The article substantiates quantitative changes in passenger flows by different types of transport over the past 40 years. The article analyses the passenger flows of Ukrainian airlines, compares the share of different types of transport in the total volume of passenger traffic during the period of Ukraine’s independence, and draws relevant conclusions about trends in the development of air transport in Ukraine. It is shown that Ukrainians with high incomes remain the main category of passengers on domestic routes. Future growth in demand will depend on the country’s economic growth, airline tariff policy, flight frequency, and convenience of connections. The significant growth in international passenger traffic is partly due to trends that began in 1990. After Ukraine’s independence, imports of goods increased significantly, and demand for international travel increased significantly. It is also worth noting that Ukraine’s transport infrastructure allows you to reach any part of the country using land transport, which is much cheaper than air travel. Therefore, it is not surprising that most domestic airlines are focused on international transport. The significant potential for the development of international flights in Ukraine is due to the country’s geographical location, which facilitates high transit passenger traffic. When analysing the performance of European airports, it is worth noting that Ukraine became the leader in terms of passenger traffic growth in 2019. In six months, Ukraine’s airports handled 10.7 million passengers, up 20 % year-on-year. Ukraine ranked second after Poland in terms of passenger traffic. In addition, Ukraine has seen a steady increase in passenger traffic due to the emergence of new airlines and the expansion of international routes. Low-cost airlines, such as Ryanair and Wizz Air, have begun to operate in the Ukrainian market, which has led to lower airfares and increased accessibility of air travel for the general population. At the same time, Ukrainian airlines, such as UIA (Ukraine International Airlines), continue to expand their routes, which is contributing to further growth in passenger traffic. Looking at domestic traffic, although the share of air travel remains relatively small compared to other modes of transport, such as rail and road, there is a gradual increase in interest in air travel due to improved services and infrastructure at airports. The development of regional airports is also contributing to an increase in the number of passengers using air transport within the country. Overall, the prospects for the development of air transport in Ukraine look optimistic. The main factors that will contribute to further growth of passenger traffic are economic stability, development of the tourism industry, improvement of service quality and investment in infrastructure.