Aberdeen Airport Statistics

Aberdeen International Airport (ABZ) is Scotland’s third-busiest airport and the world’s busiest commercial heliport, serving as a key gateway to Northeast Scotland and the main aviation hub for the North Sea energy industry.

Aberdeen Airport handles more than 2 million passengers annually. While traffic continues to recover from pandemic-related declines, it remains below pre-pandemic highs.

• ABZ processed 2.30 million passengers in 2025, marking a figure unchanged from 2024 and a 3.1% increase from the 2.23 million recorded in 2023, continuing the upward trend.
• In 2019, the airport handled 2.91 million passengers.
• Passenger numbers dropped 66% to 994,077 in 2020, one of the sharpest declines among UK airports during the COVID-19 crisis.
• Recovery began in 2021 with 1.08 million passengers, rising to 1.96 million in 2022, about 67% of 2019 levels.

Domestic vs International Travelers

Aberdeen Airport has a distinct passenger profile shaped by its role in the energy sector, with different recovery rates in domestic and international markets.

• In 2025, domestic passengers totaled 1.19 million, or 51.7% of all traffic.
• International passengers reached 1.11 million, making up 48.3%.
• Domestic traffic dropped by 3.3%, while international traffic rose 3.7%.

Loganair is the top airline at Aberdeen Airport, while helicopter operators contribute a large share due to the airport's offshore role.

• Loganair accounted for 21% of all aircraft movements in 2024, serving as the leading fixed-wing carrier with routes across Scotland and the UK.
• Four helicopter firms made up 43% of total movements: Offshore Helicopter Services (15%), Bristow (12%), CHC Scotia (8%) and NHV UK (8%).
• British Airways operated 6%, primarily on the London Heathrow route.
• Eastern Airways, Signature Flight Support UK, KLM Cityhopper and easyJet each made up 3-5% of operations.

• According to the airport’s official site, ABZ connects to “more than 100 destinations”, which likely includes seasonal, charter and helicopter routes.
• Aviation data shows 26 non-stop scheduled international destinations across 9 countries, plus 13 domestic routes with regular service.
• The core year-round network includes around 30 direct routes, serving business and leisure demand.
• Seasonal routes include holiday flights to places like Corfu and Geneva during the summer.

Aberdeen Airport processes over 6,000 metric tonnes of cargo each year.

• In 2025, cargo volume reached 5,821 metric tonnes, a 11.8% decrease from 6,599 metric tonnes in 2024.
• Pre-pandemic cargo levels were 5,986 metric tonnes in 2019, dipping to 5,434 metric tonnes in 2020.
• The airport recovered to 6,279 metric tonnes in 2021, then dropped to 1,632 metric tonnes in 2022, its lowest point ever.
• Cargo rose modestly to 1,896 metric tonnes in 2023 before a sharp jump in 2024.

• Weather: Fog, strong winds and storms often impact operations in Northeast Scotland.
• Air Traffic Control: European ATC issues, including staffing shortages and tech failures, are a growing source of delays.
• Airline Operations: Crew shortages, maintenance problems and logistical challenges cause some cancellations.
• Passenger Incidents: Delays may result from onboard issues, but these are usually managed efficiently.
• Network Disruptions: Delays at hub airports can ripple into Aberdeen's schedule.