Euro Airport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg
9.6 million passengers and improvements in service quality, operations and nocturnal noise pollution
Ein Dokument
In 2025, 9.6 million passengers used EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg. This made 2025 the busiest year in the history of EuroAirport in terms of passenger numbers. The year was marked by high demand and intense summer operations, as well as progress made in infrastructure projects, stabilising operations and environmental and noise reduction measures.
Operations: high demand and reliable processes
The 2025 summer vacation period was characterised by high demand: more than 2.4 million passengers used the Airport during a period of 10 weeks, which corresponds to around +9% compared to the previous year. Despite capacity shortages among air traffic control providers across Europe and weather-related restrictions, operations ran smoothly and orderly.
The instruments introduced to improve planning and predictability – slot coordination and real-time data exchange with European air traffic control (Eurocontrol) – once again proved their worth and helped to ensure traffic flows and the quality of operations even during peak periods. Overall, waiting times remained moderate. Only the availability of parking spots during traffic peaks was not always sufficient, highlighting the need for further improvement in the Airport's accessibility by means of public transportation.
Stable development in the Cargo sector, sustained momentum in the Industry sector
EuroAirport recorded a stable performance in the Strategic Business Area Cargo in 2025. Cargo operations continued to focus on perishable and temperature-controlled goods, particularly for the Life Sciences Industry, confirming the strategic importance of EuroAirport’s highly specialised Cargo Terminal.
In the industrial sector, the positive momentum continued as well: the airport platform maintained its international position as one of the world's leading centers for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of VVIP aircraft, thereby contributing to the creation of skilled jobs.
Concrete improvements in service quality
In order to improve service quality, catering offers and sales points were renewed. Since the end of April 2025, passengers have been able to enjoy a completely revamped, attractive range of catering options. Furthermore, part of the Observation Deck was reopened in October 2025 after a closure of around ten years.
Further development was carried out digitally as well: in September 2025, EuroAirport's new website went online with a brand-new, modern and user-friendly design, tailored specifically to mobile devices and facilitating access to information and services.
The implementation of further measures is scheduled for 2026, including in particular the start of construction for the modernisation and extension of waiting zones located within the Gates South Area. In addition, a key milestone was reached in 2025 with the selection of the winning project for the new annex to the terminal building (EMT Landside). The start of construction is scheduled for 2027, the commissioning of the new building in 2030/31.
Environment:
Nocturnal noise pollution: advancements and challenges
Reducing nighttime noise pollution remains a key priority. Nocturnal flight movements were significantly reduced again last year, particularly in the second hour of the night between 23:00 and 24:00. In addition to the existing measures, differentiated noise-related charges, operational adjustments as well as fines imposed by the competent French control authority ACNUSA were carried out.
Compared to 2019, departures after 23:00 decreased significantly in 2025: by 95% at the time the aircraft leaves its parking position and by 74% at take-off (2024: –89% and –61%). The decline in take-offs after 23:00 has a direct impact on the noise situation. Since 2019, noise levels north of the Airport have been reduced by around 7 dB(A) during this period, and south of the Airport by around 1.5 dB(A). Further actions to relieve the situation in the south are being examined.
Despite this progress, challenges remain during the two nighttime hours between 22:00 and 24:00. Although the current Noise Pollution Report shows a significant improvement compared to previous years, immission limits continue to be exceeded above Swiss territory between 22:00 and 24:00.
Negotiations with the airlines will therefore continue, and further measures are being reviewed on an ongoing basis. Noise-related charges, which were tightened again in January 2025, and the other measures set out in the Noise Prevention Plan (PPBE) are intended to contribute to a further reduction in noise pollution.
Landings from the south: the percentage of landings from the south via ILS 33 was 12.9% in 2025, remaining above the specified threshold value. According to the assessment of the competent authorities (the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation/FOCA and the French Civil Aviation Authority/DGAC), there are currently no feasible measures to comply with the ILS usage quotas, as the increased quota/percentage is due to meteorological changes.
Reduction of CO₂ emissions
EuroAirport pursues a two-track approach to reducing CO₂ emissions: on the one hand, the Airport is reducing its own emissions (Scopes 1 and 2) with the aim of achieving net-zero CO₂ by 2030 at the latest. On the other hand, EuroAirport is working with its partners to reduce emissions across the entire airport platform (Scope 3).
Further actions were carried out in 2025, including an extension of photovoltaics systems, the gradual electrification of the vehicle fleet and ground equipment as well as an extension of the corresponding infrastructure for electrical charging. At the same time, new bike paths were opened in 2025, connecting the airport platform to the existing bike path network.
Major employment hub, regional roots and accessibility
The Airport continues to be a major employment hub and economic driver in the Tri-Border Area. Over 6 700 people work on the airport platform in a wide variety of fields.
With direct flight connections to around one hundred destinations across Europe and the Mediterranean as well as numerous possibilities for connecting flights via international hubs, the Airport ensures air transportation connectivity and contributes to the region’s attractivity.
Outlook 2026: investments in quality and the future
Starting in 2026, EuroAirport will commence a multi-year investment cycle with a total of over 500 hundred million Euro over a period of around seven years. Its goal is to sustainably improve service quality for passengers and progressively modernise key infrastructures.
The first elements of this investment cycle include:
- the refurbishment of the main runway (2026),
- the modernisation of the boarding areas located within the Gates South section (starting in 2026),
- as well as the EMT Landside Project (starting in 2027).
A total of 79 million Euro in investments is planned for 2026, including the runway refurbishment, electrical infrastructure and measures to improve service quality. A key infrastructure project is the renovation of the main runway from April 15 to May 20, 2026.
With this investment program, EuroAirport is laying the foundation for the sustainable development of its infrastructures and long-term improvement in service quality for passengers and airport partners.
Further information as well as detailed key figures for passenger and cargo-related air traffic are available on EuroAirport’s website.
Contact:
EuroAirport
Manuela WITZIG
Head of Communication and Public Affairs
BP 60120
CH-4030 Basel
+41 (0)61 325 35 45
On-call duty (during weekends): +33 (0)6 32 63 37 87
Flughafen Basel-Mulhouse | Postfach | CH-4030 Basel Aéroport Bâle-Mulhouse | BP 60120 | F-68304 Saint-Louis Cedex