Air passengers in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Air passengers was 723,825 in 2023. ▼ Falling
Air passengers in Bulgaria, 1970–2023
Source: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for air passengers in Bulgaria is 723,825, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 12.4% on the previous year and down 28.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, air passengers in Bulgaria peaked at 2.16 million in 1988 and was at its lowest, 41,126, in 2021.
Bulgaria ranks 110th of 183 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 54 years of available data.
Air passengers in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 988,900 | — |
| 1971 | 985,200 | -0.4% |
| 1972 | 1.02 million | +4.0% |
| 1973 | 1.08 million | +5.9% |
| 1974 | 1.13 million | +4.1% |
| 1975 | 1.15 million | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 1.37 million | +19.1% |
| 1977 | 1.40 million | +2.2% |
| 1978 | 1.50 million | +7.1% |
| 1979 | 1.75 million | +17.0% |
| 1980 | 1.79 million | +1.9% |
| 1981 | 1.79 million | -0.0% |
| 1982 | 1.68 million | -6.3% |
| 1983 | 1.79 million | +6.9% |
| 1984 | 1.95 million | +8.9% |
| 1985 | 2.09 million | +7.2% |
| 1986 | 1.97 million | -6.0% |
| 1987 | 2.10 million | +6.6% |
| 1988 | 2.16 million | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 2.00 million | -7.7% |
| 1990 | 1.91 million | -4.5% |
| 1991 | 645,700 | -66.1% |
| 1992 | 814,000 | +26.1% |
| 1993 | 915,800 | +12.5% |
| 1994 | 789,200 | -13.8% |
| 1995 | 862,700 | +9.3% |
| 1996 | 718,200 | -16.7% |
| 1997 | 721,700 | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 827,700 | +14.7% |
| 1999 | 734,700 | -11.2% |
| 2000 | 535,246 | -27.1% |
| 2001 | 233,963 | -56.3% |
| 2002 | 62,798 | -73.2% |
| 2003 | 310,952 | +395.2% |
| 2004 | 476,277 | +53.2% |
| 2005 | 653,703 | +37.3% |
| 2006 | 808,451 | +23.7% |
| 2007 | 855,229 | +5.8% |
| 2008 | 1.07 million | +25.5% |
| 2009 | 798,165 | -25.6% |
| 2010 | 801,840 | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 932,868 | +16.3% |
| 2012 | 973,062 | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 1.01 million | +4.1% |
| 2014 | 1.06 million | +4.6% |
| 2015 | 1.06 million | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 1.09 million | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 1.13 million | +3.7% |
| 2018 | 1.02 million | -9.7% |
| 2019 | 832,828 | -18.6% |
| 2020 | 443,067 | -46.8% |
| 2021 | 41,126 | -90.7% |
| 2022 | 643,765 | +1465.3% |
| 2023 | 723,825 | +12.4% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 723,825 is below the median for high income countries, which is 9.14 million, 8% of the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 723,825 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 3.87 million, 19% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Air passengers in Bulgaria changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +1465.3% | 41,126 | 643,765 |
| 2003 | +395.2% | 62,798 | 310,952 |
| 2021 | -90.7% | 443,067 | 41,126 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1.24 million | 985,200 | 1.75 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.93 million | 1.68 million | 2.16 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 893,670 | 645,700 | 1.91 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 580,828 | 62,798 | 1.07 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 992,551 | 801,840 | 1.13 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 462,946 | 41,126 | 723,825 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 107 Belize 776,198 compare
- 108 Mongolia 773,702 compare
- 109 Cyprus 724,062 compare
- 111 Cote d'Ivoire 716,233 compare
- 112 Tajikistan 690,677 compare
- 113 Mozambique 680,108 compare
More reference data data for Bulgaria
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.3067 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2728 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.73 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2506 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.73 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.608 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 7.74 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.36 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is air passengers in Bulgaria?
- Air passengers in Bulgaria was 723,825 in 2023, according to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest air passengers recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 2.16 million in 1988.
- What is the lowest air passengers recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 41,126 in 2021.
- How does Bulgaria rank for air passengers?
- Bulgaria ranks 110th out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is air passengers rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Air passengers. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Domestic and international passengers of airlines registered in the country. Passengers counted each time they travel.