6%.

Ryanair is the leading airline at Brindisi Airport, using the facility as a strategic hub within its Italian network.

• Ryanair operates the largest number of flights, serving 23 destinations and holding the widest route network at the airport.
• easyJet maintains service to 6 destinations, including Milan, Geneva, Basel and London.
• Eurowings connects Brindisi to 4 destinations, supporting year-round links with Switzerland and Germany.
• Other airlines serve 1 to 2 destinations each.

• Brindisi Airport serves 47 to 48 destinations across 13 countries, including both year-round and seasonal routes.
• There are approximately 16 domestic routes connecting to major Italian cities like Rome, Milan, Bologna, Turin and Venice.
• The 32 international routes primarily serve Western and Central Europe.
• The core year-round network includes around 30 routes, while an additional 15+ seasonal routes are added in summer, including charter flights to coastal and urban destinations.

Brindisi Airport handles low and volatile cargo volumes, with a recent trend of decline.

• The airport managed 387 tons in 2025, up 72.8% from 224 tons in 2024 and below the 448 tons recorded in 2023.
• Pre-pandemic cargo peaked at 54 tons in 2017, dropped to 10 tons in 2019 and saw sharp fluctuations during the pandemic.
• In 2020, cargo briefly rose to 41.8 tons, likely due to COVID-19 medical shipments.
• Subsequent years saw swings from 19.6 tons in 2021 to 71 tons in 2022, then a surge to 448 tons in 2023.

• Ryanair flight FR 8826 engine fire incident occurred during takeoff preparation bound for Turin, with all 184 passengers and crew safely evacuated via emergency slides with no injuries reported.
• Historical safety incidents from the mid-20th century included cargo plane crashes in the 1950s and World War II-related military operations, not reflective of current safety standards.