More people are flying – international traffic drives growth in March

10 Apr 2026 12:00 CEST

The number of international passengers increased by 6.4 per cent in March
compared with the same month last year, while domestic passenger numbers rose by
around 2 per cent. Overall, the figures show growth in both domestic and
international travel.

Higher passenger numbers and fewer aircraft movements
Although passenger numbers increased at all Avinor airports in March, the number
of aircraft movements declined slightly. Around 58,400 aircraft movements were
recorded during the month, a decrease of approximately 2.4 per cent compared
with last year. This indicates that aircraft on average carried more passengers
per departure than before, resulting in a higher load factor.

“March figures show a continued positive development in passenger numbers,
particularly driven by international travel. Flights to the Middle East have
been significantly affected during March, but this is not visible in the overall
figures, suggesting that traffic has partly shifted. At the same time, we see
steady development in the domestic market,” says Gaute Skallerud Riise, VP
Traffic Development at Avinor.

Passenger numbers so far little affected by the war in the Middle East
Passenger numbers for March appear to be only marginally affected by the
outbreak of war in the Middle East. At the same time, it must be noted that much
of the traffic and ticket sales were made before hostilities began and before
the fuel situation changed dramatically. Avinor is closely monitoring
developments. An uncertain security situation and potentially high fuel prices
going forward may affect travel activity.

Bergen Airport shows the strongest growth among the largest airports
Bergen Airport, Flesland recorded the strongest passenger growth among the
country’s largest airports in March. More than 541,000 passengers travelled via
Bergen during the month, almost 6 per cent more than in March last year.
Growth was particularly strong among international passengers, which increased
by more than 13 per cent, while domestic traffic also showed a clear rise. This
further strengthens Bergen’s role as a key airport for both Western Norway and
international travel.

“The development in Bergen reflects both increased international demand and
steady activity in the domestic market. It provides a good picture of traffic
patterns in the region,” says Skallerud Riise.

Airlines launch their summer programmes with familiar and new destinations
The final weekend of March marks the transition to the airlines’ summer
schedules, leading to increased activity at our airports. In addition to more
departures and the return of well-known summer destinations, this year’s summer
programme also includes several new routes.

“It is encouraging to see the route network expanding, benefiting private
travellers, the travel industry and businesses across the country,” Skallerud
Riise adds.

See the full list of new destinations in the attachment.

Drone flying increases in spring
In March, 2,316 drone flight plans were registered. This represents an increase
of 2 per cent compared with March last year, and as many as 800 more than in
February.

“More people fly drones as the weather improves, which is why we see an increase
around Easter. We also know that summer is peak season for drone operations,”
says Mats Gjertsen, Head of Avinor’s Drone Programme.

“We are pleased that many people operate drones legally, and we encourage
everyone to continue doing so as we move towards brighter days and even better
conditions for drone flying,” Gjertsen concludes.

Link to statistics:
https://om.avinor.no/en/about-us/traffic-statistics/

More information:
Access the news on Oslo Bors NewsWeb site

670376_Avinor traffic March 2026.pdf