Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the first direct flight between Tirana and Toronto, Rama highlighted the dramatic increase in passenger and flight numbers over the past decade, ranking Tirana Airport among Europe’s fastest-growing airports.
“Tirana Airport ranks first in Europe for passenger growth. Between 2016 and 2025, the increase has been extraordinary. In 2016, there were 22,000 flights per year serving 2.2 million passengers. Less than ten years later, passenger numbers reached 13.7 million and flights rose to 82,000. We expect that figure to surpass 100,000 by the end of this decade. Tirana Airport is also among the first in Europe to introduce a digitalised check-in process,” Rama said.
The Prime Minister also stressed that the airport is entering a new phase of modernisation, with investments in technology and digitalisation aimed at making travel faster and more efficient for passengers.
“Soon, we will open a new chapter in the airport’s digital transformation and modernisation through the introduction of digital gates. Albanian citizens holding biometric passports will be able to pass through without any physical checks. This will allow Albanian passengers arriving at Rinas to enter as if they were entering their own home, while all information will be processed through artificial intelligence integrated into these gates. It will represent an extraordinary transformation in many respects,” Rama said.
Rama also noted that Albania has now entered a new stage in tourism development and should increasingly focus on attracting higher-spending visitors, arguing that high-end tourism generates greater revenue while placing less pressure on infrastructure and the environment.
He further revealed that work is continuing on the expansion of Albania’s aviation network. Despite delays related to internal company disputes, the Vlora International Airport project remains on track, while preparations are underway to launch the tender for a new seasonal tourist airport in Gjirokastër. He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the future development of Kukës Airport.
According to Rama, only 6.5% of Albanians used air travel when his government took office, compared to nearly 40% today, a change he attributed to increased competition in the aviation sector and rising incomes.
