Antalya Airport has been named host of Routes Europe 2027, winning the right to stage one of the aviation industry’s most influential route development forums after a record-breaking year in which the Turkish airport handled 39.2 million passengers.
The handover took place on the final day of Routes Europe 2026, with the Emilia-Romagna Region, the Municipality of Rimini, and Rimini and San Marino International Airport formally passing hosting responsibilities to Fraport TAV Antalya Airport.
Record Passenger Numbers and a Transformed Airport
The 2025 figure of 39.2 million passengers was the highest in the airport’s history and underlines the scale of demand at one of Europe’s leading leisure gateways. The milestone followed the completion of a EUR 865 million expansion in April 2025 that more than doubled terminal and airside capacity, lifting the airport’s annual passenger ceiling to 65 million.
Operated as a joint venture between TAV Airports and Fraport, Antalya Airport is Turkey’s second busiest airport by international traffic. The expansion has positioned the airport to absorb continued growth as Antalya broadens its offer beyond traditional summer sun holidays into cultural, adventure, sports, events and eco-tourism, supported by year-round flight operations.
What Routes Europe Delivers
Routes Europe is staged annually in a different host city and brings together senior decision-makers from airlines, airports and tourism authorities to negotiate and develop air services across the continent and beyond. More than half of Europe’s new air routes have been linked to meetings held at the event. The 2027 edition in Antalya is expected to facilitate more than 5,000 face-to-face meetings, with vice presidents and heads of network planning from more than 120 airlines anticipated to attend.
The event will mark the 20th edition of Routes Europe, giving Antalya a high-profile platform to present its expanded infrastructure and year-round destination credentials to the people who decide where airlines fly.
Growing Network and New Route Announcements
Antalya Airport works with more than 100 airline partners and serves a network of over 200 destinations. Recent route developments illustrate the airport’s broadening connectivity. SunExpress has introduced flights from Memmingen and plans to launch services from Podgorica. Jet2.com has added a new London Gatwick route, while easyJet has launched a Newcastle service. New connections from Bratislava and Timisoara are also in place, and Centrum Air, Qanot Sharq, Uzbekistan Airways are planning new Tashkent, Samarkand and Fergana services respectively.
Industry Reaction
Serkan Karahatay, Chief Commercial Officer of Fraport TAV Antalya Airport, said hosting the event was a significant opportunity. “With our expanded passenger terminal capacity, growing connectivity and strong collaboration across the aviation and tourism sectors, we are proud to welcome Europe’s route development community to Antalya,” he said. “We look forward to creating an inspiring platform for new partnerships that will support sustainable growth for airlines, tour operators, destinations and the wider regional economy.”
Steven Small, VP of Events at Routes, said Antalya’s growing popularity made it a fitting choice. “As we approach the 20th edition of Routes Europe, Antalya Airport will be ideally positioned to showcase its significant infrastructure investment and expanded capacity to senior decision-makers from more than 120 airlines,” he said. “Antalya truly offers something for every type of traveller, and I’m confident the event will further cement the airport’s role as a leading driver of tourism and connectivity.”
A Year-Round Destination Making Its Case
Antalya recorded its highest-ever annual visitor numbers in 2025, reflecting sustained demand that now extends well beyond the peak summer season. Located on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, the destination has invested in diversifying its tourism offer, positioning itself as a viable year-round market for European carriers rather than a purely seasonal operation.
Hosting Routes Europe 2027 gives Antalya and its airport the chance to make that case directly to the executives who shape airline networks across Europe, at a moment when the airport’s infrastructure is better equipped than ever to support new services.
