Skyrocketing passenger traffic at Riga Airport in February
Riga Airport, a key Northern European hub, has witnessed a significant surge in flights, passengers, and cargo in the first half of 2025. Passenger traffic rose by 5% compared to the same period last year, with over 3.3 million passengers served from January to June. In June alone, the airport served about 655,000 passengers, including 23% who were transit or transfer passengers[1].
The number of flights increased by 3%, reaching 30,378 flights in the first half of 2025, while air cargo volume grew by 9%, with 9,194 tonnes handled[1]. This growth can be attributed in part to Lufthansa Cargo, which provides regular cargo connections to Riga Airport[2].
Riga Airport connects the Baltic countries with major European business centers and holiday destinations. The airport is recognised as a fast-growing Northern European air traffic hub. However, specific top destinations or detailed airline contributions in 2025 are not explicitly listed in the available data. AirBaltic, the Latvian national airline, is implied as a major contributor, especially as it recently welcomed its 50th Airbus A220-300 aircraft in Riga[4].
In February, Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair carried 35% of passengers at Riga Airport, while the majority of passengers were carried by Latvian national airline airBaltic[5]. The number of flights handled at Riga Airport increased by 10% since the beginning of the year[6].
Despite the lack of specific information about the source of the release, it is clear that Riga Airport is experiencing a notable increase in flights, passengers, and cargo, reflecting its expanding role as a regional connector and its ongoing infrastructure and sustainability initiatives to support further development[1][4].
For comparative context, Lithuanian airports collectively slightly surpassed Riga in passenger numbers during the same period, showing a competitive but growing Baltics aviation market[2][3]. The most popular destination countries for flights from Riga are the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden[7].
[1] Riga Airport Press Release, 2025 [2] Lufthansa Cargo Press Release, 2025 [3] Lithuanian Airports Press Release, 2025 [4] AirBaltic Press Release, 2025 [5] Ryanair Press Release, 2025 [6] Unnamed Sources, 2025 [7] Data from Riga Airport, 2025
Travelers looking to explore diverse destinations in Europe can consider Riga Airport, given its significant growth in the first half of 2025. With a 3% increase in flights and 5% surge in passengers, Riga connects the Baltic countries to major European business centers and holiday spots. Sports enthusiasts might be interested to know that this growth can be partly attributed to Lufthansa Cargo, providing regular cargo connections to Riga Airport.
