PALERMO (ITALPRESS) – In 2025 the international airport “Falcone Borsellino” of Palermo has reached the best result of its history: 9.2 million passengers (+3.3%) and an average of 151 (147 in 2024) passengers per flight.
The 2025 marks the start of a structured industrial path, which aims to strengthen the role of the port of call with a vision based on sustainability, digitization and quality of experience. Since the second half of the year, an acceleration of management strategies has led to concrete results: commercial revenues were over 22 million, +8% in food & beverage, +10% in retail. Still marginal activity compared to the potential, but increasingly central in the strategy of diversification of revenues, in line with the development models of the main European hubs. This step-by-step change, together with cost optimization, resulted in an improvement in operating margins and a strengthening of the economic sustainability of the airport.
Towing growth is international traffic, which today represents 34% of the total, with 3.1 million passengers (+350 thousand respect 2024). France, Germany and Spain are the main markets, but also Poland (+47%), Turkey (+31%), Switzerland (+21%) and the United Kingdom (+9%). The intercontinental route Palermo-New York has recorded exceptional numbers: 40 thousand passengers and an increase of +121%. July was the record month with 1.012.058 passengers; on 25 July the busiest day with 36,234 transits.
A key element of the repositioning of the airport was work with airlines, Thanks to a structured and value-oriented approach, strategic agreements were defined for 2026 that will lead to the start of new links: the debut of Jet2 with Birmingham, Manchester and Newcastle, Norwegian with Oslo, the return of Wizz Air with two routes, Warsaw and Bratislava and the insertion of a new route from next summer, Ryanair leads to Gdansk, Warsaw and Bratislava, easyJet adds Bordeaux, Volotea with Orly and other destinations, Transavia with Amsterdam. A strategy oriented to selective and sustainable growth, which strengthens Palermo as a platform of attraction of flows, especially international ones.
The economic-financial data of 2025 also confirms the seal of the new management model: Ebitda to over 25 million and total revenues to about 100 million. According to the Iccsai study, the airport generates a total economic impact for the territory of 860 million euros (3.2% of the provincial gross domestic product), of which 250 from economic activities within the airport, 210 million from suppliers and related services (indirect impact), while the remaining part concerns the spending that make tourists on the territory. In addition, each euro generated by the airport produces 3.2 euros in the local economy. Each international passenger generates on average 140 euros for the territory, the intercontinental passenger reaches 720 euros.
“The 2025 represented for the airport of Palermo the beginning of a new industrial trajectory, founded on clear strategic choices, long-term vision and concrete actions – says Gianfranco Battisti, managing director of Gesap – We are turning the port into a modern and sustainable platform, open to innovation, able to attract new flows, new routes and new skills. We have laid the foundations for a management model oriented more and more to the results, which looks at the value generated for the territory, the operational efficiency and the quality perceived by the passengers. The industrial plan that we will present in 2026 – concludes Battisti – will consolidate this approach, leading the growth along fundamental axes such as integrated sustainability, digitization, diversification of revenues, internationalization and development of human capital”.
The transformation of the airport is perceived also by passengers. 2025 profiling data speak clear: 100% of users who booked an online service were satisfied; more than 60% of the travelers departing used at least one commercial service at the airport, with a satisfaction rate of 85%. Net Promoter Score is growing, while incoming travellers grow the share of tourists motivated by cultural and environmental experiences (15%). The improvement of passenger experience is also supported by a series of infrastructure interventions, completed in the second part of the year: seven drinking water fountains for passengers, of which four with refill options, 25 additional charging stations per device, 200 new more ergonomic next-generation seats, a new car park (P4) with 64 new places offered, the start of the restyling of the fast track and the work for the expansion of the second lounge in the air side area.
At the same time, 2025 marked a decisive acceleration on the energy transition front. Palermo confirmed the level 3+ “Neutrality” of the Airport carbon accreditation and points to level 4 in 2026. Activated photovoltaic systems produce more than 734,000 kWh per year, equal to 6.2% of the demand for the airport. The 400 Hz system is planned in the next two years to power the aircraft, while the substitution of the lighting with Led is being planned, as well as the planning of the conversion of the company fleet with electric vehicles and the optimization of Hvac systems.
Energy management is certified Iso 50001, and EnPi indicators report a reduction in passenger-specific consumption, despite the growth of volumes.
In the first half of 2026 will be presented the new Industrial Plan 2026-2036, which will trace the strategic roadmap for the next decade. The main topics include infrastructure expansion, internationalisation, sustainability, digitisation, training and innovation. A long-term project that puts people, territory and quality at the center of the development of the air port.
– Photos: Gesap Press Office –
(ITALPRESS).
