List of largest airlines in Europe Facts for Kids

Europe is a huge continent, and lots of people travel by air every day! Have you ever wondered which airlines carry the most passengers? This article will tell you about the biggest airlines in Europe. These companies are super important for connecting cities and countries. They help people go on holidays, visit family, or travel for work.

We'll look at airlines that are considered European by a group called the IATA. This group helps make sure air travel is safe and organized worldwide. The information here is mostly from 2023, showing how many millions of passengers each airline carried.

Europe's Busiest Airlines by Passengers
Airline Alliances and Associations
- Airline Alliances
- Airline Associations
See also

Europe's Busiest Airlines by Passengers

Let's explore some of the airlines that fly the most people across Europe and beyond. These companies have many planes and fly to lots of different places. They are ranked by how many passengers they carried in 2023.

Ryanair: The Low-Cost Giant

Ryanair is known for its affordable flights. It's based in Ireland but flies all over Europe. In 2023, Ryanair carried an amazing 181.74 million passengers! That's more than any other airline on this list. They have a huge fleet of planes and fly to 186 different places. Ryanair is part of a group called A4E.

Lufthansa Group: A Major Player

The Lufthansa Group is a big airline family from Germany. It includes airlines like Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Swiss International Air Lines. In 2023, they flew 122.5 million passengers. They have a massive fleet of 728 planes and fly to 321 destinations. Lufthansa Group is a member of Star Alliance, a big partnership of airlines.

International Airlines Group (IAG): Connecting Continents

The International Airlines Group (IAG) owns famous airlines like British Airways (from the UK), Aer Lingus (from Ireland), and Iberia (from Spain). They carried 115.6 million passengers in 2023. IAG has 520 planes and flies to 248 destinations. They are part of the oneworld airline alliance.

Air France-KLM: French and Dutch Power

Air France-KLM is a large airline group from France and the Netherlands. They carried 93.6 million passengers in 2023. This group has 574 planes and flies to 231 places. Air France-KLM is a member of the SkyTeam alliance.

EasyJet: Another Popular Low-Cost Choice

EasyJet is a British airline known for its budget-friendly flights. It's a popular choice for short trips around Europe. In 2023, EasyJet carried 82.8 million passengers. They have 300 planes and fly to 136 destinations. Like Ryanair, EasyJet is also part of A4E.

Turkish Airlines: Bridging East and West

Turkish Airlines is a major airline from Turkey. It connects Europe with many places in Asia and Africa. In 2023, they flew 83.39 million passengers. They have 492 planes and fly to an impressive 352 destinations worldwide. Turkish Airlines is also a member of the Star Alliance.

Wizz Air: Growing Fast

Wizz Air is a Hungarian airline that offers low-cost flights. It has grown very quickly in recent years. In 2023, Wizz Air carried 60.31 million passengers. They have 168 planes and fly to 144 destinations.

Aeroflot Group: Russia's Main Airline

The Aeroflot Group is Russia's largest airline company. In 2023, they carried 47.3 million passengers. They have 336 planes and fly to 189 destinations. Aeroflot is a member of the IATA.

Other Notable European Airlines

Many other airlines play a big role in European travel. Here are a few more:

Pegasus Airlines (Turkey): Carried 31.93 million passengers in 2023.
SAS Group (Scandinavia): Carried 21.1 million passengers in 2023. They are part of SkyTeam.
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA (Norway): Carried 20.6 million passengers in 2023.
TUI Group (Germany/UK): Carried 19 million passengers in 2023, often for holiday packages.
Jet2.com (UK): Carried 16.57 million passengers in 2023, popular for package holidays.
TAP Air Portugal (Portugal): Carried 15.9 million passengers in 2023. They are part of Star Alliance.
Aegean Airlines (Greece): Carried 15.46 million passengers in 2023. They are part of Star Alliance.
ITA Airways (Italy): Carried 15 million passengers in 2023. They are part of SkyTeam.
S7 Airlines (Russia): Carried 15.9 million passengers in 2023.
SunExpress (Turkey): Carried 12.6 million passengers in 2023.
Air Europa (Spain): Carried 11.74 million passengers in 2023. They are part of SkyTeam.
Finnair (Finland): Carried 10.9 million passengers in 2023. They are part of oneworld.
Volotea (Spain): Carried 10.4 million passengers in 2023.
LOT Polish Airlines (Poland): Carried 10.03 million passengers in 2023. They are part of Star Alliance.
Ural Airlines (Russia): Carried 9.41 million passengers in 2023.
AirBaltic (Latvia): Carried 7.03 million passengers in 2023.

Airline Alliances and Associations

Many airlines join groups called "alliances" or "associations." These groups help airlines work together.

Airline Alliances

Star Alliance: This is one of the biggest airline alliances. Members include Lufthansa Group, Turkish Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, Aegean Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, and Croatia Airlines. They share things like airport lounges and allow passengers to earn and use frequent flyer miles across different airlines.
SkyTeam: Another major alliance. Members include Air France-KLM, ITA Airways, Air Europa, SAS Group, TAROM, Virgin Atlantic, and Smartwings.
oneworld: This alliance includes International Airlines Group (IAG) and Finnair.

Airline Associations

A4E: This is a group that represents many European airlines. They work together on important issues for the airline industry. Ryanair, Lufthansa Group, IAG, Air France-KLM, EasyJet, Norwegian Air Shuttle, TUI Group, Jet2.com, TAP Air Portugal, Aegean Airlines, Finnair, Volotea, AirBaltic, Icelandair Group, and Luxair are members.
IATA: This is a global trade association for airlines. They help set standards for safety, security, and efficiency in air travel. Many of the airlines listed above are IATA members.
ERA: This group focuses on airlines that connect smaller regions in Europe.

List of largest airlines in Europe facts for kids

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