Cyprus airports report strong August traffic despite regional instability

Cyprus airports in Larnaca and Paphos are experiencing significant passenger traffic in August 2026, with an average of 52,000 travelers daily. Despite initial losses in March and April due to the Middle East crisis, the recovery trend continues. Larnaca handles approximately 36,000 passengers per day, while Paphos accounts for 16,000. Traffic is expected to peak on August 22, with over 62,000 passengers projected for that day. The surge is supported by both incoming tourists and Cypriots traveling abroad, particularly to Greece, where weekly flights from Larnaca increased to 129 in August.

In July, the airports handled over 1.63 million passengers, marking a narrow 1 percent year-on-year decline. Paphos airport specifically showed 7 percent growth compared to July 2025, driven by improved connectivity. For the first seven months of 2026, the cumulative traffic gap closed to 3.7 percent below 2025 levels. Hermes Airports forecasts that total annual traffic for 2026 will end 3 to 5 percent lower than 2025, provided geopolitical conditions remain stable. Authorities have also recently eased security access measures at Larnaca airport to accommodate the holiday rush.