Lithuania Leads Europe in Air Connectivity Growth with Major Hubs

Lithuania has emerged as one of Europe’s fastest-rising air markets in 2025, delivering record gains in links to major aviation and economic hubs. As of August 13, the country ranks near the top in Europe for rebuilt and expanded connectivity, backed by rising passenger traffic, more flights, and new capacity at Vilnius, Kaunas, and Palanga airports. Airports Council International Europe (ACI Europe) reports that Lithuania placed 3rd out of 31 European countries for year-on-year growth in indirect connectivity—flights via big hubs—between 2024 and 2025.

Lithuanian Airports handled over 3.3 million passengers in the first half of 2025, a nearly 9% jump from a year earlier. Palanga led with a 24% rise, Kaunas with 21%, and Vilnius—the largest airport—grew 4.5%. Flight operations climbed 6% to 28,500 in the same period.

The network continues to widen with new routes including Kaunas–Pescara, Vilnius–Bergen, Vilnius–Catania, Vilnius–Prague, Vilnius–Tirana, and Vilnius–Budapest, alongside extra frequencies on Vilnius links to Amsterdam, Tallinn, Brussels, Copenhagen, and Zurich.

Rebound scale and connectivity metrics

ACI Europe’s latest report underscores the scale of the rebound:

• Indirect connectivity rose 20% year-on-year and now stands 5% above 2019—a rare outcome in Europe.
• Direct connectivity grew 3% over the past year, reflecting steady expansion of point-to-point options.

Only about one-third of European countries have fully regained pre-pandemic connectivity, making Lithuania’s progress notable.

Connectivity gains and route momentum

Industry planners attribute the gains to a strategic pivot toward Western and Northern European hubs following geopolitical shifts after 2022. Analysis by VisaVerge.com suggests this pivot has helped Lithuanian travelers reach long-haul markets via hubs such as Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen.

Simonas Bartkus, CEO of Lithuanian Airports, emphasizes deeper partnerships with traditional carriers and broader integration into Western European networks. Today, close to 100 destinations are reachable from Lithuania, with onward links to Asia and North America through hubs including Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Helsinki, Reykjavik, and Copenhagen.

Highlights by airport:

• Vilnius (main gateway)
  • Adding capacity and frequencies.
  • New departures terminal opened early 2025, doubling departure capacity (see Infrastructure section).
• Kaunas
  • Building on niche strengths.
  • Expansion and airfield upgrades scheduled to finish by late 2025, doubling terminal capacity to handle up to 2 million passengers annually.
• Palanga
  • Secured service to Western Europe (including Amsterdam).
  • Seasonal charter operations to Egypt and Turkey boosted leisure connectivity.

New services and carrier moves in 2025 include:

1. airBaltic to Prague and Tirana
2. Ryanair to Pescara
3. Israir to Tel Aviv
4. Flydubai launching Vilnius flights in October 2025, offering another pathway to long-haul connections via Dubai

Airport planners have also identified Geneva, Madrid, Stuttgart, and Gothenburg as priority targets for future direct links based on demand gaps.

Infrastructure and market signals

Infrastructure upgrades are central to the recovery story:

• Vilnius Airport
  • Opened a new departures terminal in early 2025, effectively doubling departure capacity.
  • Promises faster flows at security and boarding.
  • An arrivals terminal is planned by 2028 to further support transfers and growth.
• Kaunas
  • Terminal expansion plus apron/taxiway works to support higher throughput by late 2025.
• Palanga
  • Benefiting from targeted route additions that match seasonal coastal demand.

Tomas Zitikis, Head of Route Development at Lithuanian Airports, highlights risk-sharing partnership models that reduce airline exposure when testing new markets. These incentives, combined with clear demand analysis and steady facility upgrades, have encouraged carriers to add routes and frequencies.

Market projections and demand signals:

• Lithuania recorded 6.6 million total passengers across its airports in 2024.
• Statista Market Insights projects the Lithuanian flights market will reach US$485.4 million in 2025, aligning with observed traffic growth.
• Airlines continue launching routes and boosting frequencies despite tight fleet and crew resources across Europe.

Practical payoffs for travelers and businesses

The expanded connectivity delivers clear practical benefits:

• More choices and better schedules for leisure and business travelers.
• Shorter total trip times thanks to stronger hub access.
• Students, families, and cross-border workers gain from additional frequencies to Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Brussels, and Zurich.
• Business travelers benefit from reliable connections via Frankfurt and Helsinki for Europe-wide meetings.
• Small and mid-sized Lithuanian firms gain faster access to suppliers and clients, supporting trade, tourism, and investment.

Operational reliability is also improving through capacity upgrades, helping airlines manage aircraft rotations and on-time performance. Palanga’s developing links allow operators to tailor seasonal capacity for coastal leisure demand.

ACI Europe’s ranking—3rd in Europe for indirect connectivity growth—comes with the important caveat that many countries are still below 2019 levels. Lithuania’s surpassing of pre-pandemic indirect connectivity demonstrates how targeted partnerships, infrastructure upgrades, and data-driven route development can produce strong recovery even in a tight market.

Near-term priorities and longer-term outlook

Lithuanian Airports’ near-term aims:

• Continue route development outreach and carrier talks.
• Fill priority network gaps such as Geneva and Madrid.
• Protect gains on core routes and expand frequency where demand supports it.
• Complete planned facilities on schedule to sustain capacity and reliability.

Longer-term ambitions include sustained work toward transatlantic service and deeper integration with major global hubs.

For official updates, including current route maps and project milestones, consult Lithuanian Airports’ website at https://www.ltou.lt. The site provides press releases and contact details for questions on schedules and infrastructure timelines.

Key takeaways and watch points

• Lithuania recorded 3.3 million passengers in H1 2025, with nearly 9% year-on-year growth.
• Indirect connectivity is 20% up year-on-year and 5% above 2019—a standout result in Europe.
• Infrastructure investments (Vilnius departures terminal, Kaunas expansion) are enabling capacity and reliability improvements.
• Priority watch points for 2025:
  • Maintain rising indirect connectivity through hub partnerships.
  • Bring targeted new cities online (e.g., Geneva, Madrid).
  • Deliver planned terminal and apron/taxiway projects on time.

If these pieces hold, Lithuania’s air network should remain among Europe’s leaders, offering travelers from Vilnius, Kaunas, and Palanga faster, simpler paths to the rest of the continent and onward to global markets.