Record-breaking Kaunas Airport Seeks To Expand Connectivity Across Europe

Our Route Opportunities feature explores the latest unserved and underserved routes promoted through Routes 360, providing supporting information for airline network planners to consider and capitalize on.

Kaunas Airport (KUN), Lithuania’s second-largest airport, is strategically located in the country’s central region. In 2024, the airport saw a nearly 10% increase in passenger numbers, reaching 1.4 million, alongside a 7% rise in flight movements. Kaunas Airport has been surpassing its pre-pandemic traffic figures since 2022.

Operated by Lithuanian Airports, KUN is also a hub for aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services, where a multitude of providers (like FL Technics, MAAS Aviation, Ryanair Engineering) make KUN a truly one-stop-shop experience for aircraft operators. The airport aims to strengthen its development strategy, raise awareness of its prime geographic location, and attract companies specializing in aircraft repair, manufacturing and trade.

As a key regional connector, KUN is expanding its terminal to double capacity, allowing for two million passengers and 15,000 annual aircraft movements. The expansion is scheduled for completion in the second half of 2025 and will enable the airport to accommodate up to six passenger aircraft simultaneously.

Served by ULCCs Wizz Air and Ryanair, KUN saw a 13% increase on seats offered during 2024 compared to the previous year. For Summer season 2024, Ryanair not only based a third aircraft, but also launched three new routes linking KUN with Berlin (BER), Pisa (PSA), and Zadar (ZAD). The winter 2024-25 schedule connected KUN with 18 destinations across Europe, including the new 4X-weekly Ryanair service to Belfast, Northern Ireland. Finally, aviation Summer season 2025 will see yet another Italian connection for KUN as Ryanair is scheduled to launch direct services to Pescara (PSR). Alongside growing regular passenger operations, KUN also handles a healthy number of cargo, charter, and military personnel flights due to its central location in the country.

Passenger data shows that 18% of KUN travellers fly for business, 40% for leisure and 42% to visit friends and relatives. More than 60% of passengers are between the ages of 25 and 44.

As a Routes 360 member with significant growth potential, KUN is working to expand its European route network. The airport has identified multiple unserved and underserved route opportunities on its profile.

Unserved:

• Manchester Airport (MAN)
• Leonardo de Vinci – Fiumicino Airport (FCO)
• Rome Ciampino Airport (CIA)
• Stavanger Airport (SVG)
• Bergen Airport (BGO)
• Alesund Airport (AES)
• Munich Airport (MUC)
• Underserved:
• Madrid – Barajas Airport (MAD)
• Barcelona – El Prat Airport (BCN)
• Dublin Airport (DUB)
• London Stansted Airport (STN)
• London Luton Airport (LTN)

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