Cyprus’ two international gateways—Larnaca and Paphos—experienced their busiest Boxing-Day schedule on record, underscoring how strongly the island has bounced back as a regional hub after three turbulent pandemic-era winters. According to real-time data released by operator Hermes Airports, Larnaca handled 65 arrivals and 38 departures on 26 December, while Paphos processed 27 commercial movements. The seasonal spike caps a year of remarkable growth: in the first eleven months of 2025, Larnaca had already served 9.37 million travellers and Paphos 3.64 million, surpassing total 2024 volumes weeks before year-end.
Several factors lie behind the surge. First, capacity deployed by low-cost and network carriers is now 12 % above 2019 levels as airlines pivot east-Mediterranean capacity away from war-affected Israeli routes and slot-constrained European hubs. Second, the government’s targeted winter-charter incentives—rebates that cover up to 60 % of landing fees if airlines extend operations into the shoulder season—have succeeded in smoothing demand through December and January. Tour operators in Poland, Germany and Scandinavia have responded by adding weekend ‘sun-seekers’ rotations, filling hotels that once shuttered after October.
Operationally, Hermes had to bring forward a 500-space car-park expansion at Larnaca and open overflow lots after online reservations sold out. Immigration police ran all booths and deployed e-gates around the clock, trialling a queue-management app that alerts incoming passengers if Schengen or UK flights land simultaneously. Despite the crowding, average “airside-to-kerb” time remained under 23 minutes, well inside the airport’s 30-minute service pledge, officials told Cyprus News Agency.
![Holiday Rush Pushes Cyprus Airports to New Passenger Highs]()
Travelers unsure about visa or transit formalities amid this growing hub activity can streamline the process through VisaHQ’s dedicated Cyprus page (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/). The platform offers real-time entry-requirement checks, electronic applications and courier options, saving both leisure and corporate passengers critical time as Boxing-Day traffic and other peak periods intensify.
For business-travel managers the data carry two implications. First, last-minute seat scarcity is likely over Christmas/New Year 2026 as carriers lock in profitable holiday rotations; companies should secure allocations early or consider Turkish-controlled Tymbou (Ercan) airport in the north, though that entails non-EU border formalities. Second, ground-handling and car-rental bottlenecks could worsen next year unless capacity keeps pace—Hermes’ master-plan includes only a modest 4-gate expansion at Larnaca by 2027.
More broadly, the Boxing-Day record validates Cyprus’ strategy of marketing itself as a convenient ‘micro-hub’ between Europe and the Middle East. With Schengen accession targeted for 2026, authorities believe streamlined border controls and growing long-haul connectivity will shift an even greater share of Eastern Mediterranean transfer traffic to the island.
Several factors lie behind the surge. First, capacity deployed by low-cost and network carriers is now 12 % above 2019 levels as airlines pivot east-Mediterranean capacity away from war-affected Israeli routes and slot-constrained European hubs. Second, the government’s targeted winter-charter incentives—rebates that cover up to 60 % of landing fees if airlines extend operations into the shoulder season—have succeeded in smoothing demand through December and January. Tour operators in Poland, Germany and Scandinavia have responded by adding weekend ‘sun-seekers’ rotations, filling hotels that once shuttered after October.
Operationally, Hermes had to bring forward a 500-space car-park expansion at Larnaca and open overflow lots after online reservations sold out. Immigration police ran all booths and deployed e-gates around the clock, trialling a queue-management app that alerts incoming passengers if Schengen or UK flights land simultaneously. Despite the crowding, average “airside-to-kerb” time remained under 23 minutes, well inside the airport’s 30-minute service pledge, officials told Cyprus News Agency.
Travelers unsure about visa or transit formalities amid this growing hub activity can streamline the process through VisaHQ’s dedicated Cyprus page (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/). The platform offers real-time entry-requirement checks, electronic applications and courier options, saving both leisure and corporate passengers critical time as Boxing-Day traffic and other peak periods intensify.
For business-travel managers the data carry two implications. First, last-minute seat scarcity is likely over Christmas/New Year 2026 as carriers lock in profitable holiday rotations; companies should secure allocations early or consider Turkish-controlled Tymbou (Ercan) airport in the north, though that entails non-EU border formalities. Second, ground-handling and car-rental bottlenecks could worsen next year unless capacity keeps pace—Hermes’ master-plan includes only a modest 4-gate expansion at Larnaca by 2027.
More broadly, the Boxing-Day record validates Cyprus’ strategy of marketing itself as a convenient ‘micro-hub’ between Europe and the Middle East. With Schengen accession targeted for 2026, authorities believe streamlined border controls and growing long-haul connectivity will shift an even greater share of Eastern Mediterranean transfer traffic to the island.
