Réunion Island's Roland Garros Airport just completed its best year on record, welcoming 2,764,811 local passengers in 2025, up 4% from 2024. This August 2026, the platform is at its summer peak, with reinforced measures in place until August 30 to handle traffic pressure.
A Structural Record, Not a Cyclical Bounce
The growth goes beyond a post-Covid rebound. Traffic breakdown illustrates the depth of the shift: 59% of passengers travel to or from mainland France (1,630,089 people), 38% fly within the Indian Ocean region (1,045,708 passengers) and 3% are international outside the zone. Emerging markets drive the momentum: Thailand up +19.5%, South Africa +14.2%, Mayotte +10.8%. Transit traffic surged +13.9% to 60,871 connecting passengers — a sign that Roland Garros is cementing its regional hub role.
Cargo and New Routes
Air cargo activity grew 5% to reach 30,699 tonnes in 2025, split between 21,778 tonnes of imports and 8,921 tonnes of exports. In 2026, the airport launched a new direct route to Toulouse on June 15, expanding connectivity to South-West France and boosting the island's tourist and business appeal.
For summer 2026, enhanced measures were deployed from July 3 to August 30: early terminal opening at 4:45 AM, access filtering on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 5 AM to 10 AM (check-in area restricted to passengers), and staffing reinforcements — including student agents from Cluny High School between July 19 and August 17.
Why It Matters
With plans for a future terminal designed for 4 million passengers under study, and a photovoltaic power plant project targeting 50% of energy needs for the cargo zone by 2028, Roland Garros is positioning itself as a key player in the energy transition and regional connectivity of the Indian Ocean. Hub growth is not just good news for airlines: it is a direct lever for tourism, Réunion's agricultural exports, and the attractiveness of international businesses using the island as an Indian Ocean stopover.
Sources: imazpress.com (February 2026), Air Journal (July 3, 2026)