In 2025, Europe's leading low-cost carriers (LCCs) continued to strengthen their passenger traffic advantage over non-LCC airlines, according to a recent report. The top 12 LCCs carried 598 million passengers, marking a 6% increase from the previous year, while non-LCCs carried 416 million passengers, with a less than 3% growth. Notably, the gap between LCCs and non-LCCs widened to 182 million passengers, up from 158 million in 2024.
Ryanair, Europe's largest airline overall, maintained its dominant position with over 206 million passengers—more than double the traffic of the second-largest LCC, easyJet. Wizz Air saw the most significant growth since 2019, with a 172% increase, making it the fastest-growing among major LCCs. Meanwhile, traditional airlines like Turkish Airlines led the non-LCC rankings, with 69.2 million passengers, slightly surpassing Lufthansa.
Market Trends and Outlook
The report indicates that despite global economic uncertainties, LCCs are expected to continue outperforming non-LCC airlines in passenger growth. This trend underscores the ongoing recovery and resilience of low-cost carriers within Europe's aviation landscape.
Source: CAPA - Centre for Aviation, airline traffic reports, press reports, UK Civil Aviation Authority.
