The airports in Skopje and Ohrid record strong growth in the first half of 2026. What the numbers mean for passengers — more routes, but also more crowds.
Macedonia’s airports continue to grow at a pace rarely seen in the region. According to the figures for the first half of 2026, the airports in Skopje and Ohrid together served nearly two million passengers. Here’s what those numbers mean for you as a passenger.
The numbers
In the first six months of 2026, Skopje Airport served 1,833,010 passengers — growth of 28.6 percent against the same period last year. Ohrid Airport served 122,638 passengers, up 18.2 percent, across 907 operations, which is 26 percent more flights. Together that is 1,955,648 passengers in six months.
This follows a record 2025: Skopje Airport closed the year with 3,211,419 passengers, up 8.7 percent, passing three million passengers in a single year for the first time in its history.
Which destinations lead
The busiest destination from Skopje is Istanbul — across both Istanbul airports combined, with a 14.2 percent share. It is followed by Memmingen (4.5 percent), Basel-Mulhouse (4.4 percent), Dortmund (4.1 percent), Zurich (4 percent) and Frankfurt (3.9 percent).
By country, most direct flights from Skopje go to Germany (28.5 percent share), Turkey (18 percent), Switzerland (9.3 percent), Italy (8.2 percent) and Sweden (5.8 percent).
That structure is no accident: a large share of travel from Macedonia is tied to the diaspora and to seasonal visits, which explains why the summer months and holidays put so much pressure on capacity.
What this means for you
The growth has two sides, and both are worth seeing.
The good side: more passengers means more routes, more competition and better connectivity. There are direct flights from Skopje to more destinations than ever, and competition between airlines on the popular routes helps fares.
The other side: more passengers also means more crowding — especially in peak periods and in the morning and evening waves of flights. Growth of almost 29 percent is felt in the check-in and security queues. That is a practical reason to arrive at the airport with enough time, particularly in season.
The wider picture
Strong growth also brings pressure to develop the infrastructure. There is talk of expansions and capacity improvements, including long-term plans for a better connection between the airport and the city. These things move slowly and change often, so we follow them and will write when there is something concrete to confirm.
Where we come in
For a passenger, growth means more options — but also more decisions. More routes, more airlines and more combinations mean choosing the right ticket takes more reviewing, not less. That is exactly where we help: we look across the whole offer for your destination and find you the best option within the growing choice.
If you are planning a trip from Skopje, send us a request and we will break down the best option for you.
Sources: TAV Macedonia statements as reported by Sloboden Pečat and SeeNews; the 2025 figures from EX-YU Aviation News. Statistics are updated over time — the last-checked date is shown above. For official data, the airport operator’s own releases are authoritative.