With the start of the NRW summer vacations, Cologne/Bonn Airport is expecting the biggest travel wave of the year. The airport is expecting 1.7 million travelers over the next six and a half weeks. The busiest periods are the last two vacation weekends in mid-August, each with around 118,000 passengers. On the busiest day (July 19), 41,000 travelers are expected to take off and land in Cologne/Bonn.
"During the summer vacations, we again experience a pleasing increase in passenger numbers. Last year already saw a strong summer of travel, which is topped by this year's forecast. What is new is that some vacation travelers are apparently waiting for the European Football Championships to start, with the Friday after the final emerging as the peak day," says Thilo Schmid, CEO of Flughafen Köln/Bonn GmbH. "This summer our passengers, including many families, are once again traveling to the popular sunny destinations in southern Europe. We are delighted about the continuing desire to travel and are well prepared for increased passenger volumes."
Popular vacation destinations, cities and destinations
In the summer months, 25 airlines offer flights to 105 international destinations in 33 countries. As in previous years, the most popular vacation destinations are Turkey, Spain, Italy and Greece, followed by Croatia and Portugal. The most popular destinations are Antalya and Palma de Mallorca. The most popular city breaks are to Istanbul, Vienna, London and Barcelona. The highest growth in visitor numbers was recorded in Morocco, where around 50% more tourists are traveling from Cologne/Bonn this summer than last year.
Passengers can contribute to a relaxed start to their journey with good preparation and a click on the airport's new homepage. Here are a few tips:
- Check in online.
- Check with your airline about check-in opening times and allow enough time.
- If you have booked with Eurowings, use the evening before check-in if you wish.
- Please only take one piece of hand baggage with you. The fewer items you have with you, the faster the check-in process will be.
- Liquids and creams (up to 100 ml per container) must be packed in a 1-liter plastic bag.
- Do not pack technical devices at the bottom of your hand luggage; they must be presented at the checkpoint.
- Check whether your ID is valid and which travel document you need for your trip.
- Book a time slot for the security check at "CGNGateWay": https://cgn.viaguide.com/
If you are traveling by car, it is advisable to pre-book a parking space on the airport website: https://www.koeln-bonn-airport.de/fluggaeste/parken/parkplatz-reservieren.html
Further tips for travelers can be found on the airport's modernized homepage with many new services and features:
https://www.koeln-bonn-airport.de/
One of the new functions is the "Remember flight" option, which allows travelers to receive automatic notifications about their flight. This new "travel assistant" provides clear information on all departures and arrivals, such as flight times and check-in counters. Here is an overview of all the tips: https://www.koeln-bonn-airport.de/fluggaeste/airport-aktuell/detail/entspannter-reisebeginn.html
