Scheduled and charter flights are by far the most important area of civil aviation in terms of passenger traffic and the volume of freight transported. In 2019, Swiss airports recorded a total of 58.6 million passengers (local and transfer passengers) on scheduled and charter flights. While the number of flight movements for scheduled and charter flights has declined by 13% since 2000, the passenger volumes have increased by around 70%. The reasons for these contrary developments are larger planes and higher seat load factors. The growth is solely attributable to scheduled flights (+88%); on the other hand, the passenger volumes of charter flights have fallen very sharply from around 3.5 million to 0.5 million (-86%).
The passenger volumes for the three Swiss international airports, which form the main proportion, have developed in disparate ways between 2000 and 2019. In Zurich, the figures rose at a high level by 41% from 22.5 million to 31.5 million, while they doubled in Geneva (from 7.7 million to 17.8 million) and in Basel-Mulhouse (from 3.7 million to 9.1 million).
Swiss airports recorded a total of 16.5 million arriving and departing passengers (local and transfer passengers) in scheduled and charter traffic in 2020. This means that the passenger volume in 2020, which was heavily affected by the Covid 19 pandemic, fell by 42 million or 72% compared to 2019. The last time values as low as in 2020 were recorded was in the 1980s. The number of aircraft movements also fell sharply in 2020: the total of 166,758 registered take-offs and landings represents a drop of 64% compared to the previous year.
The most important Swiss travel destinations in 2016 were mainly in Europe. From Zurich, the largest number of passengers flying on scheduled and charter flights went to London/Heathrow (1.18 million) and Berlin/Tegel (1.163 million). Occupying third and fourth place are Amsterdam (0.974 million) and Vienna (0.937 million), followed by Düsseldorf (0.748 million.). For Geneva Airport, London/Heathrow also took top place with 1.063 million passengers. This is followed by London/Gatwick (0.827 million), another British airport, meaning more passengers travel to London from Geneva than from Zurich. Paris/Charles de Gaulle (0.725 million) is only placed third in the travel destinations. The third international airport Basel-Mulhouse does not achieve this level of figures; most passengers are recorded as travelling to Amsterdam (0.447 million) and Barcelona (0.355 million).
Local passengers start or finish their air journey at the relevant airport in Switzerland (origin or destination).
Transit passengers (direct transit) stay seated for intermediate landings or use the transit hall and continue their journey on the same aircraft (same flight number) on which they arrived.
Transfer passengers (indirect transit) are connecting passengers flying on a different aircraft (different flight number) than the one on which they arrived. These passengers are counted twice: once when they land and once when they take off.
Global Switzerland, Traffic and Communication, Air traffic
Global Switzerland, Traffic and Communication, Air traffic
Traffic and Communication, Air traffic, Flight passengers
Traffic and Communication, Air traffic, Flight passengers
Traffic and Communication, Air traffic, Flight passengers
Traffic and Communication, Air traffic, Flight passengers
Traffic and Communication, Air traffic, Flight passengers
Traffic and Communication, Air traffic, Flight passengers
March 8, 2018
August 30, 2024
This theme contains visualizations that the web atlas does not support yet. You can open it in the desktop atlas on your computer.
Not installed yet? Download the desktop atlas