Newly released figures from Eurostat reveal a notable surge in Bulgarian air passengers, marking a 74% increase in 2022. Despite this growth, the nation holds the distinction of the EU's second slowest rise, with Cyprus recording a slightly lower increase at 69%.

The European Union, as a whole, experienced a remarkable upswing, with an average surge of 119% in air travel. The total air passengers escalated from EUR 375 million in 2021 to EUR 820 million in 2022.

Ireland showcased the most remarkable leap, boasting a staggering 256% increase in air passengers, signaling a significant upward trend in travel.

Delving into the distribution, extra-EU passenger transport dominated 47% of the total air passenger flow in 2022. Meanwhile, intra-EU transport constituted 37%, and national transport constituted 16%. A notable shift from the previous year was observed in the distribution, with extra-EU transport witnessing an 8 percentage point increase, while intra-EU and national transport saw decreases of 1 and 7 percentage points, respectively.

These statistics underscore Bulgaria's evolving air travel landscape amidst the broader EU trends, illuminating both the growth and its relative positioning within the region's aviation market.