The ticket price paradox
Higher carbon charges, airport taxes, and jet fuel costs have lifted fares, yet leisure demand remains resilient as passengers continue absorbing the added cost.
Copenhagen Airport leads the Nordics
CPH outpaces every Nordic neighbor with a historic May record.
Copenhagen Airport reported more than 3.1 million passengers in May 2026, its highest May ever. Strong transfer flows, SAS hub concentration, and a sharp domestic rebound keep CPH firmly ahead of Stockholm, Oslo, and Helsinki.
Nordic hub traffic comparison
Passenger volume in millions. Oslo and Helsinki are midpoint estimates from reported ranges.
The “SAS Effect”
Copenhagen’s record is accelerated by SAS focusing a large share of international and long-haul hub operations at CPH. Nearly one in four CPH passengers is now a transfer traveller.
Nordic growth is uneven
Stockholm and Oslo are growing more slowly from smaller bases, while Helsinki’s Asia-transfer model remains constrained by the closure of Russian airspace.
May 2026 airport data snapshot
Primary Nordic hub airports ranked by total passenger traffic.
| Airport hub | May 2026 passengers | YoY growth | Context / performance |
|---|