Over 270,000 Air Travelers Between Romania and Hungary in 2024 – Last year, a total of 273,261 passengers traveled by air between Romania and Hungary, according to end-of-year air traffic statistics. The passenger traffic was concentrated between four major Romanian cities: Brașov, Cluj-Napoca, Bucharest, and Târgu Mureș, all connected to Budapest by regular flights.
Budapest–Bucharest: The busiest route
The highest number of passengers was recorded between Budapest and Bucharest, with 128,521 passengers using this connection. With 157,935 available seats, this route reached a load factor of 81.4%, indicating a strong demand for air travel between the two capitals.
Surprise performer: Brașov shows outstanding results
The relatively new Budapest–Brașov route became the second busiest connection, with 31,955 passengers in 2024. With 37,929 available seats, the route reached a load factor of 84.2%, the highest among all routes. Brașov’s rapidly developing airport and the area’s strong tourism appeal (such as nearby ski resorts and the historic city center) likely contributed to this success.
Târgu Mureș remains a key regional hub
A total of 103,463 passengers traveled between Budapest and Târgu Mureș, showing solid performance. With 123,880 available seats, the route had a load factor of 83.5%, underlining its importance—especially for the ethnic Hungarian community living in the surrounding region.
Cluj-Napoca underperforms
Out of the four cities, Cluj-Napoca had the weakest figures. Despite being one of Transylvania’s major economic and cultural centers, only 9,322 passengers used this connection. With 12,480 available seats, the load factor was just 74.7%, suggesting that alternative transport options like car or bus may still be more competitive on this route.
Conclusion: Stable demand, promising opportunities
The 2024 data shows that air travel between Hungary and Romania is stable, especially on the routes to Bucharest, Brașov, and Târgu Mureș. Most flights operated at around 80% capacity, which is considered strong by industry standards. There may be potential for increased frequency—especially to Brașov, where load factor was particularly high.
Source: KSH
