MIA sees record traffic in July topping previous monthly record by more than 25,000 passengers

July 2023 was Malta International Airport's (MIA) busiest month since 2019, topping the previous record for passenger movements in one month by more than 25,000.

According to a statement by MIA, seat capacity saw a 3.8% increase during July, as a result of larger aircraft being operated on flights to the country. Meanwhile, the monthly seat load factor also rose by 2.1% over pre-pandemic levels, as it reached 89.1%, while demand was noted to have retained its strength.

While Italy and the United Kingdom retained their top spots as the most popular markets during July, the French market performed very well, as it saw 52% growth over 2019, outperforming Germany. This could be a result of the fact that five airlines currently connect MIA to 10 French airports. Spain on the other hand grew only by 1.2% when compared to 2019 levels.

Despite the increase in traffic, MIA anticipates busier days ahead, as traffic is expected to peak on 17 and 24 August, where more than 32,000 passengers are anticipated on each of the two days. For this reason, passengers are advised to be at their terminal at least two hours before the scheduled time of departure.

The number of tourists travelling to Malta in 2023 is expected to beat previous records set in 2019, as in 2022, MIA recovered 80% of the record traffic it had seen before the pandemic.