Amsterdam Schiphol Airport expects the number of passengers and flights to increase in 2025 despite the Dutch government’s plan to reduce its permitted capacity.
The airport’s total capacity is due to be restricted to 478,000 annual flights from this year – down from a previous limit of 500,000 services - by the new Dutch coalition government as part of its attempts to reduce noise pollution.
Royal Schiphol Group, which owns the Netherlands hub as well as Eindhoven and Rotterdam airports, said: “Despite increased ticket prices, demand for air travel remains high. Schiphol expects the number of passengers and aircraft movements to increase further in 2025.
“In the long term, the development of the number of flights is uncertain because of the Dutch government's intention to reduce the number of flights. To this end, a balanced approach procedure is being followed, which is currently under review at the European Commission.”
Figures for 2024 released last month show that Schiphol’s passenger numbers rose by 8 per cent year-on-year to reach 66.8 million but remained 7 per cent below 2019 levels. The number of flights was up by 7 per cent year-on-year at nearly 474,000 – around 4,000 aircraft movements below the intended new annual cap.
“Regardless of a set number of air traffic movements, Schiphol expects to welcome more passengers in the future as airlines deploy new and larger aircraft,” insisted the group in a statement.
The group also announced a 21 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue during 2024, which rose to €2.25 million, while its “underlying” net profit went up from €110 million in 2024 to €291 million last year.
The company is currently going through a major five-year €6 billion renovation programme but this has also led to increased charges for airlines using Schiphol.
Pieter van Oord, CEO of Royal Schiphol Group, said that these investments to improve Schiphol were beginning to “bear fruit”, including shorter waiting times for passengers.
“Approximately nine million Dutch citizens travelled by plane in 2024,” he added. “We must continue to improve the travel experience for all those travellers. That's why we will continue investing relentlessly in higher-quality and more sustainable airports in 2025.
“This is essential, so that Schiphol can keep contributing to the broad prosperity of the Netherlands.”