Hungarian travelers are heading to airports across the border in ever-increasing numbers. Based on booking data from INVIA, the number of trips departing from regional and foreign airports is rising significantly, driven by price differences, a wider range of options, and an increasingly pragmatic approach to travel planning, Turizmus.com reported.
Bratislava saw the biggest jump, with Hungarians booking 128 percent more trips from there than a year earlier. Vienna also gained ground, with a 13 percent increase, outpacing the 9.5 percent growth in Budapest and the 7.7 percent growth in Debrecen. Graz saw a more modest increase of 3.6 percent.
The trend indicates that travelers are becoming less attached to the airport closest to them. When faced with more favorable prices, a better selection of flights, or more convenient departure times, many are now considering airports in neighboring countries as well.
Bratislava. Photo: Pixabay
The most striking figure comes from Bratislava, where bookings rose by 128% over the entire year. The primary driver is price: the average cost of vacations departing from Bratislava this summer could be as much as 14% lower than for comparable trips departing from Budapest, while the average price of trips departing from Bratislava has fallen by 8%.
Even after accounting for transport costs, departing from a foreign airport can still be cheaper than flying from Budapest.
The most popular destinations for last-minute bookings departing from Bratislava paint a familiar picture: Türkiye, Egypt, and Spain, while the Dominican Republic also ranks highly among year-round bookings, driven by the launch of direct flights.
Vienna. Photo: Pixabay
For years now, Vienna has been a genuine departure alternative for Hungarian travelers. The 13% overall annual growth and the 36% increase in last-minute bookings reflect a well-established trend, not a new phenomenon. The offers from German and Austrian tour operators available through INVIA’s platform, with departures from Vienna, significantly expand the range of options.
The proportion of family bookings is proportionally higher for trips departing from Vienna than from other airports,
suggesting that families are particularly willing to travel for the right deal.
The most popular destinations for last-minute bookings departing from Vienna are the same as those from Budapest: Türkiye, Egypt, and Greece, while for year-round bookings, there is stronger demand for long-haul trips, particularly to the Maldives and the Dominican Republic.
This year, the market was more polarized than in previous seasons.
On the one hand, the advance booking period was very strong. On the other hand, a significant number of travelers opted for last-minute trips, which is clearly evident in the data from Debrecen, where last-minute bookings rose by 50% despite more modest overall annual growth.
“There may be several reasons for this. Some travelers postponed their decisions, while others had not originally planned to book a package tour at all. However, the situation in the Middle East may have highlighted the fact that organized package tours represent one of the safest forms of travel. This became particularly evident during the repatriations following the outbreak of conflict in the Persian Gulf, when travelers with tour operators received significantly more comprehensive assistance than those who had organized their trips independently,” said Béla Szokodi, INVIA’s sales and product manager.
Passengers board Itaka Hungary’s first charter flight to Antalya at Hévíz–Balaton Airport. Photo: MTI/Tibor Katona
Hévíz-Balaton Airport launched its first charter flights to the Turkish Riviera this year, and demand was immediate. Families and couples make up the primary traveler profiles, and the new route quickly demonstrated that demand for regional flights far exceeds that for flights to major cities.
The data suggest that neighboring airports are becoming an increasingly attractive option for Hungarian travelers seeking lower prices and more flight choices.
“Surrounding regional airports are becoming increasingly important, and we expect this trend to continue,” concluded Béla Szokodi.
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Via turizmus.com; Featured photo: Pixabay
