North American Summer Travel to Europe Surges as Flight Capacity Doubles in Czechia and Croatia
North American demand for European summer travel is surging, with significant capacity growth in Italy, Czechia, and Croatia as airlines concentrate more seats around peak summer months.
Newsnibs Staff
- 2026-10-14
- Updated 4:37 AM UTC
North American demand for summer travel to Europe has surged, with airlines scheduling 69% more seats in July 2026 than in July 2010, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium data analyzed by Business Insider. Total transatlantic flight capacity rose from roughly 15,700 to 24,900 flights.
The growth has concentrated the travel calendar more tightly around peak summer months. In 2026, airlines offered 77% more seats in July than in January, compared with a 50% gap between those months in 2010.
Italy is the fastest-growing major destination, adding more than 1.5 million seats for a 52% increase in capacity. Naples has seen the sharpest rise among individual cities, with flight capacity more than five times what it was in 2023. Czechia and Croatia have both doubled their capacity since the year ending July 2023.
Spain has also drawn more American visitors on the ground. Government statistics there show 57% more American arrivals in October 2025 than in October 2019.
Not every country has gained. Norway and Sweden have each seen capacity drop by more than half, and the war in Ukraine has eliminated all flights to that country.
Dublin remains a key hub for Americans because of pre-clearance, which lets travelers complete US border checks before departure. American Airlines has announced plans to launch flights to Porto, Portugal, in March 2027.
Photo by Rohit Tandon on Unsplash
