Largest airlines in Europe
What are the largest airlines in Europe?
Everyone is familiar with names such as British Airways, Aer Lingus, Ryanair and easyJet, but most people don’t know which airline is the largest airline in Europe. There is uncertainty due to a large number of mergers and bankruptcies that have taken place in the aviation sector. Well-known examples are the merger between Air France and KLM and the bankruptcy of Belgian Sabena and Hungarian Malev. In addition, there is now a major role for low-cost carriers. The main cause of this is the deregulation of European airspace in 1992. From that moment airlines were allowed to fly within the EU without the consent of national governments. This resulted in the rise of low cost airlines like Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air, a success as can be proven by the number of passengers low cost airlines carried in 2022.
Last update: June 2023
Top 22 largest airlines Europe, 2022:
| Position | Airline | Passengers 2022 | Passengers 2019 |
| 1 | Ryanair | 160.4 million (+5.2%) | 152.4 million |
| 2 | Lufthansa Group (Lufthansa, Eurowings, Brussels Airlines, Swiss, Austrian Airlines) | 101.8 million (-29.9%) | 145.2 million |
| 3 | IAG Group (British Airways, Vueling, Iberia, Aer Lingus, LEVEL) | 94.7 million (-19.9%) | 118.3 million |
| 4 | Air France-KLM (Air France, KLM, Transavia France, Transavia) | 83.3 million (-20.1%) | 104.2 million |
| 5 | easyJet | 75.3 million (-21.6%) | 96.1 million |
| 6 | Turkish Airlines (including AJet) | 71.8 million (-3.4%) | 74.3 million |
| 7 | Wizz Air | 45.7 million (+14.8%) | 39.8 million |
| 8 | Aeroflot Group (Aeroflot, Pobeda, Rossiya Airlines) | 40.7 million (-32.9%) | 60.7 million |
| 9 | Pegasus Airlines | 26.9 million (-12.7%) | 30.8 million |
| 10 | SAS Group (Scandinavian Airlines) | 23.1 million (-22.5%) | 29.8 million |
| 11 | Norwegian | 17.8 million (-51.0%) | 36.3 million |
| 12 | S7 Airlines | 16.0 million (-10.1%) | 17.8 million |
| 13 | Jet2 | 15.5 million (+21.1%) | 12.8 million |
| 14 | TAP Air Portugal | 13.8 million (-19.3%) | 17.1 million |
| 15 | Aegean Airlines (and Olympic Air) | 12.5 million (-16.7%) | 15.0 million |
| 16 | TUI Airways | 11.3 million (-4.2%) | 11.8 million |
| 17 | SunExpress | 10.7 million (+7.0%) | 10.0 million |
| 18 | ITA Airways / Alitalia | 10.1 million (-52.6%) | 21.3 million |
| 19 | Air Europa | 10.0 million (-23.7%) | 13.1 million |
| 20 | Volotea | 9.5 million | 7.6 million |
| 21 | LOT | 9.3 million | 10.1 million |
| 22 | Finnair | 9.1 million (-38.1%) | 14.7 million |
Lufthansa Group 2022 = Lufthansa 51.8 million (including regional partners), Eurowings 17.0 million (28.1 million in 2019), Swiss 15.1 million (including Edelweiss Air), Austrian Airlines 11.1 million, Brussels Airlines 6.8 million (10.2 million in 2019). Total = 101.8 million.
IAG Group 2022 = British Airways 33.3 million, Vueling 32.0 million, Iberia 20.0 million (including Iberia Express), Aer Lingus 9.0 million, LEVEL 0.5 million. Total = 94.7 million.
Air France-KLM 2022 = Air France 39.1 million, KLM 25.8 million, Transavia 18.4 million (Transavia France 10.7 million and Transavia 7.7 million). Total = 83.3 million.
Aeroflot Group 2019 = Aeroflot 37.2 million, Pobeda, Rossiya Airlines and Aurora (51% ownership) 23.5 million. Total = 60.7 million.
Top 20 largest airlines Europe (individual), 2022:
| Position | Airline | Passengers 2022 | Passengers 2019 |
| 1 | Ryanair | 160.4 million (+5.2%) | 152.4 million |
| 2 | easyJet | 75.3 million (-21.6%) | 96.1 million |
| 3 | Turkish Airlines (including AJet) | 71.8 million (-3.4%) | 74.3 million |
| 4 | Lufthansa | 51.8 million (-27.3%) | 71.3 million |
| 5 | Wizz Air | 45.7 million (+14.8%) | 39.8 million |
| 6 | Aeroflot | 40.7 million (-32.9%) | 37.2 million |
| 7 | Air France | 39.1 million (-25.5%) | 52.5 million |
| 8 | British Airways | 33.3 million (-30.2%) | 47.7 million |
| 9 | Vueling | 32.0 million (-7.5%) | 34.6 million |
| 10 | Pegasus Airlines | 26.9 million (-12.7%) | 30.8 million |
| 11 | KLM | 25.8 million (-26.5%) | 35.1 million |
| 12 | Scandinavian Airlines | 23.1 million (-22.5%) | 29.8 million |
| 13 | Iberia | 20.0 million (-10.7%) | 22.4 million |
| 14 | Transavia France and Transavia | 18.4 million (+10.8%) | 16.6 million |
| 15 | Norwegian | 17.8 million (-51.0%) | 36.3 million |
| 16 | Eurowings | 17.0 million (-39.5%) | 28.1 million |
| 17 | S7 Airlines | 16.0 million (-10.1%) | 17.8 million |
| 18 | Jet2 | 15.5 million (+21.1%) | 12.8 million |
| 19 | Swiss | 15.1 million (-30.1%) | 21.6 million |
| 20 | TAP Air Portugal | 13.8 million (-19.3%) | 17.1 million |
Which airlines are banned within the EU?
To improve safety in Europe further, the European Commission has decided to ban airlines found to be unsafe from operating in European airspace. These airlines are placed on a blacklist. Banned airlines are not allowed to fly within Europe and should not take off or land at European airports. Click here to see the list of airlines banned within the EU.