More than 10,000 seats have been occupied so far this year on the Portimão - Bragança – Portimão air link.
The two-year-old service, subsidised by taxpayers and run by Sevenair, registered 10,766 passengers to the end of November, 2,809 people more than in the same period in 2016.
Sevenair’s owners are satisfied with the 15% increase and expect a higher occupancy next year.
Airline boss Carlos Amaro, commented, "This was the year of consolidation for the route and our expectations for 2018 are growing, in line with the resumption of economic activity, with the greater travel needs of the population in mainland Portugal and with the positive dynamics of the tourism sector."
Amaro said the growth in demand for this regional route is because "people recognise this route is a regular, reliable and accessible solution for their north-south movements within Portugal."
The company also said that the best month of the year was August, with an occupation of more than 90% on the air service to Bragança, Vila Real, Viseu, Cascais and Portimão.
The route was granted for a three year period with a taxpayer dowry of up to €7.8 million, depending on the number of seats sold.
An earlier service was shelved in 2012 when Brussels refused to continue to throw €2.5 million-a-year at the operator. Portugal’s government stepped in and decided €7.5 million funding over three years would keep the uneconomical route open.
