Münster/Osnabrück Airport Hits 1.2M Passengers, Eyes New Leisure Routes
Münster/Osnabrück Airport (FMO) welcomed more than 1.2 million passengers in 2024, marking a 30 percent increase over the previous year and confirming its full recovery to 2019 traffic levels. As one of the few commercial airports in Germany to surpass its pre-pandemic volumes, FMO has leveraged a strong leisure market to drive growth. The airport’s year-round operation, absence of slot restrictions and strategic location with a catchment area exceeding 11.1 million people within a 90-minute drive have positioned it to capture both holiday and business travel demand.
Leisure demand surged after Condor and partner Marabu Airlines launched a seasonal service to Palma de Mallorca in May 2024. Ryanair then upgraded its Alicante link from summer-only to a year-round route, and announced new summer connections to London Stansted and Malaga. For winter 2024, Sundair established a base to serve destinations in the Canary Islands and Egypt, and in April 2025 Red Sea Airlines commenced flights to Hurghada. These additions have bolstered FMO’s network at a time when international tourism is rebounding across Europe.
CEO Rainer Schwarz highlighted the airport’s open-access model and its appeal to both legacy and low-cost carriers. “We are targeting new leisure routes such as Faro, Thessaloniki and several unserved Greek islands,” he said, stressing the importance of year-round service. On the corporate side, FMO plans to restore business routes to Vienna, Barcelona and Istanbul, while strengthening connectivity to key hubs including Zurich and Athens. Schwarz added that nonstop access without slot constraints gives FMO “a competitive edge and flexibility that airlines appreciate.”
At Routes Europe 2025 in Seville, Schwarz met with airline executives to explore further partnerships. “There are a lot of airlines here, so we’ve had great business opportunities in a great venue,” he commented, underlining the value of face-to-face negotiations at industry events. Since joining Routes 360 just over a year ago, FMO has actively used the platform to showcase its incentives, share potential new services and maintain visibility among decision-makers. The airport’s Routes 360 profile now features detailed business cases and market data to support route proposals.
Behind these developments lie targeted infrastructure investments. Recent upgrades to passenger facilities, expanded apron space and improved ground handling processes have enhanced the airport experience. Local tourism stakeholders and regional authorities have collaborated to promote FMO’s expanding schedule, leveraging its 24/7 operating hours to accommodate early-morning and late-night flights that fit leisure itineraries.
FMO aims to diversify its markets beyond Western Europe by pursuing routes to under-served Mediterranean islands and emerging business centers. Its strategy combines data-driven route analysis with flexible incentive schemes, designed to mitigate risk for airlines launching new services. With steady passenger growth and a proactive route development team, Münster/Osnabrück Airport is poised to build on its recent successes and deliver even more connections for travelers.
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