Cardiff Airport’s growing connectivity recognised by Routes World

Cardiff Airport has been recognised for its continued growth and development after being shortlisted for a prestigious Routes World Award, one of the most respected accolades in the global aviation industry.

The Welsh gateway has been named a finalist in the Under 5 Million Passengers category at the 2026 Routes World Awards, alongside Bratislava, Cork, Halifax Stanfield and Shannon airports.

Routes World Awards celebrate excellence in route development and recognise the airports, airlines and destinations playing an important role in growing global air connectivity.

This shortlist comes at an exciting time for Cardiff Airport, which has recently welcomed more than one million passengers in the past 12 months, the first time the Airport has reached this milestone since the COVID-19 pandemic.

And the airport has continued to build its network, with the launch of WestJet’s new direct service between Cardiff and Toronto, reconnecting Wales with Canada for the first time in almost 20 years.

TUI has invested in its Cardiff operation by basing a fourth aircraft at the airport this summer, while Ryanair is recording its busiest ever summer at the gateway.

Other new destinations served from Cardiff Airport this year are Hurghada, Faro, Fuerteventura, Salzburg, Toronto, Turin and Kittilä, giving passengers across Wales and the wider region even more choice.