Europe’s aviation landscape is dominated by a handful of powerful fortress hubs, where major airlines have established significant control over departing seats in the Europe’s busiest airports.
This article explores the top ten airports in Europe and the airlines that dominate them, highlighting the strategic importance of these hubs in shaping air travel across the continent.
Photo: LamelaEurope’s 10 Busiest Airport
London Heathrow Airport (LHR) leads Europe with over 4 million monthly departing seats, with International Airlines Group (IAG) controlling 55% of capacity.
Istanbul Airport (IST) follows with Turkish Airlines (TK) commanding an impressive 81% market share.
Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) round out the top European hubs, with Air France-KLM (AF-KL) controlling 56% and 64% of seats respectively.
The data reveals the extent to which major airline groups have established dominant positions across Europe’s busiest airports.
Fortress hubs are airports where one airline or airline group controls a substantial share of departing seats. This control allows them to dictate route networks, pricing strategies, and passenger flows.
The Europe’s top ten busiest airports, based on departing seats in March 2025, reveal a striking pattern of airline dominance.
| 1 | London Heathrow | LHR | 4.2+ | International Airlines Group (IAG) | 55% |
| 2 | Istanbul Airport | IST | 3.9+ | Turkish Airlines (TK) | 81% |
| 3 | Paris Charles de Gaulle | CDG | 3.4+ | Air France-KLM (AF-KL) | 56% |
| 4 | Amsterdam Schiphol | AMS | 3.2+ | Air France-KLM (AF-KL) | 64% |
| 5 | Madrid Barajas | MAD | 3.1+ | International Airlines Group (IAG) | 47% |
| 6 | Frankfurt Airport | FRA | 3.1+ | Lufthansa Group (LH) | 68% |
| 7 | Barcelona El Prat | BCN | 2.5+ | International Airlines Group (IAG) | 47% |
| 8 | Rome Fiumicino | FCO | 2.3+ | Lufthansa Group (LH) | 33% |
| 9 | Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen | SAW | 2.1+ | Pegasus Airlines | 68% |
| 10 | Munich Airport | MUC | 2.1+ | Lufthansa Group (LH) | 65% |
Image: British Airways 1. London Heathrow (LHR)
- Airline Group: International Airlines Group (IAG)
- Market Share: 55%
- Monthly Departing Seats: 4.2+ million
London Heathrow (LHR) remains Europe’s busiest airport despite IAG controlling just over half the capacity.
This relatively lower dominance compared to other fortress hubs reflects LHR’s status as a globally significant airport attracting numerous international carriers beyond IAG’s British Airways (BA), Iberia (IB), and Aer Lingus (EI) operations.
Photo: By Anna Zvereva from Tallinn, Estonia – Turkish Airlines, TC-JOE, Airbus A330-303, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1159954602. Istanbul Airport (IST)
- Airline Group: Turkish Airlines (TK)
- Market Share: 81%
- Monthly Departing Seats: 3.9+ million
Istanbul Airport showcases the most extreme example of airline dominance in Europe, with Turkish Airlines controlling an overwhelming 81% of all departing seats.
This reflects Turkish Airlines’ aggressive expansion strategy and Istanbul’s strategic geographic position as a global connecting hub between Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Photo: Clément Alloing3. Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)
- Airline Group: Air France-KLM (AF-KL)
- Market Share: 56%
- Monthly Departing Seats: 3.4+ million
Paris CDG serves as Air France-KLM’s primary French hub, with the group controlling over half of all departing capacity.
The airport’s strategic importance in the Air France-KLM network is evident, serving as a critical gateway to Africa and maintaining strong European and transatlantic connections.
Photo: By Solitude at English Wikipedia. – Photo by Solitude (16 October 2004)., CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=119595854. Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)
- Airline Group: Air France-KLM (AF-KL)
- Market Share: 64%
- Monthly Departing Seats: 3.2+ million
Amsterdam Schiphol represents Air France-KLM’s Dutch stronghold, with KLM’s historic presence reflected in a robust 64% market share.
This high concentration demonstrates the group’s dual-hub strategy, with Schiphol maintaining significant connectivity despite capacity constraints implemented in recent years.
