In July and August 2024, passenger traffic at Nice airport increased by 3.7% compared to 2023, while aircraft movements only increased by 2%. With 13 long-haul routes, the airport stands out as a key entry point for foreign visitors to the French Riviera.
3.46 million. This is the number of passengers who passed through the two terminals of Nice Côte d’Azur Airport in July and August. A record attendance was notably reached on Friday, August 2, with 63,041 travelers recorded on that day.
More traffic, less pollution
For summer 2024, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport launched 21 new routes, including 12 to new destinations. Among these routes, 13 are long-haul flights: 7 to North America and 6 to Gulf countries. These flights, being more direct and using larger planes, have allowed the transport of more passengers while limiting pollutant emissions.
Franck Goldnadel, Chairman of the Board of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur, states that these newest-generation fleets are “nearly 86% filled and thus still have room for growth; they are important levers to reduce the environmental impact of a means of transport that is essential for the connectivity of our region.”
Key figures for 2024 summer flights
- North America: Traffic to the United States increased by 44.1%, with a new destination: Philadelphia. Traffic to Canada also grew by 22.9%, notably due to an increase in weekly flights.
- Gulf countries: Saudi Arabia saw its traffic surge by 120.2%. Qatar by 60.7%, and the United Arab Emirates by 17.4%.
- Europe: Europe accounts for the majority of traffic. Spain, Greece, and Italy are the three countries with the highest increase in passenger numbers: +34% for Spain, +32% for Greece, and +11% for Italy.
- Domestic market: Domestic flights represent 22% of the airport’s activity. Figures have decreased by 10.2% compared to 2023.
Although traffic has returned to 2019 levels, there were infrastructure saturation issues. In other words, the airport sometimes struggled to manage the number of passengers this summer. The president hopes that “the adaptation of Terminal 2 will offer visitors to the Côte d’Azur a welcome that better meets our region’s demands by next summer.”
What to expect for the winter season?
This winter, several new features are planned. Following the announcement of 11 new routes for the cold season, the flight schedule already indicates a clear improvement compared to 2023. This improvement is part of the tourism desaisonalization strategy. In other words, trying to attract tourists throughout the year, and not just during peak seasons. Here are the winter new features:
- EasyJet will add destinations such as Agadir, Lanzarote, Madrid, Prague, Rovaniemi, and Strasbourg.
- Transavia France will launch a new long-distance route to Dakar.
- Air Serbia will offer flights between Nice and Belgrade.
- Eurowings will connect Nice to Bonn/Cologne in Germany.
- Twin Jet will extend its flights to Toulouse, usually offered in summer.
- Wizz Air will continue its summer route to Tirana.
In summary, Nice Côte d’Azur Airport will offer 76 destinations compared to 71 last year, across 35 countries, up from 32 previously. These destinations are accessible thanks to the 41 airlines that make up this winter program.
