What’s On The Horizon For: Groningen Airport Eelde

During Routes Europe 2025, Groningen Airport Eelde shared its recent charter success and outlined key route development priorities as it positions itself as a growing alternative in the Dutch aviation market.

Serving as the international gateway for the Northern Netherlands, Groningen Airport Eelde (GRQ) connects a catchment area of more than 3.8 million people within a 90-minute drive, extending into northwest Germany. As airport capacity constraints intensify across the Netherlands, GRQ offers strong growth potential thanks to its unrestricted slot availability.

The airport reported strong charter performance in 2024, with a strategic focus on niche markets proving effective. Tour operators and leisure carriers such as Corendon, TUI, SKY Express, Emerald Airlines, Blue Islands and Transavia continued to serve popular leisure destinations from GRQ.

For summer 2025, GRQ added two new routes: a Heraklion service operated by SKY Express in partnership with Sunweb, and a connection to Ireland West Airport Knock, further strengthening its regional footprint.

Speaking at Routes Europe in Seville, chief commercial officer Jonas van Dorp noted growing demand for service to mainland Spain and Portugal, with interest in extended seasonal offerings. GRQ has identified several unserved route opportunities, including the Canary Islands, additional Greek destinations and the reinstatement of previously operated routes to Copenhagen and Munich.

Van Dorp also emphasized the importance of restoring a 3X-daily service to London Southend Airport, a key connection lost following the collapse of Flybe.

Tom Roek, route development analyst at GRQ, also highlighted the airport’s evolving partnership with Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS). The collaboration is focused on route development and innovation, with AMS providing expertise to support GRQ’s long-term economic and social role in the region.

To attract new airline partners, GRQ has increased its engagement through Routes 360. “We are very happy with the email campaigns and route opportunities feature,” Roek said. “We’ve received some great feedback from airlines who have seen our Routes 360 content, which is helping us advance our propositions.”

Looking ahead, GRQ plans to extend its operating hours and continue growing its network with strategic additions for leisure and regional travelers, positioning itself as a viable alternative in the Netherlands’ increasingly capacity-constrained air travel market.