Photo: By Curimedia – Airbus A321 Iberia & A320 British Airways, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=234895115. Madrid Barajas (MAD)
- Airline Group: International Airlines Group (IAG)
- Market Share: 47%
- Monthly Departing Seats: 3.1+ million
Madrid Barajas operates as IAG’s Spanish hub through Iberia operations, though the group controls less than half of all departing seats.
This lower concentration reflects Madrid’s importance as a gateway to Latin America, attracting numerous carriers from the Americas alongside IAG’s substantial presence.
Photo: ERIC SALARD | Flickr6. Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
- Airline Group: Lufthansa Group (LH)
- Market Share: 68%
- Monthly Departing Seats: 3.1+ million
Frankfurt Airport (FRA) functions as Lufthansa Group’s primary global hub with a commanding 68% market share.
This high concentration reflects Lufthansa’s historical dominance at FRA, serving as the airline’s operational headquarters and facilitating connections throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Photo: Martin J. Gallego | Flickr7. Barcelona El Prat (BCN)
- Airline Group: International Airlines Group (IAG)
- Market Share: 47%
- Monthly Departing Seats: 2.5+ million
Barcelona represents IAG’s secondary Spanish presence through Vueling and Iberia operations, with the group controlling just under half of all capacity.
Despite substantial IAG investment, the airport maintains significant diversity with strong low-cost carrier competition limiting IAG’s market concentration.
Photo: Eurofilms8. Rome Fiumicino (FCO)
- Airline Group: Lufthansa Group (LH)
- Market Share: 33%
- Monthly Departing Seats: 2.3+ million
Rome Fiumicino (FCO) shows the lowest concentration among Europe’s top airports, with Lufthansa Group controlling just one-third of departing seats.
This reflects the recent acquisition of ITA Airways by Lufthansa, which hasn’t yet translated into total market dominance at Italy’s primary international gateway.
Photo: Kevin Hackert | Flickr9. Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)
- Airline Group: Pegasus Airlines
- Market Share: 68%
- Monthly Departing Seats: 2.1+ million
Istanbul’s secondary airport demonstrates Turkey’s aviation power, with low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines controlling over two-thirds of capacity.
This remarkable dominance allows Istanbul to place two airports in Europe’s top ten, showcasing both premium and budget airline strength at separate facilities.
Photo: Lufthansa Group10. Munich Airport (MUC)
- Airline Group: Lufthansa Group (LH)
- Market Share: 65%
- Monthly Departing Seats: 2.1+ million
Munich serves as Lufthansa Group’s secondary German hub with substantial 65% market control.
This high concentration reflects Lufthansa’s strategic investment in MUC as a relief valve for Frankfurt operations, creating a dual-hub system within Germany focusing on premium service and connections.
Photo: Clément AlloingTurkey’s Emergence
Istanbul’s aviation footprint is particularly remarkable, with both its airports featuring in Europe’s top ten busiest.
While Istanbul Airport ranks second overall, Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) secures ninth position, outpacing Munich Airport. Unlike the primary Istanbul hub, SAW is dominated by Pegasus Airlines, which controls 68% of departing seats.
This dual-airport strength demonstrates Turkey’s strategic position as a crossroads between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Turkish Airlines has leveraged this geographic advantage to establish itself as a global connecting carrier, while Pegasus has built a formidable low-cost presence at the city’s second airport.
Photo: wilco737 | FlickrBig Three European Airline Groups
Beyond Turkish dominance, the European aviation market has consolidated around three major airline groups. IAG, Air France-KLM, and Lufthansa Group collectively control a substantial portion of capacity at eight of the ten Europe’s busiest airports.
Even at airports without an absolute majority share, these groups maintain significant influence.
For example, Lufthansa Group claims 33% of seats at Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO), illustrating how their reach extends beyond their primary hubs.
The inclusion of joint venture partners in these calculations further demonstrates the extensive control these airline alliances exert over European air travel.
Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.
Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News
Top 10 Busiest Airports in the World, No.4 Will Surprise You
The post Airline Monopolies: Who Rules Europe’s 10 Busiest Airports appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
