Routes World Awards 2025: easyJet and Athens International Airport are the big winners

At the Routes World Awards 2025, held in Bali, Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” was named Overall Winner and best airport in the category of over 20 million passengers, while easyJet, which won the title Airline of the Year, was at the top of the awards for airlines.

The Routes Awards are one of the most important events in the industry, as the distinctions are based on a worldwide vote by airlines and airports, based on network results, development strategies, and partnership relationships. The award of Athens as the top airport for 2025 is considered particularly significant, as it recognizes the Greek capital’s performance during a period of intense competition.

According to the data presented, the Athens International Airport handled 31.9 million passengers in 2024, marking an increase of almost 25% compared to pre-pandemic levels. The momentum continued in 2025, with the first eight months recording an additional 6.8% increase. This development was contributed to by new routes from international airlines, such as American Airlines, which added a connection to Charlotte, and Norse Atlantic, which inaugurated a flight to Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Aegean Airlines continues to expand its network, strengthening Athens’ role as a regional hub.

The airport management expressed satisfaction with the distinction, emphasizing that “this award reflects vision, dedication, synergies, and collective effort.” As AIA officials note, the recognition is not only about increasing passengers, but also about the airport’s ability to function as a reliable partner for airlines investing in new routes.

In the airline sector, easyJet was named Airline of the Year. The British carrier, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, serves more than 1,100 routes in 35 countries and continues to record strong growth, especially in European markets. The company’s presence in Athens has been strengthened in recent years, with the company being awarded in 2024 by the airport itself as “Best of the Top 10 Airlines” for its performance in the Greek market.

The dual distinctions further enhance Greece’s image on the global aviation map. On one hand, the Athens airport is being established as a major hub in SE Europe, with increasing connections to America, Asia, and the Middle East. On the other hand, the rise of easyJet shows the importance of low-cost carriers in shaping the European tourist and business flow, with Athens benefiting from their continuous network expansion.

With consecutive records being broken in Greece’s tourist arrivals and air connections multiplying, the awards in Athens and easyJet at the 2025 Routes World Awards confirm the country’s upgraded role in the international air transport network.