Hermes Airports has confirmed that, by the end of November, combined traffic at Larnaca and Paphos crossed the 13-million-passenger mark—eclipsing the total for the whole of 2024 weeks before year-end. The Boxing-Day weekend drove home the trend: Larnaca processed 65 international arrivals and 38 departures on 26 December, while Paphos handled 27 additional movements.
Several factors underpin the boom. Airlines have diverted capacity from conflict-affected Israeli corridors, government winter-charter rebates cover up to 60 % of landing fees, and Central- and Eastern-European carriers are chasing winter-sun demand. Capacity across the island now stands 12 % above 2019 levels.
![Festive-Season Passenger Surge Pushes Cyprus Airports Past 13 Million Travellers]()
For mobility managers the surge means tighter seat availability, higher fares and longer queues. Hermes advises arriving at least two hours before even intra-EU departures and pre-booking fast-track security. Car-hire desks and taxi stands are also feeling the pinch; overflow car parks at Larnaca were opened early after online reservations sold out.
The numbers bolster Cyprus’s pitch as a regional hub ahead of its EU Council Presidency semester in 2026. New winter links to Rome, Brussels and Warsaw are ramping up, giving multinational firms more non-stop options for project teams and expatriates.
Practical implication: lock in January kick-off-meeting tickets now, opt for flexible fares, and brief travellers on e-gate usage to shave precious minutes off immigration waits.
Several factors underpin the boom. Airlines have diverted capacity from conflict-affected Israeli corridors, government winter-charter rebates cover up to 60 % of landing fees, and Central- and Eastern-European carriers are chasing winter-sun demand. Capacity across the island now stands 12 % above 2019 levels.
For mobility managers the surge means tighter seat availability, higher fares and longer queues. Hermes advises arriving at least two hours before even intra-EU departures and pre-booking fast-track security. Car-hire desks and taxi stands are also feeling the pinch; overflow car parks at Larnaca were opened early after online reservations sold out.
The numbers bolster Cyprus’s pitch as a regional hub ahead of its EU Council Presidency semester in 2026. New winter links to Rome, Brussels and Warsaw are ramping up, giving multinational firms more non-stop options for project teams and expatriates.
Practical implication: lock in January kick-off-meeting tickets now, opt for flexible fares, and brief travellers on e-gate usage to shave precious minutes off immigration waits.
Source: VisaHQ Global Mobility News
