The joint study by the Federal Association of German Aviation Industry (BDL) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) found that transfers through non-EU hubs accounted for 54% of passenger traffic from Germany to the Far East and Southeast Asia in 2024, Anadolu Agency reported.
That figure rose from 43.8% in 2019 and 33.7% in 2010, highlighting a growing shift away from traditional Western European aviation hubs.
***
Airports in Türkiye and the Gulf recorded the sharpest increase. Their share of connecting traffic more than doubled from 12.6% in 2010 to 28.2% in 2024.
By comparison, direct flights from Germany and connections through domestic German hubs combined fell from 56% to 36% over the same period.
The report identified Turkish Airlines and Istanbul Airport, along with major Gulf hubs in Dubai and Doha, as key drivers of the trend. It said these airports offer competitive fares and extensive connections, with some routes allowing passengers to reach destinations as far as Australia with a single stop instead of two connections through Western Europe.
“Air travelers generally have a wide range of options on which airline to take to a long-haul destination,” the report said, noting that passengers are increasingly choosing Istanbul, Doha and Dubai because of their lower fares and broader connectivity.
The trend is also visible on routes between Germany and Africa. Excluding Mediterranean countries, transfers through Türkiye and the Gulf increased from 11% in 2010 to 23.4% in 2019 and 32% in 2024.
The study attributed the shift in part to rising climate-related charges, government taxes and operating costs affecting flights originating in Western Europe. Travelers comparing options such as Lufthansa via Frankfurt, Turkish Airlines via Istanbul or Emirates via Dubai are increasingly choosing routes with lower fares, according to the report.
The report also warned that Germany’s position as a major air-freight hub could be affected as more cargo destined for the country is handled through airports abroad.
“Frankfurt Airport, for instance, has lost its top spot in Europe to Istanbul Airport,” the study said.
BDL Chief Executive Joachim Lang said the shift in passenger and cargo traffic was weakening Germany’s links to international aviation networks.
“For an exporting nation, this poses a serious challenge to its competitiveness as a business location,” Lang said.
He also argued that shifting aviation emissions to other locations would not provide a climate benefit and called for lower costs for aviation businesses in Germany and consistent climate-protection rules across competing markets.
