The European Maccabi Games start today and will last until August 7 in Budapest, the 2019 European Capital of Sport. The program is the biggest Jewish sports and cultural event on the continent, and also the biggest sports event in Hungary this year, the airport told the Budapest Business Journal. Athletes, teams, performers, and fans arrive days before the start of the event, mostly by plane, requiring special organizational efforts by the airport and authorities during an already busy summer period.

The Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix also takes place this week, attracting tens of thousands of fans to Hungary days before the race weekend. The airport notes that private jet traffic also peaks at the airport as organizers, teams, and drivers arrive at the general aviation terminal, to depart soon after the race on Sunday.

For a long time, the weekend of the Formula 1 Hungarian GP was the only real peak in the summer. Thanks to numerous music festivals, however, the summer peak has been extended, with the Sziget Festival (running August 7-13 this year) alone bringing in tens of thousands of mostly young people from the entire continent.

The airport says it will frequently handle more than 50,000 passengers per day, and so is asking passengers to come to the airport earlier than usual. In an effort to ensure faster service, Budapest Airport is relying on a number of developments this year, including early baggage drop-off (several hours before departure), enhanced queue management, displaying of waiting times, and additional new passenger security screening lanes.

Additionally, the latest flight information is continuously offered to passengers via Budapest Airportʼs website and mobile application.