Schiphol delivered a solid financial performance in the first six months of 2026, alongside an increase in quieter aircraft and a major investment programme.
Despite geopolitical uncertainty, demand for aviation and international connectivity has remained strong for Royal Schiphol Group’s airports in the first half of 2026. The group operates Amsterdam Schiphol, Eindhoven, Rotterdam The Hague airports. The three airports combined saw 37.3 million passengers travel through them between January and June this year. The figure marks a 0.3% year-on-year increase, and Schiphol accounted for a significant chunk of passenger traffic with 32.7 million passengers. The airport expects passenger numbers to reach 90 million by 2050.
The high demand despite the geopolitical uncertainty “underlines the importance of strong international connectivity for travellers, businesses and the Netherlands,” said Schiphol Airport’s CEO, Pieter van Oord.
Schiphol’s investment in the future
The first six months of the year saw a record €801 million investment in the quality of Royal Schiphol Group’s airports. The investment is aligned with a broader strategy to invest €10 billion in the renewal of Schiphol by 2035.
Investments made in the first six months of the year included the completion of the A Pier and adding capacity to support electrification. The airport operator also paid €317 million as part of a wider programme to relocate several KLM buildings under the Schiphol Centre Master Plan.
Cash flow after CAPEX and other investments was down €464 million. To deliver on its investment programme and quality improvements while ensuring a healthy cash flow, Schiphol issued €500 million in bonds.
The airport’s CFO, Robert Carsouw, reiterated that “to keep Dutch affordability and connectivity.”
He added that despite these measures and growth in traffic, the current reality is that the airport is spending more than it earns, hence the need to issue bonds. “Strong finances remain essential to renewing Schiphol and ensuring it continues to create value for the Dutch economy,” said Carsouw.
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How the Netherlands gateway is leading the way for cleaner, quieter aircraft
While the airport is focused on continuing to meet demand, upgrading <a href="https://absafricatv9491.live-website.com/zambia-unveils-tourism-infrastructure-investment-drive-for-livingstone/” title=”Zambia unveils tourism, infrastructure investment drive for Livingstone”>infrastructure, and improving the passenger experience, the “trend towards quieter aworking hard to make the airport quieter and cleaner.”
New airport charges introduced by Schiphol in 2025 have incentivised the operation of quieter aircraft and discouraged the use of noisier aircraft during the night. This has resulted in 38% of aircraft at the airport being of the two quietest types (compared with 29% in HY2025). For short-haul European flights, the Airbus A320neoand A321neo are quieter than the Boeing 737 variants they replace. For long-haul intercontinental routes on which larger aircraft are deployed, the newer Airbus A330neo,Airbus A350, and Boeing 787 Dreamliner are quieter than the Airbus A330 and Boeing 777traditionally used on these routes. These newer aircraft types generate 3 to 5 decibels less noise during take-off and landing than the older aircraft they replace.
Earlier this year, Schiphol also partnered with easyJet, Airbus, and Menzies to deploy an electric TaxiBot. Deployed on the airport’s Polderbaan Runway, which has the longest taxi time, the electric tug is being used to tow four Airbus A320 aircraft operated by easyJet from the gate to the runway.
NOMOS measurement points around Schiphol further support the trend towards quieter flights. The average noise level generated by air traffic in 2025 was approximately 2 decibels lower than in 2018.
Meanwhile, van Oord pointed to a new Airport Traffic Decree, which he said, “is the next step towards future-proofing Dutch ahile in balance with its surroundings.”
Schiphol’s robust growth despite a disrupted start to 2026
Schiphol started the year with severe disruptions due to extreme winter weather. This led to the cancellation of several thousand flights at Schiphol, and operations were further disrupted by air traffic restrictions due to the war in the Middle East. The doubling of fuel prices put further pressure on airline networks as well as flight and passenger volumes to and from the Netherlands gateway. Schiphol responded by reducing airport charges as a temporary measure to help preserve connectivity and support a recovery in air traffic during the second quarter of 2026.
Between the beginning of January and the end of June, there were 223,597 air traffic movements at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. This was a 4% decrease overall compared to the same period in 2025; however, the total number of passengers travelling has stayed even, with 32.7 million passengers, compared to 32.8 million passengers in 2025.
Strong connectivity and cargo operations
Cargo volumes, meanwhile, increased by 10% to 0.8 million tonnes. There were 8,160 full cargo flights, an 8% increase over 2025. In total, 42% of cargo was transported on passenger flights, while 58% was carried on full freighter carriers.
Both Eindhoven and Rotterdam The Hague also showed an increase in air traffic movements, with 19,398 and 7,793 movements, respectively, in the first six months of 2026. This was compared to 19,331 and 7,646 movements year-on-year. Overall, the three airports recorded 250,788 movements in HY2026, compared with 269,873 in 2019.
During the first half of the year, several new destinations were added to Schiphol’s network, including Armenia, Montenegro, and Vietnam. The total number of destinations now served directly from Schiphol is 301. The airport has also welcomed several new airlines in recent months, including FlyOne Armenia, LATAM Airlines Brasil, Middle East Airlines, Syrian Air, Thai Airways, and Vietnam Airlines.
Get all the latest air transport news here on AGN.Get all the latest air transport news here on AGN.
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Air TransportSustainabilityAirportsAmsterdam Schiphol AirportEindhoven airportRevenueRotterdam The Hague AirportRoyal Schiphol GroupSustainability
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