Of the most popular travel destination for individuals around the world is Europe. It’s rich and diverse culture is full of history and a favorite destination for investors, artists, students and tourists alike. Air travel to Europe has increased over time, the continent’s strategic location between Asia and America make it a popular hub for travellers across the two continents.

The availability of the Schengen visa that allows individuals to travel to all European countries freely has also contributed to the increase in air travel in Europe. France, Italy, Spain and Greece are popular holiday destinations and travellers often visit all three or more countries once they set foot in Europe. Air travel to Europe picks up during the summer as tourists from all over the world seek to escape the scorching heat in their countries and head to Europe to avail the cool summer weather. During the winter season, air travel again picks up due to the influx of holiday makers returning back to their home countries. Recently the extreme weather conditions ruined holiday plans for many, as the airports were closed down due to extreme snow and a large number of passengers who had connecting flights from Europe to other destinations were left stranded at the airport.

The UK is a popular destination for university students due to its historic, world renowned diverse range of universities, almost all flights to Europe and especially the UK are overbooked after the summer as students and tourists are returning to their universities and countries respectively. Between summer and winter most of the air travel to Europe occurs by businessmen and seasonal tourists. London is known as the financial exchange hub of the world, Rome is known as the food capital of the world, and Germany is famous for its beer during October a number of beer enthusiasts head to Germany to celebrate Oktoberfest.

Honeymoon goers have a number of options to choose from, from a Caribbean Cruise to the serene beaches of Bali, however, Europe is still the most popular destination. France’s culinary offering, Italy’s romantic atmosphere, Greece’s tranquil islands and London’s city life make it an attractive destination for Honeymooners. Many choose to go backpacking through Europe rather than travel by air, since most of the countries are interconnected by road and sea networks it backpacking makes for a cheap holiday.

Another, less popular reason for the increase in air travel to Europe is the increasing refugee population in the European countries. Britain is the most popular destination for refugee seekers followed by Germany, France and Sweden. Although many natives are not in favor of the growing number of asylum seekers in their countries, it is a welcome fact for airlines. As the number of refugees increase in Europe, so would the number of air travellers, refugees are almost certain to head back home for the holidays after they receive their citizenship, or their families would come to visit them in return.

All the above mentioned factors have contributed to the increase in number of travellers to Europe; most of this travelling is done in air as it is more convenient and cheaper as airlines offer great deals and packagers for travellers, since this market shows no sign of slowing down.