Rome Fiumicino Airport clinched the Overall Winner title at the Routes World Awards 2026, held on October 22 during the Routes World 2026 conference in Frankfurt, Germany. The airport also secured top honors in the category for airports handling more than 30 million passengers annually.
Aeroporti di Roma’s Record-Breaking Performance
Fiumicino handled a record 51.3 million passengers in 2025, marking a 4% annual increase. Of those, 10.8 million were long-haul travelers. The airport’s 2026 network development program introduced over 40 new routes, expanded to more than 15 new destinations, and welcomed four new airlines. Its North American network now spans 22 airports, with Seattle served by Alaska Airlines and Houston by ITA AirLines.
Federico Scriboni, Aeroporti di Roma’s Director of Aviation Business Development, called the award a powerful endorsement of partner trust in the airport’s initiatives. He emphasized that the recognition reflects ADR’s long-term vision for sustainable aviation growth built on high-value strategic pillars.
The awards recognize airports, airlines, destinations, and individuals contributing to global air connectivity. Other passenger category winners included Shannon Airport in Ireland, Cagliari Airport in Italy, Edinburgh Airport in Scotland, and Brussels Airport in Belgium.
Category Winners Show Diversified Growth
Shannon Airport won the under-five-million-passenger category after recording 12% growth in the first half of 2026. The airport forecasts full-year traffic 50% above 2019 levels, with its network reaching 40 services — the highest total in 17 years. Five new routes and frequency increases across 12 routes supported this expansion, including Air Canada’s Toronto service secured for Summer 2027.
Cagliari Airport claimed the five-to-10-million-passenger award with 12 new summer 2026 routes and four winter 2026-27 routes, plus frequency increases on 45 existing routes. Winter seat capacity is expected to reach approximately 2.2 million as the airport works to reduce seasonal traffic fluctuations.
Edinburgh Airport won the 10-17.5-million-passenger category, handling nearly 17 million passengers in 2025 while adding 25 routes. North American services grew from six in April 2025 to 11 in April 2026, with capacity increasing 47% and average load factors reaching 84%.
Brussels Airport took the 17.5-30-million-passenger category, securing nine new airlines and 19 new destinations across 2025 and 2026. New routes include Atlanta, Hong Kong, and São Paulo, while its China network expanded to six cities with the addition of Chongqing and Chengdu.
Morocco’s National Tourist Office won the Destination award after welcoming nearly 20 million visitors in 2025. Arrivals increased another 7% through May 2026, supported by transatlantic connectivity including Delta Air Lines’ Atlanta-Marrakech service launched in October 2025.
Transavia received the Airline award after retaining all 14 routes launched over the previous two years. In 2026, the carrier ran 19 joint marketing campaigns generating more than 12 million verified consumer contacts, demonstrating how demand stimulation can remain commercially disciplined even amid market capacity constraints.
Launched in June 2025, the service restored nonstop connectivity between Austria and Singapore after an 18-year absence. Average load factors exceeded 90%, supporting an increase from three weekly flights to four by late June 2026. Origin-and-destination traffic grew 66% year over year in the 12 months through June 2026, capturing 43% of the market.
In the Rising Star category, Edinburgh Airport Aviation Development Manager Will Green received the award. He progressed from analyst to managing 16 airline partners in three and a half years, increasing capacity across his portfolio by 19% since 2024 alongside 22 route launches and five new airline secured.
The Individual Leadership award went to Peggy Croes, Senior Vice President of Aviation Market Development at Curacao Airport Partners NV. With over two decades developing airline networks in Aruba and Curaçao, she established the air service development department at Aruba Airport Authority in 2004 and later diversified the network at Curaçao International Airport.
Her partnerships span JetBlue, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Azul, and LATAM. A panel of airline judges reviewed and scored the Airport and Destination categories, while editorial judges assessed the Individual Leadership, Rising Star, Route of the Year, and Airline categories. Now in its 31st year, Routes World brings together decision-makers from airlines, airports, and destinations to develop global route networks.
The judging process emphasized measurable contributions to global air connectivity and long-term network development.
Regional Highlights and Future Outlook
Shannon Airport’s Head of Aviation Development, Declan Power, noted that 2027 and beyond would build on the year’s strong performance. The airport secured Air Canada’s Toronto service for Summer 2027 and expanded Ryanair’s based fleet to four aircraft in 2025. Frequency increases across 12 routes contributed to a network of 40 services, the highest total in 17 years.
