Barcelona and Málaga top Dutch travelers’ destinations last summer

Barcelona remained the top destination for Dutch travelers last summer, mirroring last year’s trend. According to Statistics Netherlands, over half a million passengers flew to or from El Prat Airport in July, August, and September, up from just under half a million the previous year.

The statistics bureau’s top 10 destinations also highlight the growing popularity of Málaga. Passenger numbers are nearing 500,000, up from just over 400,000 in the summer quarter of 2024. The majority of travelers departed from Rotterdam The Hague Airport and Eindhoven Airport.

Statistics Netherlands reports that, alongside Barcelona and Málaga, the five most popular destinations from the Netherlands include London Heathrow, Dublin, and Lisbon. Other top destinations were Madrid Barajas, Alicante, Copenhagen, Palma de Mallorca, and Manchester.

Unsurprisingly, all of these top destinations are in Europe. Around three-quarters of passengers traveled within the continent, with Spain leading at 3.2 million travelers. The United Kingdom and Italy followed, attracting 2.3 million and 1.4 million passengers. For journeys outside Europe, the United States was the most frequented destination, with 1.7 million travelers.

Statistics Netherlands reports that the five largest Dutch airports handled 22.2 million passengers in the third quarter, nearly 3 percent more than a year earlier. Flight numbers rose slightly to 147,000. August was the peak month, with 7.6 million travelers, and traffic was especially high on Sunday, August 3, and Monday, August 4, when over 262,000 passengers flew to or from the Netherlands on each day.