Air traffic continues to grow

In the period 2003-2005 passenger transport through Dutch airports increased by nearly 13 percent to more than 46 million travellers. Over the same period, air cargo transport increased by 12 percent to reach 1.5 million tons in 2005.

Passengers Dutch airports

United Kingdom in the lead

Most passengers (about 17 percent) go to or come from the United Kingdom. With a share of over 10 percent, the United States is runner-up.
The US is the largest partner in air cargo transport. Approximately 18 percent of all cargo through Dutch airports is destined for or coming from the United States. In the period 2003-2005, transport of cargo to and from the US rose by almost 19 percent.

Transport of cargo through Dutch airports

China popular

The number of flights to and from China (excluding Hong Kong) almost tripled between 2003 and 2005. Transport of passengers to and from China increased from nearly 180 thousand in 2003 to 435 thousand in 2005. Cargo transport increased from 37 thousand tons in 2003 to 122 thousand tons in 2005; two thirds are imports, one third exports. China is currently in second position as most important air freight partner after the US and before Hong Kong.

Sturdy growth air traffic with new EU member states

Air traffic between the Netherlands and the new EU member states also increased considerably in 2005. The number of flights to the new member states rose by 38 percent to almost 20 thousand in 2005. The amount of travellers to and from the eight former Warsaw Pact countries rose by 35 percent to 1.3 million.

Regional airports increasingly important

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol continues to grow, but is losing ground on the national level. Regional airports are growing relatively fast. Transport of cargo to and from Maastricht-Aachen Airport increased by 20 thousand tons to 54 thousand tons in 2005. The volume of passengers travelling through Eindhoven Airport even more than doubled from 428 thousand in 2003 to 973 thousand in 2005.

Passengers of regional airports

Wick Schaafstra and Marly Odekerken