PALERMO (ITALPRESS) – There are 105 destinations that will connect 28 countries with the international airport Falcone Borsellino of Palermo: 25 national routes, 78 international and 2 intercontinental. 37 airlines that will travel millions of passengers from the Palermo airport; 10 new destinations that will debut in summer and 3 new companies that will touch the slopes of the Palermo airport run by Gesap: Jet2, Wizz Air and Km Malta Airlines, confirming the increasing appeal thanks to the actions put in the field of the Palermo airport in the European panorama. The summer season that will begin tomorrow, 27 March 2026, promises intense and dynamic, with +12% of total flights (47.914), +26% international (19.485) and +5.8% domestic (28.429). The total capacity of seats for sale grew by 14% (8.682.744). The offer in domestic flights increases by 9.5% (over 5 million seats), while the international one rises by 22% (3.625.766). In 2026, the operating base of the Wizz Air company was added to the airport of Palermo. Ryanair (47 destinations), Volotea (19), Wizz Air (11), Ita (2), Aeroitalia (1). The positive trend is already evident: in the first months of the year, passenger traffic grows by +5.5%, while the connectivity index registers a +10.5%, with strong push on the international segment. The average passenger per flight is 152. The strong summer season indicates that the Falcone Borsellino is a booming port of call, and Gesap, the management company, has a precise plan to turn it into a competitive continental hub. The heart of the industrial plan is an investment program of 252 million euros, which includes a strong strengthening of the terminal, with focus on the international area, with particular attention to the international component; a better quality of the services.
“The expansion of the offer of the Falcone Borsellino airport, with over one hundred destinations and new international routes, represents a strategic result for Palermo – says Roberto Lagalla, mayor of Palermo – This development strengthens the role of the city as a gateway to the Mediterranean and concretely supports the growth of tourism and the local economy. The numbers confirm it: in 2025 Palermo exceeded 2 million tourists, a figure that testifies to the increasing attraction of the city and that finds in the new air connections an additional impulse – Lagalla concludes – The increase of routes and investments consolidates a path of development that looks to the future with ambition. We will continue to work to make Palermo increasingly connected, competitive and welcoming”. In 2025 the airport reached 9.2 million passengers (+10%), confirming its ninth airport in Italy and 47th in Europe. “The airport of Palermo is no longer just a transit point, but a real strategic platform for the economic and tourist development of Sicily – says Gianfranco Battisti, managing director of Gesap, Palermo airport management company – We are building an increasingly competitive hub at European level, with a strong international vocation and a balanced growth between domestic and global traffic. Our goal is to overcome in 2026 the threshold of 10 million passengers, generating concrete value for the territory and strengthening the role of Sicily in the Mediterranean”.
From major European hubs such as Paris, London, Madrid and Berlin, to intercontinental connections with New York (Jfk) and Newark (Ewr), Palermo consolidates itself as a strategic gateway to the Mediterranean. The goal of the 10 million passengers in 2026 represents not only a historical record, but also an economic flywheel: 860 million euros of impact on the territory and 3.2% of the gross domestic product (Pil) provincial. The improvement of the customer experience goes through concrete interventions: seven drinking water fountains, of which four with refill possibilities, 25 new charging stations per device, 200 new more ergonomic new generation seats; 2 new multifunctional work areas, enhanced wi-fi and smart spaces for business traveler. After the recent opening of the new P4 parking space adjacent to the airport, with 62 additional parking spaces, the development plan of the port of call previews the delivery of the new cargo area of about thousand square meters, operating from April; the openings at the end of June of the First View Lounge of 400 square meters (Aviapartner) and the restaurant Planeta Amore (Autogrill, 380 square meters) and wine bar Planeta in the air side area; the new realization of the P2 parking space. In April 2026 they will open the Kids area and an outdoor Pet area of 300 square meters, with relaxation areas and benches.
Gesap decided to focus a lot on the energy transition. The airport of Palermo has confirmed the level 3+ “Neutrality” of the Airport carbon accreditation and points to level 4 in 2026. Activated photovoltaic systems produce more than 734,000 kWh a year, equal to 6.2% of the demand for the airport. The 400 Hz system is planned in the next two years to power the aircraft, while the substitution of the lighting with Led is being planned, as well as the planning of the conversion of the company fleet with electric vehicles and the optimization of Hvac systems.
– Gesap press office photos –
(ITALPRESS).
