Busiest September Ever at Copenhagen Airport

With 3.1 million passengers passing through the terminals, September 2025 became the busiest September in Copenhagen Airport’s 100-year history. This marks a nine percent increase compared to the same month last year and reflects a continued strong appetite for travel among both leisure and business travellers.

“We are seeing solid and sustained growth in passenger traffic, driven by a strong interest in travelling the world – from both leisure and business travellers. At the same time, we continue to experience a growing influx of international visitors coming to Denmark to enjoy things like Danish ‘hygge’ and our internationally renowned gastronomy scene,” says Peter Krogsgaard, Chief Commercial Officer at Copenhagen Airport.

September marked the transition from summer holidays to late-summer travel, including city breaks, family visits and cultural experiences around Europe. Business travel also took up a larger share of the total traffic. In the first nine months of the year, nearly 24.5 million passengers have travelled through the airport, and September’s record numbers have further boosted the overall level.

Aircraft are also flying with higher occupancy than before, with a seat load factor of 80 percent – the highest level ever recorded in an autumn month. “It’s very positive that flights are fuller. When, on average, there are more passengers per flight, it increases efficiency and supports a more responsible use of flight capacity,” says Peter Krogsgaard.

There has also been a significant shift in aircraft types, with 37 percent of flights this year operated by newer, more fuel-efficient models such as the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX. In 2019, that share was only five percent. “When airlines invest in new and modern aircraft, it has a major impact – both environmentally and on the passenger experience. We see a clear trend toward fleet renewal, and we expect that to continue,” Krogsgaard explains.

Transfer traffic is also on the rise. The number of passengers using Copenhagen as a transfer hub increased by 35 percent in September compared to last year. This growth is especially seen among travellers from Norway, Sweden and Finland. “Copenhagen Airport plays an important role as a hub for the entire Nordic region. We are seeing a clear trend of more and more people choosing to travel via Copenhagen, particularly from our Nordic neighbours. Transfer passengers strengthen both the airport’s position and connectivity to international destinations. This is very positive for Denmark,” says Krogsgaard.

There has also been increased traffic to and from Southern Europe, particularly Spain and Italy, where September remains a high season for holidays.

However, the month was not without disruptions. Drone activity near the airport led to cancellations and delays. “It has a major impact on individual travellers when a departure or arrival is cancelled, and together with the airlines and ground handling companies, we focused on assisting affected passengers to ensure they could get home or continue their journey safely,” says Krogsgaard.

Looking ahead, Copenhagen Airport is preparing for a busy autumn break, during which over one million passengers are expected to pass through the terminals. On peak days, as many as 115,000 passengers are anticipated, and the airport is ready to welcome them – whether they’re heading off on a sun holiday, a city weekend, or travelling onward to destinations around the world.