Maastricht Aachen Airport reports 40% increase in air freight in 2025

Maastricht Aachen Airport released its annual results for 2025.

The Dutch airport handled 41,636 tons of cargo and 159,270 passengers last year, and recorded 7,549 aircraft movements, of which 1,737 were cargo flights and 994 passenger flights.

The figures show a remarkable increase in air freight at Maastricht Aachen Airport (MST) compared to 2024, when it handled 28,448 tons of cargo.

After a dip in cargo volumes following a EUR 35 million runway renovation in 2023, the airport saw 40% year-on-year growth in 2025.

“The strong growth in cargo volume last year is down to MST’s continued investment in cargo handling facilities at the airport, particularly in the second half of 2025,” said Dean Boljuncic, Head of Commercial Development, Maastricht Aachen Airport.

“We have invested in optimizing our handling processes and improving our facilities in the past 12 months, including redeveloping MST’s AnimalPort and partnering with FlowerWatch to modernize perishable cargo operations.”

At the end of 2024, Maastricht Aachen Airport announced its strategy to focus on expanding air freight at the Dutch cargo hub, with a target of 200,000 tons by 2030.

In 2025, the airport appointed its first cargo sales executive, to enhance its position as a specialist regional cargo hub.

The 2025 figures also show a decline in passenger numbers at MST compared with 2024, a shift attributed to the departure of two airlines. However, with Wizz Air expanding its operations from March 2026, the airport expects to see a return to 2024 passenger numbers this year.

Starting late March, Wizz Air will operate several flights a week to six destinations in Eastern Europe: Poland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Romania, Moldova, and Montenegro.

“Both cargo and passengers are important for MST; however, we expect to see higher and faster returns from our cargo operations, and our strategic focus in this area is clearly paying off,” said Dean Boljuncic, Head of Commercial Development, Maastricht Aachen Airport.

Maastricht Aachen Airport recently applied for a new Airport License, which included a proposed runway extension to 2,750 meters. This expansion of the runway’s operational length would allow cargo aircraft to depart with heavier loads and to reach more distant destinations.