In January 2025, Madeira’s airports recorded an 8.9% increase in passenger traffic compared to the same period in the previous year. ANA—Aeroportos de Portugal provided the information to the Madeira Regional Statistics Directorate.
There were 340,900 passengers on 2,582 aircraft, corresponding to an increase of 10.6%. According to a note from the DREM, “in the month in question, Madeira airport saw an increase in both aircraft movements (2,417; +11.5% compared to January 2024) and the number of passengers (330,000; +9.3%). At Porto Santo airport, there was a slight reduction in both aircraft movements (165; -1.2% compared to the same period in 2024) and the number of passengers (10.8 thousand; -0.5%)”.

In January this year, each aircraft carried an average of 137 passengers at Madeira Airport, while in Porto Santo, the average was 66 passengers.
In addition, passenger traffic at Madeira’s airports increased by 16.9% in international traffic (190.3 thousand) and 0.3% in the domestic segment (150.6 thousand).

At Madeira Airport, international traffic (56.8%) predominated over domestic traffic (43.2% of the total), while at Porto Santo, the situation is the opposite, with domestic traffic predominating (75.5% of the total), but with less disproportion compared to the same period in 2024 (76.3% of the total).
Scheduled flights at RAM airports accounted for 90.4% of all aircraft handled and 92.3% of passengers (91.3% and 93.1%, respectively, in January 2024). “In January 2025, the occupancy of aircraft handled at RAM airports was around 77.9%, with Madeira airport reaching 78.0% and Porto Santo 75.0%. In the same month last year, year-on-year occupancy rates were higher at both regional airports (79.1%) and at Madeira airport (79.3%), while at Porto Santo, they were lower (73.8%),” says DREM.

Passengers embarking and disembarking at RAM airports (excluding transit passengers) amounted to 340,000 in January 2025, with 44.2% corresponding to traffic exclusively between airports located in national territory, which includes inland and domestic connections, and 55.8% to international traffic. Regarding the latter, the United Kingdom was the main country of origin and destination for international flights (30.4%), followed by Germany (22.4%) and Poland (14.1%).

Andreia Dias Ferro is a journalist for DN Madeira

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