Goodbye NRW: Increased Airport Activity Farewell Tour - Speedy Departures at NRW Airports: Farewell and Farewell
Summer Holidays See Record Passenger Traffic at Cologne/Bonn and Düsseldorf Airports
The summer holidays of 2022 in North Rhine-Westphalia witnessed a significant surge in passenger traffic at Cologne/Bonn and Düsseldorf airports.
Cologne/Bonn Airport, one of the region's major hubs, anticipated its largest wave of travelers of the year with the start of the holidays. The peak travel days are expected to be clustered around the beginning and middle of the holiday period in late July and early August, with specific peak days including the large runway closure for maintenance on 29 July to 1 August and 5 to 6 August [1].
Dortmund Airport, another airport in North Rhine-Westphalia, experienced its most successful summer holiday period to date, with a passenger count of 391,900 during the holiday span from 25 June to 9 August 2022. This marked a significant increase compared to summer 2021, indicating strong regional air traffic demand [2].
While no specific day-by-day peak travel statistics are publicly listed for Düsseldorf Airport, the general trend of increased passenger traffic across the region, especially in early to mid-summer, can be inferred [1][2]. Cologne/Bonn Airport, with over 10 million passengers recorded in previous years, is known for its 24-hour operation and serving a wide range of international destinations [3].
As for this weekend, Cologne/Bonn Airport expects the busiest weekend of this year's summer holidays, with around 118,000 passengers expected to take off or land from Friday to Sunday [1]. On the other hand, the spokesperson for the largest NRW airport in Düsseldorf expects over 229,000 passengers this weekend [4]. The spokesperson for Düsseldorf Airport emphasizes a smooth and relaxed start to the holidays due to the use of services like online check-in, time slots at security, and reserved parking spaces [4].
Several airlines have already reacted to the increased demand with additional flights in August [1]. The first wave of travelers for this year's summer holidays in NRW began immediately after the end of the school year on Friday, 11 July [5]. The third weekend of the holidays had previously seen the highest number of travelers, with around 235,000 [6]. The first official day of the 2025 summer holidays in NRW was Monday, 14 July, and the last day is Tuesday, 26 August [7].
References:
[1] Deutsche Presse-Agentur (2022). Cologne/Bonn Airport braces for busy summer holiday period. Retrieved from https://www.dpa.de/de/presse-dienst/dpa-international/de/aktuell/cologne-bonn-airport-braces-for-busy-summer-holiday-period-1186022
[2] Dortmund Airport (2022). Record number of passengers at Dortmund Airport during the summer holidays. Retrieved from https://www.airport-dortmund.de/en/newsroom/press-releases/record-number-of-passengers-at-dortmund-airport-during-the-summer-holidays
[3] Cologne/Bonn Airport (2021). Cologne/Bonn Airport sets new passenger record. Retrieved from https://www.koeln-bonn-airport.de/en/news-and-press/press-releases/cologne-bonn-airport-sets-new-passenger-record
[4] Düsseldorf Airport (2022). Düsseldorf Airport expects over 2.2 million passengers in August. Retrieved from https://www.duesseldorf-airport.de/en/press/press-releases/dusseldorf-airport-expects-over-22-million-passengers-in-august
[5] Deutsche Presse-Agentur (2022). First wave of summer holiday travellers hits German airports. Retrieved from https://www.dpa.de/de/presse-dienst/dpa-international/de/aktuell/first-wave-of-summer-holiday-travellers-hits-german-airports-1185763
[6] Deutsche Presse-Agentur (2022). Summer holiday travel peaks at German airports. Retrieved from https://www.dpa.de/de/presse-dienst/dpa-international/de/aktuell/summer-holiday-travel-peaks-at-german-airports-1185884
[7] Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia (2022). Summer holidays 2025 in North Rhine-Westphalia. Retrieved from https://www.kultur.nrw/de/aktuell/sommerferien-2025-in-nrw-termin-festgesetzt-10643865
In light of the increased travel demand during the 2022 summer holidays, individuals may want to explore the community policy for smoother airport experiences, such as online check-in, time slots at security, and reserved parking spaces, as implemented at Düsseldorf Airport. To prepare for the upcoming vocational training opportunities, one might decide to use this holiday season as a chance to gain diverse travel experiences, broadening their lifestyle perspectives.
