Easter holidays 2025: Record passengers at Düsseldorf and Cologne airports

A lot of Easter traffic in Cologne/Bonn and Düsseldorf

The two largest airports in North Rhine-Westphalia, Düsseldorf and Cologne/Bonn, recorded a significant increase in passenger numbers during the Easter holidays. In Düsseldorf, around 1.1 million travelers are expected, which means an increase of around 22 percent compared to the previous year. This positive development was greater than originally assumed and reflects the increased travel interest.

Cologne/Bonn Airport reported more than 500,000 passengers who lifted or landed there during the holiday season. This represents an increase of around 20 percent compared to the previous year. The two airports were well prepared for the increased number of passengers, which was reflected in short waiting times during check-in and for security controls. In Düsseldorf it was stated that 85 percent of travelers had checked in less than ten minutes.

The last day of vacation, Sunday, April 27, was the expected high point in travel, with 34,000 passengers being addressed in particular on this day. For the entire last weekend, the forecast was around 97,000 travelers, which confirms the increased demand.

The increased interest of travelers from the Netherlands should be particularly emphasized. The King's Day in the Netherlands, which takes place at the same time, is expected to have another travel wave, which shows the ongoing trend that more and more guests are from the neighboring country in Düsseldorf. Last year, every fifth booking in Düsseldorf came from Dutch visitors.

The traffic conditions on the motorways in North Rhine-Westphalia were also looking for attention. The ADAC North Rhine warned of increased congestion, especially on Friday when many vacationers and commuters travel at the same time. As a result, many travelers also returned to the train as an alternative means of transport, which indicates high demand during the entire holiday period.