Munich Airport wins digital transformation award

Munich Airport received the Digital Transformation Award from Airports Council International Europe (ACI Europe) at the 2025 Best Airport Awards. These honor European airports that have demonstrated exceptional performance, resilience and innovation in the face of post-pandemic challenges.

The awards were presented during the 35^th ACI Europe Annual Congress & General Assembly held at Athens International Airport in Greece, celebrating not only the top-performing airports but also efforts to meet the evolving demands of passenger experience, sustainability and operational excellence (OPEX).

Munich Airport is an international airport serving Munich and Upper Bavaria, southern Germany and western Austria.

Munich Airport wins digital transformation award

Munich Airport has garnered acclaim for the successful implementation of its “Premium Innovation Hub” strategy which encompasses an array of advanced technologies meticulously engineered to elevate the passenger experience and optimize operational efficiency.

The strategy is mainly based on a comprehensive, collaborative and sustainable approach to digital innovation, leveraging automation, data sharing and artificial intelligence (AI) for future-proof operations. Particular praise was given to the approach of creating a collaborative ecosystem that includes the internal Munich Airport Digital Community as well as partnerships with Lufthansa, research institutes, IT partners and airports.

Adopted technologies include service robots to enhance the passenger experience, remote-operated jet bridges, AI-supported turnaround management at aircraft stands, a chatbot to answer passenger inquiries, security control technologies, digital allocation systems, predictive incident management and process mining.

“Munich Airport was one of the first airports of its size to introduce such a comprehensive and cross-functional approach to digital transformation,” said Jan-Henrik Andersson, chief commercial and chief security officer at Munich Airport. “We are delighted that this commitment has been recognized with the Digital Transformation Award.”

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European airports recognized for operational efficiency, transformation and sustainability

The 2025 Best Airport Awards also recognized several other European airports that have overcome growth challenges to meet evolving demands. These include:

• Cork Airport (under 5 million passengers): Acknowledged for its performance across several key metrics including passenger growth, operational efficiency, customer satisfaction and sustainability efforts.
• Sofia Vasil Levski Airport (5-10 million passengers): Acknowledged for its ambitious transformation strategy, focusing on human capital development and enhancing community ties.
• Hamburg Airport (10-25 million passengers): Acknowledged for its long-term commitment to digital transformation, passenger comfort and carbon neutrality. Hamburg Airport has made significant strides in developing digital processes aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and improving the passenger experience.
• Athens International Airport (25-40 million passengers): Acknowledged for its resilience and strategic management, particularly in addressing seasonal fluctuations in passenger demand and promoting Greece as a tourist destination.
• Rome Fiumicino Airport (over 40 million passengers): Acknowledged for its data-driven approach to airport management and focus on sustainability.

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