More people flew in and out of Madeira in September, on slightly fewer planes. The region's two airports handled about 534,600 passengers on 3,559 commercial flights, according to the Regional Statistics Office of Madeira (DREM).
That is 2.3% more passengers than in September 2025, but 0.8% fewer aircraft movements. The figures come from the airport operator, ANA - Aeroportos de Portugal.
| Madeira | Porto Santo | Both | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passengers | 502,400 ▲ +2.1% | 32,300 ▲ +5.5% | 534,600 ▲ +2.3% |
| Aircraft movements | 3,264 ▼ -0.5% | 295 ▼ -3.3% | 3,559 ▼ -0.8% |
| Passengers per aircraft | 154 Sept 2025: 150 | 109 Sept 2025: 100 | n/a |
| Seat occupancy | 88.1% Sept 2025: 86.4% | 90.6% Sept 2025: 81.5% | 88.2% Sept 2025: 86.1% |
| Domestic share of passengers | 42.5% | 79.6% Sept 2025: 89.7% | n/a |
Madeira Airport Passengers Rise 2.1% to 502,400
At Madeira Airport, passenger numbers rose 2.1% to about 502,400. Aircraft movements fell 0.5% to 3,264.
International traffic made up 57.5% of passengers at the main airport, and domestic traffic 42.5%.
Porto Santo Passengers Grow 5.5% With 295 Flights
The smaller Porto Santo Airport grew faster. It handled about 32,300 passengers, 5.5% more than a year earlier, even though aircraft movements fell 3.3% to 295.
Domestic flights still dominate on Porto Santo, with 79.6% of passengers. But the share of international passengers grew: a year earlier, domestic traffic made up 89.7%.
Seat Occupancy Climbs to 88.2% From 86.1%
Planes were fuller than a year ago. Across both airports, seat occupancy was about 88.2%, up from 86.1% in September 2025.
The change was largest on Porto Santo, where occupancy rose from 81.5% to 90.6%. Each plane at Madeira Airport carried 154 passengers on average, up from 150. On Porto Santo, the average rose from 100 to 109.
Domestic Traffic Rises 3.2%, International 1.6%
Domestic traffic grew faster in September. Passengers on flights within Portugal rose 3.2% to about 239,100. International traffic rose 1.6% to about 295,500.
Scheduled flights accounted for 93.1% of aircraft movements and 95.5% of passengers, both slightly higher than a year earlier.
UK Accounts for 26.8% of International Traffic This Year
From January to September, the two airports counted about 4.47 million passengers, not counting those in transit. Of these, 56.5% travelled on international flights and 43.5% on flights within Portugal.
The United Kingdom was the top country for international flights, with 26.8%, followed by Germany (19.7%), France (11.0%), Poland (9.0%) and the Netherlands (6.4%).
| Country | Share of international passengers |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 26.8% |
| Germany | 19.7% |
| France | 11.0% |
| Poland | 9.0% |
| Netherlands | 6.4% |
In the first nine months, passenger numbers rose 3.0% and aircraft movements 1.5% compared with the same period of 2025. Madeira's airports had already set records in 2024 and saw international traffic grow strongly in 2025.
Source: estatistica.madeira.gov.pt
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