Lodz Airport ended 2025 with a record passenger total and a sharp increase in revenue, but it also posted one of the biggest losses in its history. The airport handled almost 500,000 travellers and saw revenue rise by 11%, yet it still needed multi-million-zloty support from the city of Lodz.

The latest figures show the regional airport remains far from profitability despite its strongest operational year to date. Its future outlook also suggests that it is unlikely to reach break-even quickly.

The airport, officially named after Wladyslaw Reymont, said it lost 37.4 million zloty in 2025. That came after what was described as a record year for passenger traffic, underlining the gap between growing demand and financial performance.

The result is significant for a Polish regional airport that has worked for years to strengthen its position in the market. Higher passenger numbers usually help airports improve income from charges, retail and services, but the Lodz figure shows those gains were not enough to cover costs.

Airport managers have pointed to the need for continued backing from the local owner, the City of Lodz. That support has become a recurring feature of the airport’s finances, with the company again relying on public money to stay afloat.

While the increase in revenue is a positive sign, the scale of the loss suggests the airport still faces structural challenges. These may include competition from larger nearby airports, the costs of maintaining operations and the limited size of the local market.

Passenger growth has been a key goal for many regional airports across Europe, but the Lodz example shows that volume alone does not guarantee financial stability. A rise to nearly half a million passengers is an important milestone, yet it has not been enough to bring the business close to profitability.

The airport’s performance in 2025 also raises questions about how quickly it can improve in the coming years. The article’s forecast does not point to rapid recovery, indicating that further losses may continue unless revenue rises faster or costs come down.

Regional airports often play a wider economic role by supporting tourism, business travel and local connectivity. In Lodz, however, the latest annual result shows that the airport still has a long way to go before those benefits are matched by financial sustainability.