Airport Updates: Latest News On The Global Market (W/C May 19, 2025)

The latest news on airports globally, with updates on financing, infrastructure expansion and sustainability initiatives.

SEA Milan Airports, which manages Malpensa (MXP) and Linate (LIN) airports, said the commercial sector component of its non-aeronautical revenue—made up of shops and restaurants—totaled €423 million ($472 million) for the full-year 2024, up 15.4% year-over-year and outpacing growth in passenger traffic. Passengers handled by the two airports increased 11.5% to 39.3 million (28.7 million for MXP and 10.6 million for LIN). The average passenger spent €11 on retail and food/beverage, up 3.4% year-over-year. “The luxury sector confirmed its key role, with [MXP] Terminal 1 luxury shops achieving a revenue increase of 13.9% [year-over-year] and spending per passenger rising by 14.9%,” Milan Airports said. “This trend was driven in particular by the return and expansion of intercontinental traffic, especially from Asia, the United Arab Emirates and North America.” Milan Airports noted the two airports are connected to North America via around 70 weekly flights operated by seven airlines.

Copenhagen Airport (CHP) generated 2025 first-quarter revenue of DKK1.07 billion ($160 million), up 4% year-over-year. Aeronautical revenue accounted for DKK632 million, up 4% over the 2024 first quarter. Non-aeronautical revenue—derived from terminal shopping/restaurants, leasing of buildings and hotel operations at the airport—-totaled DKK443 million, also up 4%. “The improvement was curtailed by several shops and restaurants being temporarily closed in connection with the ongoing construction project to expand Terminal 3,” CHK noted. The airport said it expects to handle 32 million passengers in 2025, which CHK management says would result in 8% revenue growth year-over-year. “Whether international travel patterns will be affected by the geopolitical situation will become apparent in the months to come,” CHP CEO Christian Poulsen said. Doha, Dubai, Bangkok, New York and Los Angeles were the top five international destination cities for the airport in the first quarter. “On U.S. routes, we saw 19% passenger growth compared with the first quarter of 2024,” Poulsen said. “This is primarily due to SAS, which has chosen to consolidate most of its intercontinental traffic in Copenhagen and make Copenhagen Airport its global hub.” 

Fraport Group, which manages Frankfurt Airport and has stakes in airports around the world, reported first-quarter revenue of €868.5 million, down 2.4% year-over-year. The company incurred a net loss of €26.4 million in the quarter. Fraport said it made “a cautious start” to the year. Fraport CEO Stefan Schulte said that “growth drivers were lacking in the German market after yet another increase in regulatory costs at the start of 2025.”

Lithuanian Airports—which manages the airports in Lithuanian cities Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga—reported 2024 full-year revenue of €65.5 million, up 9% year-over-year, and a net profit of €11.2 million. “Both aviation and non-aviation revenue growth were influenced by higher volumes of flights and passengers,” Lithuania Airports Chairman Gediminas Almantas said. “Despite ongoing reconstruction works at Vilnius and Kaunas airport terminals, all airports experienced revenue growth.”

Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) in Florida said its hourly garage remains closed following a May 16 fire that caused a partial collapse of the facility. The airport was temporarily shut down on May 16 as the fire was brought under control. JAX said on social media that the airport has “established a collapse zone” at the garage and “only authorized personnel are able to access the garage.” Fire-damaged cars will be removed after crews “establish safe areas,” JAX said, adding, “We believe certain areas [of the garage] will be deemed safe and cleared later this week.”