This is a list of the busiest

airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surfa ...

s in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

Channel Islands The Channel Islands ( nrf, Îles d'la Manche; french: îles Anglo-Normandes or ''îles de la Manche'') are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two Crown Dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey, ...

, and

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ranked by total passenger traffic, compiled from

Civil Aviation Authority A civil aviation authority (CAA) is a national or supranational statutory authority that oversees the regulation of civil aviation, including the maintenance of an aircraft register. Role Due to the inherent dangers in the use of flight vehicles, ...

data from 2006 to 2021. For some years the figures also show total

aircraft An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to flight, fly by gaining support from the Atmosphere of Earth, air. It counters the force of gravity by using either Buoyancy, static lift or by using the Lift (force), dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in ...

movements and

cargo Cargo consists of bulk goods conveyed by water, air, or land. In economics, freight is cargo that is transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. ''Cargo'' was originally a shipload but now covers all types of freight, including tra ...

volume handled at each airport. For a complete list of UK airports, see

List of airports in the United Kingdom and the British Crown Dependencies This list of airports in the United Kingdom is a partial list of public active aerodromes (airports and airfields) in the UK and the British Crown Dependencies. Most private airfields are not listed. For a list ranked by volume of traffic, see ...

. The United Kingdom, an island country, is home to many of

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

's largest and busiest airports. London Heathrow, which handles over 80 million international passengers annually, is the largest airport in the UK.

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

serves as the largest aviation hub in the world by passenger traffic, with six international airports, handling over 180 million passengers in 2019, more than any other city.as-worlds-largest-aviation-hub-massive-new-airport-planned-58776 Beijing to overtake London as world’s largest aviation hub. Massive new airport planned , CAPA
Centre for Aviation. Retrieved on 16 August 2013. London's second-busiest airport, London Gatwick, was until 2016 the world's busiest single-runway airport.

Manchester Airport Manchester Airport is an international airport in Ringway, Manchester, England, south-west of Manchester city centre. In 2019, it was the third busiest airport in the United Kingdom in terms of passenger numbers and the busiest of those ...

is the United Kingdom's fourth-busiest airport. London Stansted and London Luton are the third and fifth busiest airports, respectively. The largest airport operator in the United Kingdom is Heathrow Airport Holdings (owner of Heathrow), followed by

Manchester Airports Group Manchester Airport Holdings Limited, trading as MAG (originally Manchester Airports Group) is a holding company which is owned by the ten metropolitan borough councils of Greater Manchester, in North West England, and Australian investment fu ...

(owner of Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands). Together with

British Airways British Airways (BA) is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London, England, near its main hub at Heathrow Airport. The airline is the second largest UK-based carrier, based on fleet size and passengers ...

and Virgin Atlantic, they are part of the Aviation Foundation which lobby for the aviation needs of the United Kingdom.

Statistics

Overview

2020 / 2021 data

The following is a list of the 40 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic in 2021, from UK CAA statistics. Source: UK CAA Airport Data 2021

2019 / 2020 data

The following is a list of the 40 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic in 2020, from UK CAA statistics. Source: UK CAA Airport Data 2020

2018 / 2019 data

The following is a list of the 40 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic in 2019, from UK CAA statistics. Source: UK CAA Airport Data 2019

2017 / 2018 data

The following is a list of the 40 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic in 2018, from UK CAA statistics. Source: UK CAA Airport Data 2018

2016 / 2017 data

The following is a list of the 40 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic in 2017, from UK CAA statistics. Source: UK CAA Airport Data 2017

2015 / 2016 data

The following is a list of the 40 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic and aircraft movements in 2016, from UK CAA statistics. Source: UK CAA Airport Data 2016

2014 / 2015 data

The following is a list of the 40 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic in 2015, from UK CAA statistics. Source: UK CAA Airport Data 2015

2013 / 2014 data

The following is a list of the 40 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic in 2014, from UK CAA statistics. Source: UK CAA Airport Data 1990–2014

2012 / 2013 data

The following is a list of the 40 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic in 2013, from UK CAA statistics. Source: UK CAA Airport Data 1990–2014

2011 / 2012 data

The following is a list of the 40 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic in 2012, from UK CAA statistics. Source: UK CAA Airport Data 1990–2014

2010 / 2011 data

The following is a list of the 40 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic in 2011, from UK CAA statistics. Source: UK CAA Airport Data 1990–2014

2009 / 2010 data

The following is a list of the 40 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic in 2010, from UK CAA statistics. Source: UK CAA Airport Data 1990–2014

2008 / 2009 data

The following is a list of the 40 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic in 2009, from UK CAA statistics. Source: UK CAA Airport Data 1990–2014

20 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic

2010 data

''Source: UK CAA Official Statistics''

2009 data

''Source: UK CAA Official Statistics''

2008 data

''Source: UK CAA Official Statistics''

2007 data

''Source: UK CAA Official Statistics''UK Airport Statistics: 2007 - annual
Table 3.1 Aircraft Movements, Table 9 Total Passengers & Transit Passengers, Table 10.1 International Passengers, Table 10.2 Domestic Passengers and Table 13.2 Freight.

