List of busiest airports in the United Kingdom

This is a list of the busiest airports in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man ranked by total passenger traffic, compiled from Civil Aviation Authority data from 2006 to 2024. For some years the figures also show total aircraft movements and cargo 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.

The United Kingdom, an island country, is home to many of Europe's largest and busiest airports. London Heathrow, which handles over 83 million passengers annually, is the largest airport in the UK. London serves as the largest aviation hub in the world by passenger traffic, with six international airports, handling over 177 million passengers in 2024, more than any other city (List of busiest city airport systems by passenger traffic). London's second-busiest airport, London Gatwick, was until 2016 the world's busiest single-runway airport. Manchester Airport is the United Kingdom's third-busiest airport. London Stansted and London Luton are the fourth 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 (owner of Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands). Together with British Airways and Virgin Atlantic, they are part of the Aviation Foundation which lobby for the aviation needs of the United Kingdom.

Statistics

2025 data The following is a list of the 40 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic in 2025, from UK CAA statistics.

Although the top ten airports remained unchanged, the most notable shift was Liverpool John Lennon Airport overtaking Newcastle International Airport to claim eleventh place. Another striking fact is the decline in passenger numbers at London Gatwick and Belfast International Airports, the second and tenth busiest UK airports respectively, despite a significant overall increase in passenger journeys, from 295 million in 2024 to 302 million in 2025. Rank2025AirportTotal passengersAircraft movements20242025Change2024 / 2520242025Change2024 / 251 London Heathrow 83,882,140 84,481,178 0.7% 476,119 479,9960.8%2 London Gatwick 43,249,282 42,775,241 1.1% 265,358 263,1130.8%3 Manchester 30,789,056 32,072,136 4.2% 196,473 203,2563.5%4 London Stansted 29,694,316 29,758,490 0.2% 201,031 194,8813.1%5 London Luton 16,939,902 17,770,247 4.9% 131,962 134,7632.1%6 Edinburgh 15,780,353 16,970,685 7.5% 120,406 124,7513.6%7 Birmingham 12,848,201 13,663,877 6.3% 94,130 99,1405.3%8 Bristol 10,615,864 10,833,730 2.1% 78,595 78,0840.6%9 Glasgow 8,067,685 8,207,395 1.7% 76,916 80,0084.0%10 Belfast International 6,750,440 6,677,021 1.1% 60,480 58,1803.8%11 Liverpool 5,074,266 5,611,423 10.6% 51,715 53,7503.9%12Newcastle 5,143,412 5,480,401 6.6% 46,836 48,5523.7%13 Leeds Bradford 4,222,487 4,447,024 5.3% 37,093 38,3703.4%14 East Midlands 4,133,398 3,955,756 4.3% 63,648 59,8745.9%15 London City 3,573,250 3,737,888 4.6% 50,956 50,9920.1%16 Belfast City 2,391,124 2,363,781 1.1% 30,302 28,6356.3%17 Aberdeen 2,300,657 2,301,978 0.1% 72,100 65,6119.0%18 Jersey1,469,946 1,453,675 1.1%29,540 30,3242.7%19 Bournemouth 1,088,370 1,380,454 26.8% 21,000 24,86118.4%20 Cardiff 875,651 958,495 9.5% 15,455 16,9569.7%21 Southampton 852,727 885,266 3.8% 21,369 20,092 6.0%22 Inverness 797,059 824,046 3.4% 20,694 19,1737.3%23 London Southend 287,758 719,513 150.0% 27,134 30,72813.2%24 Guernsey 684,554 692,1391.1% 29,171 29,972 2.7%25 Glasgow Prestwick 535,570 620,960 5.9% 22,615 20,5479.1%26 Isle of Man 639,138 617,085 3.4% 15,511 16,2714.9%27 Exeter 449,722 572,260 27.2% 23,296 23,6391.5%28 Norwich 415,099 446,052 7.5% 30,227 26,49312.4%29 Newquay 415,989 394,326 5.2% 18,134 20,00810.3%30 Sumburgh 289,724 282,595 2.5% 17,116 16,1675.5%31 Teesside 228,126 261,440 14.6% 18,971 20,8229.8%32 City of Derry 179,095 220,933 23.4% 7,231 7,9419.8%33 Humberside 150,615 161,171 7.0% 18,280 16,9087.5%34 Kirkwall 149,503 157,051 5.0% 11,355 11,6572.7%35 Stornoway 100,988 104,554 3.5% 7,623 7,7201.3%36 St Mary's 68,086 72,244 6.1% 9,082 9,7036.8%37 Land's End 49,671 51,588 3.9% 7,500 9,06520.9%38 Alderney 47,736 47,387 0.7% 7,102 7,2582.2%39 Farnborough 38,342 37,805 1.4% 31,128 31,3160.6%40 Dundee 36,071 33,068 8.3% 4,112 4,2543.5%TOTAL 295,307,397 302,102,3582.3% 2,469,790 2,483,8310.6% Source: UK CAA Airport Data 2025

2024 data The following is a list of the 40 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic in 2024, from UK CAA statistics.

