airBaltic Reports Record Passengers and Expands Fleet with A220

Latvian-based carrier airBaltic has announced record-breaking passenger numbers and load factors for October 2024, marking a significant milestone in the airline’s growth trajectory. During the month, airBaltic transported 470,800 passengers, an 11% increase over October 2023, when it flew 424,600 passengers. The airline’s network-wide load factor reached 84.1%, up 5.7 percentage points from the previous year. Additionally, airBaltic operated 4,160 flights in October, a 2% increase from 2023, making it the highest total in the airline’s 29-year history.

Year-to-date, airBaltic has carried more than 4.3 million passengers and completed over 39,600 flights. This impressive performance follows a series of record-breaking traffic figures for the airline over the past months, underscoring its ongoing growth.

“We continue to see strong growth, with record-breaking traffic figures and new route launches, both for individual months and overall,” said Martin Gauss, President and CEO of airBaltic. “Our recent expansion, including the launch of nine new routes for the winter season and new codeshare partnerships, is part of our strategy to provide the best global connectivity from the Baltic region.”

airBaltic has recently launched nine new routes for the winter 2024/25 season, adding five routes from Riga, two from Tallinn, and two from Vilnius. Looking ahead to summer 2025, the airline plans to further expand its network, with 16 new destinations, including four from Riga, five from Tallinn, and seven from Vilnius. These new routes will offer customers a wide range of travel options, catering to both leisure and business needs, as well as increased connectivity for onward travel.

In line with its expansion, airBaltic recently took delivery of its 49th Airbus A220-300, marking another milestone in its fleet development. The new aircraft, registered YL-ABW, arrived at Riga Airport (RIX) on November 5, 2024, making it the third A220-300 delivered to the airline this year. The carrier’s A220-300 fleet now nearly completes its original order of 50 aircraft. In November 2023, airBaltic further solidified its fleet expansion plans with a firm purchase agreement for 30 additional A220-300 aircraft, plus purchase rights for another 20.

Since receiving its first A220-300 in May 2020, airBaltic has carried over 17.8 million passengers with the aircraft, completing nearly 192,000 flights and logging 422,000 block hours. Operating a single aircraft type helps airBaltic minimize operational complexity and capitalize on the efficiency benefits of the A220-300, which plays a pivotal role in the airline’s expanding network.

With its growing fleet and expanding route network, airBaltic continues to strengthen its position as a leading carrier in the Baltic region, providing travelers with more choices and enhanced connectivity across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Caucasus.

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