Hermes Airports has confirmed that, by the end of November, combined traffic at Larnaca and Paphos crossed the 13-million-passenger mark—eclipsing the total for the whole of 2024 weeks before year-end. The Boxing-Day weekend drove home the trend: Larnaca processed 65 international arrivals and 38 departures on 26 December, while Paphos handled 27 additional movements.
Several factors underpin the boom. Airlines have diverted capacity from conflict-affected Israeli corridors, government winter-charter rebates cover up to 60 % of landing fees, and Central- and Eastern-European carriers are chasing winter-sun demand. Capacity across the island now stands 12 % above 2019 levels.
If you or your travellers need help sorting out Cyprus visa requirements in the midst of this traffic surge, VisaHQ offers an easy online platform for checking entry rules, completing applications and arranging courier delivery of documents—visit https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/ to get everything sorted before you arrive.
![Festive-Season Passenger Surge Pushes Cyprus Airports Past 13 Million Travellers]()
For mobility managers the surge means tighter seat availability, higher fares and longer queues. Hermes advises arriving at least two hours before even intra-EU departures and pre-booking fast-track security. Car-hire desks and taxi stands are also feeling the pinch; overflow car parks at Larnaca were opened early after online reservations sold out.
The numbers bolster Cyprus’s pitch as a regional hub ahead of its EU Council Presidency semester in 2026. New winter links to Rome, Brussels and Warsaw are ramping up, giving multinational firms more non-stop options for project teams and expatriates.
Practical implication: lock in January kick-off-meeting tickets now, opt for flexible fares, and brief travellers on e-gate usage to shave precious minutes off immigration waits.
Several factors underpin the boom. Airlines have diverted capacity from conflict-affected Israeli corridors, government winter-charter rebates cover up to 60 % of landing fees, and Central- and Eastern-European carriers are chasing winter-sun demand. Capacity across the island now stands 12 % above 2019 levels.
If you or your travellers need help sorting out Cyprus visa requirements in the midst of this traffic surge, VisaHQ offers an easy online platform for checking entry rules, completing applications and arranging courier delivery of documents—visit https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/ to get everything sorted before you arrive.
For mobility managers the surge means tighter seat availability, higher fares and longer queues. Hermes advises arriving at least two hours before even intra-EU departures and pre-booking fast-track security. Car-hire desks and taxi stands are also feeling the pinch; overflow car parks at Larnaca were opened early after online reservations sold out.
The numbers bolster Cyprus’s pitch as a regional hub ahead of its EU Council Presidency semester in 2026. New winter links to Rome, Brussels and Warsaw are ramping up, giving multinational firms more non-stop options for project teams and expatriates.
Practical implication: lock in January kick-off-meeting tickets now, opt for flexible fares, and brief travellers on e-gate usage to shave precious minutes off immigration waits.
