Prague Airport continues to strengthen its position as one of the main air hubs in Central Europe. Find out why it was the main winner of the Routes Europe 2026 award, what new international routes are launching in 2026 and how this will affect travelers from all over the world

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Every year, the European aviation community gathers to recognize the best. This year, the Routes Europe 2026 Awards ceremony was held in Rimini, Italy, and its main triumphant, unexpectedly for many, was Prague Airport - as Euronews reports, it became not just the winner in its category, but for the first time in the history of the award - the absolute leader.

Why Václav Havel Airport Prague became the winner and who else was in the leaders, we tell in this article.

Find the TOP-10 best airlines in the world here.

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Why was Václav Havel Airport Prague recognized as the best airport in 2026?

The Routes Europe award is determined by the votes of airlines and reflects the quality of cooperation with carriers, the development of the route network and the marketing efforts of the airport. In other words, it is not a jury of experts, but the airlines themselves who decide who deserves recognition. And the choice of carriers turned out to be unambiguous.

In the category of airports from 5 to 20 million passengers, Prague beat its competitors - Larnaca, Thessaloniki, Vilnius and Glasgow. And then it also took the main prize.

Executive Director for Aviation Business Development Jiri Vyskoch did not hide his pleasure: “In the conditions of fierce competition among European airports, this award is a significant achievement that we greatly appreciate. We see it as confirmation of our long-term strategy, which is based on honest and open cooperation with partners, as well as on the active search for attractive opportunities in the development of air traffic.”

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Prague Airport: Record-breaking 2025 and ambitious 2026

Last year’s figures are truly impressive. In 2025, the Czech Republic’s busiest aviation hub handled 17.8 million passengers – 8.5% more than in 2024, exceeding even pre-pandemic figures.

During the year, the airport opened 46 new routes and 24 new destinations, and welcomed 12 new carriers, bringing the total number of airlines operating here to 89. Key new additions include flights to Seoul from Asiana Airlines, Abu Dhabi from Etihad Airways, Toronto from Air Canada and Sharjah from Air Arabia.

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But the most interesting thing is happening in 2026. From May 21, 2026, American Airlines launched a daily direct seasonal flight from Prague to Philadelphia, which will last until October 5, 2026. And the real sensation will be Taiwanese STARLUX Airlines: on August 1, 2026, the carrier will open its first route in all of Europe - a direct flight between Taipei and Prague, initially three times a week, and from October - four times. On board - an Airbus A350-900 with a four-class cabin.

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Other winners of the Routes Europe 2026 ceremony

Six Routes Europe 2026 awards were distributed among various participants in the aviation industry.

In the category of airports up to 5 million passengers, Florence Airport won: in 2025 it served 3.8 million passengers, which is 9.4% more than the year before, attracted Air Corsica and Air Serbia and opened new flights to Alghero, Belgrade, Brussels, Elba Island and Nice.

In the largest category - over 20 million passengers - Athens International Airport won again: in 2025 it received 34 million passengers, which is 6.7% more than the previous year. 21 airlines, nine of which entered the market for the first time, opened 29 new destinations.

The award for the best destination went to the Canary Islands Tourist Board – Promotur, and the title of the best airline was won again by the British Jet2 – for the third year in a row. In total, Jet2 operates flights on more than 650 routes from 14 bases across the UK and to more than 80 destinations. The carrier’s new base at London Gatwick opened with a flight to Tenerife in March 2026.

The symbolic result was the passing of the baton: next year, the Routes Europe 2027 forum will be hosted by the Turkish Antalya Airport, managed by Fraport TAV.

We told you more about the busiest airports in the world and who entered the TOP-10 earlier.

Routes Europe 2026 winners – briefly

- Up to 5 million passengers: Florence Airport.

- 5–20 million passengers: Prague Airport.

- Over 20 million passengers: Athens International Airport.

- Best Destination: Canary Islands Tourist Board – Promotur.

- Best Airline: Jet2.com.

- Overall winner: Prague Airport.

New direct flights from Prague to Philadelphia and Taipei open up exciting routes for travelers from all over Central Europe. But any trip – especially a long-haul one – carries risks that you don’t want to think about when planning: sudden illness, flight delay during a transfer, lost suitcase with belongings.

Travel insurance is not an unnecessary expense, but a basic tool of protection, without which one medical incident abroad can cost more than the entire tour. To enter the Schengen countries, in particular the Czech Republic, having an insurance policy is a prerequisite for obtaining a visa. At Visit World you will find a convenient selection of policies for different types of trips – from a short weekend in Prague to a long flight across several continents. Everything is done online, the policy arrives in the mail immediately after payment.

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Let us remind you! Long-haul flights often become a serious test for the body due to dry air, fatigue and a change in time zones. At the same time, many passengers themselves worsen their condition with typical mistakes during the flight. We have already talked about 11 habits that can ruin a long-haul flight, as well as tips from former flight attendant Tiffany Hawk for a more comfortable trip.

Photo – generated by Gemini