More people fly via Copenhagen: Transfer passenger numbers up by 23 per cent
Close to 2.9 million travellers passed through Copenhagen Airport in May, 5 per cent more than in the same month last year. The number of transfer passengers using Copenhagen as their gateway to the world has increased by 23 per cent. Today more than one in five travellers is a transfer passenger.
Billund, Bilbao or Bangkok. With more than 170 destinations reached by direct flights from Copenhagen Airport, the options are plentiful. In May, some 2.9 million passengers passed through the airport. This was 150,000, or 5 per cent, more than in the same period last year.
“The appetite to explore the world is strong. Many Danes are travelling abroad, and we also receive many international visitors who want to experience Copenhagen and the rest of Denmark,” says Peter Krogsgaard, Chief Commercial Officer of Copenhagen Airports A/S.
The United Kingdom is the most popular country destination to and from Copenhagen Airport. 240,000 passengers travelled between Copenhagen and one of the nine UK airports served by direct flights from Copenhagen Airport.
More people fly via Copenhagen
A growing number of travellers at Copenhagen Airport are transfer passengers having a layover at Copenhagen Airport during their journey to other international destinations. In May, 650,000 transfer passengers passed through the airport – 23 per cent more than in the same month last year.
The percentage of transfer passengers was up from 19.2 in May last year to 22.5 this May.
“We are very pleased with this development, as it means we are consolidating our position as Northern Europe’s largest transport hub. More than one in five travellers passing through Copenhagen Airport are in transfer and travelling to other destinations around the world. The main reason for this is that SAS has chosen to concentrate much of its traffic in Copenhagen and make Copenhagen Airport its global hub,” explains Krogsgaard.
It is more efficient for an airline to gather its passengers in Copenhagen and fill a flight to Chicago, for example, or other long-haul destinations. Nine out of ten transfer passengers at the airport travel via Copenhagen on an SAS flight from, for example, Norway, Sweden, the USA, Germany or other parts of Denmark.
“The large proportion of transfer passengers helps to ensure more intercontinental routes to and from Copenhagen. As a traffic hub with more than 315 routes, Copenhagen Airport offers many opportunities for travellers from Denmark to reach destinations around the world. As an added bonus for Danish society, good connections to worldwide destinations help attract foreign companies and labour to Denmark, and new direct routes make destinations around the world more accessible to Danish companies,” says Krogsgaard.
Two new USA routes
Two new direct routes between Denmark and the United States were launched in May. SAS launched a service to Seattle in the Pacific Northwest, and Delta Air Lines opened a route to the Midwestern city of Minneapolis.
“With the addition of these two routes, we offer 13 direct routes between Copenhagen and the United States this year. This means even more options for Danes and Northern Europeans wishing to visit the USA and for the many American tourists eager to experience Copenhagen and the rest of Denmark,” says Peter Krogsgaard.
In the month of May, more than 120,000 passengers travelled on direct flights between Copenhagen and US destinations – a 9 per cent increase on the same month last year. About two thirds of travellers between Copenhagen and the United States are transfer passengers landing at Copenhagen Airport en route from Scandinavia and Europe to US destinations.
Ready for a good, busy summer
The school summer holidays are coming up in a few weeks, marking the busiest period of the year for Copenhagen Airport with many travellers heading south for a sunny holiday and many international tourists visiting Denmark.
“We expect up to 9.5 million passengers to pass through our terminals over the three summer months. We are well prepared and ready to welcome the many travellers. There will be times on the busiest days when passengers may experience waiting times, however. So pack a little extra patience along with your holiday cheer,” says Krogsgaard.
Danish travellers make up about a third of all passengers at the Airport. The rest are international passengers, mainly Swedes, Brits, Americans, Norwegians and Germans.
Arrive well ahead of time
To allow plenty of time, Copenhagen Airport recommends arriving at the airport two hours before departure for European destinations within the Schengen area and three hours before if you are travelling outside the Schengen area – even if you have checked in at home.
“It is important to arrive at the airport at the recommended time to allow sufficient time to drop off baggage, get through security and walk to the terminals – and through passport control if you are leaving the Schengen area. I would recommend that you track your flight on our app to stay up to date on all the practicalities of your trip,” says Krogsgaard.
Useful travel tips:
- Check in at home if the airline offers this option.
- Arrive at the airport two hours before departure to destinations within the Schengen area or three hours before for destinations outside the Schengen area.
- Pack your carry-on baggage correctly. Liquids must be under 100 ml and placed in a resealable 1-litre bag. A maximum of one bag per passenger. See our rules for carry-on baggage here.
- Track your flight on the CPH App or at cph.dk
