The Importance of Malta International Airport

Malta is a very small country. With just around 420,000 inhabitants, the island has a smaller population than many mid-sized cities in Germany or the UK. But for an island like Malta—known primarily as a holiday destination and a hub for international business—what is the one thing you absolutely cannot do without? An international airport, of course. This airport is of huge importance to Malta, breaking passenger records month after month.

4.4 Million Passengers at Malta Airport in 2015

If you follow my blog, you’ll have noticed that I write about Malta International Airport – or MIA – quite often. Usually, it’s news that the airport has reached a new peak in passenger numbers. Just in November, the milestone of four million visitors per year was cracked—a month earlier than the previous year. For this year, 4.4 million passengers are forecast.

Malta Airport Has Huge Economic Significance

Malta's most important economic pillar isn't actually the many companies that have chosen Malta as a business location—mainly because of the Malta Limited model—but tourism. Millions of tourists spend their holidays here in the warm south. Naturally, they have to get to Malta, and usually, that happens by plane. This is why Malta's airport accounts for 9.2% of the country's GDP. The airport generates 660 million euros annually. Just for comparison: The average contribution of airports to a country's GDP is usually around 4.1%.

Another thing worth mentioning: According to the jury of the Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Awards, Malta Airport is the fourth best airport in Europe. First place went to Keflavik Airport in Iceland. The evaluation of the 98 participating airports focused on customer satisfaction. In Malta, this was 4.22 out of 5 points, representing the best score the airport has ever achieved.