Airports in Portugal Have Welcomed Over 24.5 Million Passengers in First Half of 2022

Such conclusions have been reached through the recent report published by the National Statistics Institute (INE), AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.

The same reveals that the number of travellers in the first half of this year is still below pre-pandemic levels, by a total of 12.8 per cent, despite the fact that the travel and tourism sector is significantly improving in Portugal.

According to the INE figures, Lisbon airport handled a total of 12.1 million passengers in the first half of this year, or 49.8 per cent of the total, marking a 380.9 per cent increase compared to the previous year’s figures; however, compared to the same period 2021, the figures are still down by 17.0 per cent.

At the same time, Porto airport handled a total of 5.52 million passengers, up by 335.0 per cent, while Faro saw the most notable increase, up to 503.2 per cent to 3.46 million travellers.

“Still, compared to June 2019, the number of aircraft landed was down 3.3 per cent, and passengers down 2.7 per cent, while the movement of cargo and mail was up 11.4 per cent,” Lusa notes.

In addition, about 80.8 per cent of travellers who reached Portugal in June 2022 came from other countries, against 70.9 per cent in the same month last year, with the majority coming from elsewhere in Europe, or a total of 68.5 per cent.

As for embarking travellers, a total of 80.4 per cent were headed abroad, in comparison to 70.4 registered in June last year.

According to INE, this year has seen a “tendency to approach the levels recorded in the pre-pandemic period.”

“In June 2022, there was an average daily landing of 95,900 passengers at [Portugal’s] airports (87,100 in the previous month), approaching the value observed in June 2019 (98,100),” the statement of INE reads, as reported by Portugal Resident.

Regarding travellers disembarking from as well as embarking on international flights in the first half of this year, the United Kingdom was the main country of origin and destination, with a year-on-year increase of a total of 720 per cent as well as 717.5 per cent.

The UK was followed by France and Spain, based on the figures provided by the National Statistics Institute.