- Vienna Airport recorded its highest-ever annual air cargo volume in 2025, handling 313,763 tonnes and setting a new all-time record.
- The total represents 5.3% year-on-year growth, reflecting sustained demand and capacity expansion.
- Growth was driven by the targeted expansion of long-haul services, which increased available belly-hold cargo capacity.
- Strong performance in the e-commerce and pharmaceutical logistics segments further accelerated volumes.
- The Vienna Pharma Handling Center also achieved a new record, with throughput rising 6.4% compared to the previous year.
Vienna Airport has delivered a landmark performance in air freight, recording the strongest cargo result in its history in 2025 and reinforcing its position as a strategic logistics hub for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The airport handled 313,763 tonnes of air cargo, marking a 5.3% year-on-year increase and establishing a new all-time high.
The growth reflects a deliberate capacity strategy and sectoral demand trends. Expanded long-haul connectivity, particularly through additional belly-hold capacity, played a central role, while sustained momentum in e-commerceand pharmaceutical logistics significantly boosted volumes. The airport’s Vienna Pharma Handling Center also achieved a record year, surpassing its previous result by 6.4%, underlining Vienna’s growing importance in temperature-controlled and high-value life sciences logistics.
“A strong cargo sector is a key success factor for airports. Air freight secures global supply chains and promotes economic growth. Vienna Airport plays a central role in this context—as a logistics hub and as the most important gateway for air cargo to Central and Eastern Europe. With global airlines at the location, a specialised service offering and a strong team, we are very well positioned,”
said Julian Jäger, Joint CEO and COO of Vienna Airport.
Operational Precision Driving Performance
Airport leadership attributes the record result not only to market demand but to operational coordination across the cargo ecosystem.
“In air cargo, all processes must interlock seamlessly to ensure that shipments are handled efficiently and quickly at all times. Behind this record result is a strong team performance, with service quality for our customers as the top priority. Traditionally a leading transshipment hub for goods from Asia, the Vienna Cargo Hub benefited particularly in 2025 from growing volumes to North America. In 2026, we naturally aim to build on this positive development and are confident that we can achieve this together with our customers and partners,”
added Michael Zach, Senior Vice President Ground Handling & Cargo Operations.
Import-Export Momentum Highlights Vienna’s Hub Status
Vienna’s performance in 2025 was balanced across both inbound and outbound flows, further cementing its role as a distribution and consolidation gateway.
- Imports:
A total of 167,568 tonnes of air cargo was imported via Vienna and distributed onward across Central and Eastern Europe, representing +2.8% growth compared with the previous record year of 2024. Continued expansion in Asia–Europe e-commerce flows remained a primary driver, feeding regional distribution networks through Vienna’s integrated road feeder services. - Exports:
Outbound cargo saw even stronger momentum, with volumes rising 8.4% year-on-year to 146,195 tonnes. Export growth was particularly pronounced in the first half of 2025, influenced in part by evolving U.S. customs policy. Key export markets included Asia and the United States, reflecting Vienna’s role as a bridge between European production centres and global demand markets.
Infrastructure and Geography Underpinning Growth
Vienna Airport’s geographic location at the crossroads of Western and Eastern Europe continues to be a decisive advantage. Positioned as a high-efficiency gateway into CEE markets, the airport combines airside and landside connectivity to support rapid onward distribution.
Key infrastructure and network strengths include:
- 24/7 operational readiness, enabling time-critical cargo handling
- Ten Category F aircraft parking bays, accommodating widebody freighters such as the Boeing 747 and Antonov 124, located in close proximity to terminal facilities
- Deep integration into the European road feeder services (RFS) network, allowing major consumer and industrial centres in CEE to be reached within 24 to 48 hours
- A strong presence of leading global cargo airlines operating intercontinental services
Operated by Flughafen Wien AG, which is publicly listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange, the airport is also a major regional employer, with a workforce of more than 5,400 employees supporting aviation, logistics, and associated services.
Outlook: Building on a Record Year
With global supply chains increasingly dependent on agile, multimodal logistics nodes, Vienna Airport’s 2025 performance signals both resilience and strategic positioning. The combination of long-haul expansion, pharma specialization, and strong transshipment capability positions the Vienna Cargo Hub to capture further growth, particularly across Asia–Europe and North America trade lanes.
As the airport looks to 2026, the focus remains on scaling capacity, maintaining service quality, and deepening collaboration with airline and logistics partners—an approach that has already delivered a historic milestone.