2006 data

''Source: UK CAA Official Statistics''UK Airport Statistics: 2006 - annual
Table 3.1 Aircraft Movements, Table 9 Total Passengers & Transit Passengers, Table 10.1 International Passengers, Table 10.2 Domestic Passengers and Table 13.2 Freight.

Future airport expansion

* Heathrow Airport – Terminal 5 opened on 27 March 2008, increasing the total passenger numbers potentially to over 90 million, possibly making Heathrow the world's busiest airport. Plans for a third runway could increase aircraft movement dramatically and see over 115 million passengers using Heathrow annually; however, the decision could be made to give Gatwick a second runway. See also Future expansion and

Expansion of London Heathrow Airport The expansion of Heathrow Airport is a series of proposals to add to the runways at London's busiest airport beyond its two long runways which are intensively used to serve four terminals and a large cargo operation. The plans are those present ...

. *

Gatwick Airport Gatwick Airport (), also known as London Gatwick , is a major international airport near Crawley, West Sussex, England, south of Central London. In 2021, Gatwick was the third-busiest airport by total passenger traffic in the UK, after ...

– Battling with Heathrow for Government decision on an extra runway. A second runway at Gatwick could see it match or even overtake Heathrow's traffic and income. Supporters say multiple large London airports are better than one massive one. *

– Expansion of services and facilities at Manchester Airport estimates a usage by 50 million passengers in 2030, which is more than twice as many as the airport handles now. * Stansted Airport – Plans for a second runway to increase capacity were shelved in 2010. Sold by BAA to Manchester Airports group in 2013, following a Competition Commission ruling. See Stansted proposed expansion for more. * Luton Airport – Luton's usage has increased by around 900% between 1991 and 2006; however, plans for another runway and new terminal were scrapped due to financial reasons, although plans for a new rail link between London St. Pancras and Luton Airport Parkway have been approved. See Development plans and the future * Birmingham Airport – Birmingham Airport recently extended its runway to accommodate long haul flights to the Far East, South America and West Coast. The airport has drawn up plans for a second runway linked to

High Speed 2 High Speed 2 (HS2) is a planned high-speed railway line in England, the first phase of which is under construction in stages and due for completion between 2029 and 2033, depending on approval for later stages. The new line will run from its m ...

. In July 2019 plans were confirmed by the airport for a £500 million pound expansion. This will enable the airport to accommodate for up to 20 million passengers. The new development will create over 3500 new jobs and is set to be complete in 2033. *

Leeds Bradford Airport Leeds Bradford Airport is located in Yeadon, in the City of Leeds Metropolitan District in West Yorkshire, England, about northwest of Leeds city centre, and about northeast from Bradford city centre. It serves Leeds and Bradford and the ...

– In November 2008, Bridgepoint Capital announced a £28 million expansion of the current terminal building at Leeds Bradford Airport, enabling the airport to handle in excess of 6 million passengers a year. The airport also intends to increase parking, the number of aircraft stands, and build a railway link towards Horsforth, enabling a link with Leeds railway station. *

Bournemouth Airport Bournemouth Airport (previously known as Hurn Airport and Bournemouth International Airport) is an airport located north-northeast of Bournemouth, in southern England. The site opened as RAF Hurn in 1941, but was transferred to civil contr ...

– A£45 million redevelopment by Manchester Airports group was announced in 2006 and began in 2008. The terminal building is to double in size, to replace the arrivals terminal, increase the number of stands/gates from 4 to 13 and to add more car parking spaces. Improvements to the local infrastructure, as well as the possibility of the construction of a new hotel are also included in the redevelopment phases. * London Southend Airport – Since its purchase by the Stobart Group in 2008, London Southend Airport has embarked on a massive programme of development including a runway extension, new terminal, railway station and hotel. EasyJet commenced services from the airport in April 2012 with the anticipation that 700,000 passengers would be carried by easyJet alone that year. *

Bristol Airport Bristol Airport , at Lulsgate Bottom, on the northern slopes of the Mendip Hills, in North Somerset, is the commercial airport serving the city of Bristol, England, and the surrounding area. It is southwest of Bristol city centre. Built on ...

– The expansion is to occur in stages, spread over 30 construction projects in order to increase passenger numbers to 10 million a year. Plans include a doubling of passenger terminal floorspace, new piers and aircraft parking stands, extensions to the apron, two multi-storey car parks and a public transport interchange. In October 2013, construction started on a £6.5 million walkway connected to the centre of the terminal, to provide four more pre-boarding zones. The walkway opened in July 2014. It allows the use of jetways, including for wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. In August 2014, the airport announced that construction of an £8.6 million eastward extension of the terminal would start in September, and construction was completed in summer 2015. This expansion was immediately followed by the starting of an western terminal extension that will expand the security, baggage handling and immigration facilities. A 201-room Hampton by Hilton hotel is under construction and is due to be complete by winter 2016. The airport has also invested in wider infrastructure such as the South Bristol Link road, which will speed up journey times to the airport.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Busiest UK airports

Airports An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surfac ...