Route Development

Groningen Airport Eelde is working to expand its destination network across a mix of business, leisure and VFR routes. The airport aims to restore key connections to major European cities such as London and Copenhagen, which operated up to three times daily and twice daily respectively before the COVID-19 pandemic. Current passenger numbers are around 120,000 per year, compared to 230,000 before the pandemic.

In addition to re-establishing these business routes, there is a strong focus on developing a network of leisure destinations that are currently underserved, including Barcelona, Faro, Málaga and many more. Through a strategic partnership with Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, Groningen Airport Eelde gains access to valuable market insights and route development data that supports this ambition.

Groningen Airport Eelde offers Capacity for Growth within the national aviation market, at a time when other Dutch airports are heavily slot constrained and airport capacity is becoming increasingly scarce. The airport is not slot restricted (Level 1), allowing both adhoc and regular scheduled flights to be accommodated without any constraints.

Compared to many other European airports, Groningen Airport Eelde is located in a relatively densely populated area. The northern Netherlands has a significant number of inhabitants living within the airport’s catchment area. Approximately 2.1 million people live within a 60-minute drive, and around 3.8 million within 90 minutes. This is comparable with cities like Oslo, Bilbao, Cardiff and Nuremberg. 

At the same time, Groningen Airport Eelde is located just about two hours away from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol — one of Europe’s largest hubs, offering an extensive and high-frequency network of destinations. This makes Schiphol an attractive and highly competitive alternative for many travellers. To remain a viable choice, it is essential that airlines operating from Groningen Airport Eelde offer a strong and competitive product.

The Northern Netherlands is home to a thriving and internationally oriented business community, supported by strong knowledge institutions, a young and highly educated workforce, and a rapidly evolving digital and green economy. 

The region counts a working population of over 930,000 people, spread across more than 213,000 companies. Key drivers of business travel include the oil and gas sector, renewable energy, shipbuilding and maritime industries, (chemical) manufacturing, and the agro-food sector. With a clear focus on innovation and long-term development, the region is also gaining momentum in areas such as artificial intelligence and sustainable technologies, with Initiatives like the AI Factory, supported by the regional Nij Begun fund, are reinforcing the region’s position as a frontrunner in responsible digital infrastructure.

Groningen Airport Eelde maintains close connections across the Northern Netherlands — not only with the business community, but also with regional tourism boards, retail networks, knowledge institutions and public authorities. These strong local ties help create the right conditions for airlines to develop and maintain new routes.

Groningen Airport Eelde has published its airport charges publicly on its website. The airport reserves the right to offer tailor-made conditions to support strategically valuable new routes. Groningen Airport Eelde actively works with airline partners to grow sustainable and commercially viable traffic from GRQ. Through customised incentives, we aim to reduce start-up risks for selected new routes.