Budapest Airport braces for Easter weekend rush: Travellers advised to arrive early!
Budapest Airport continues its record-breaking trajectory in 2025, closing the first quarter with more than four million passengers—a 15.5% increase compared to the same period last year. March alone saw nearly 1.47 million travellers pass through Liszt Ferenc International Airport, reflecting a 13.3% year-on-year growth. The most popular destinations among Hungarian travellers last month were London, Tel Aviv, Istanbul, Paris, and Milan.
This rapid rise in passenger numbers mirrors the momentum built in 2024, a year that already set records for the airport. With a strong start to the new year, Budapest Airport is bracing for another surge during the upcoming spring holiday weekends, including Easter and Labour Day.
Arrive early at Budapest Airport this weekend!
Katalin Valentínyi, Deputy CEO for Communications and Governmental Relations at Budapest Airport, advises travellers to allow extra time when heading to the airport, especially during peak periods. “Passengers flying outside the Schengen Zone should arrive 2.5 to 3 hours before departure, while for Schengen destinations, two hours is sufficient,” she said in a recent radio interview with InfoRádio.
Online check-in, baggage drop kiosks
To help mitigate congestion, the airport recommends online check-in and using self-service baggage drop kiosks. Passengers can also check estimated waiting times for security screening both online and on screens throughout the terminal. According to Valentínyi, even during rush hours, wait times rarely exceed 12 minutes thanks to improved throughput and preparation.
In anticipation of high traffic, Budapest Airport has ramped up staffing and operations during long weekends and holidays. On an average day, the airport sees around 50,000 passengers, but this number is expected to increase significantly during peak travel days.
“Discover the Easter offers at the airport – shop, register and win!”
11 new routes and increased flight frequencies from Budapest Airport
For summer 2025, Budapest Airport has announced 11 new routes and increased flight frequencies to several existing destinations. The airport now offers connections to 136 destinations via 200 scheduled flights, providing a record 13.8 million available seats. This expanded network is part of the airport’s diversified route development strategy, which supports both tourism and business travel.
Passengers should also be aware of current changes to airport access: due to ongoing renovations, only taxis are allowed on the upper-level departure roadway. Buses and private vehicles must use the lower arrival level. These works are expected to be completed by the end of June.
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