Rank2024Rank is by total passengers.AirportTotal passengersTotal passengers includes domestic, international and transit passengers.Aircraft movementsAircraft movements includes all commercial and non-commercial takeoffs and landings.

(The 2025 column was left blank as the CAA has not yet published the annual data.)20232024Change2023 / 2420232024Change2023 / 241 London Heathrow 79,180,434 83,882,140 5.9% 456,600 476,1194.3%2 London Gatwick 40,897,656 43,249,282 5.8% 256,893 265,3583.3%3 Manchester 28,096,783 30,789,056 9.6% 180,246 196,4739.0%4 London Stansted 27,951,291 29,694,316 6.2% 195,438 201,0312.9%5 London Luton 16,403,784 16,939,902 3.3% 128,430 131,9622.8%6 Edinburgh 14,396,794 15,780,353 9.6% 115,076 120,4064.6%7 Birmingham 11,481,365 12,848,201 11.9% 86,584 94,1308.7%8 Bristol 9,913,011 10,615,864 7.1% 77,26078,5951.7%9 Glasgow 7,358,828 8,067,685 9.6% 74,563 76,9163.2%10 Belfast International 5,957,055 6,750,440 13.3% 57,761 60,4804.7%11 Newcastle 4,819,969 5,143,412 6.7% 45,229 46,8363.6%12 Liverpool 4,193,623 5,074,266 21.0% 49,436 51,7154.6%13 Leeds Bradford 3,989,405 4,222,487 5.8% 36,413 37,0931.9%14 East Midlands 3,932,497 4,133,398 5.1% 66,212 63,6483.9%15 London City 3,429,684 3,573,250 4.2% 52,101 50,9562.2%16 Belfast City 2,115,153 2,391,124 13.0% 29,282 30,3023.5%17 Aberdeen 2,229,918 2,300,657 3.2% 73,442 72,1001.8%18 Jersey 1,468,820 1,469,946 0.1% 30,869 29,5404.3%19 Bournemouth 950,206 1,088,370 14.5% 20,650 21,0001.7%20 Cardiff 838,529 875,651 4.4% 15,806 15,4552.2%21 Southampton 754,931 852,727 13.0% 21,998 21,3692.9%22 Inverness 802,338 797,059 0.7% 23,842 20,69413.2%23 Guernsey 694,958 684,554 1.5% 27,872 29,1714.7%24 Isle of Man 638,619 639,138 0.1% 15,741 15,5111.5%25 Glasgow Prestwick 524,880 535,570 2.0% 24,471 22,6157.6%26 Exeter 433,067 449,722 3.8% 27,082 23,29614.0%27 Newquay 408,870 415,989 1.7% 19,384 18,1346.4%28 Norwich 357,852 415,099 16.0% 28,662 30,2275.5%29 Sumburgh 259,068 289,724 11.8% 17,426 17,1161.8%30 London Southend 146,072 287,758 97.0% 31,546 27,13414.0%31 Teesside 226,557 228,126 0.7% 21,125 18,97110.2%32 City of Derry 154,486 179,095 15.9% 7,1107,2311.7%33 Humberside 136,976 150,615 10.0% 16,678 18,2809.6%34 Kirkwall 143,093 149,503 4.5% 11,443 11,355 0.8%35 Stornoway 106,237 100,988 4.9% 7,366 7,623 3.5%36 St Mary's 69,404 68,086 1.9% 8,849 9,0822.6%37 Land's End 54,517 49,671 8.9% 7,475 7,5000.3%38 Alderney 49,546 47,736 3.7% 7,237 7,1021.9%39 Farnborough 38,827 38,342 1.2% 32,622 31,1284.6%40 Dundee 38,508 36,071 6.3% 6,019 4,11231.7%TOP 40 TOTAL 275,645,634 295,307,397 7.1% 2,414,262 2,469,790 2.3%>40 Other UK Airports 126,129 125,039 0.9% 361,950 356,1111.6%TOTAL 275,771,763 295,432,436 7.1% 2,776,212 2,825,901 1.8% Source: UK CAA Airport Data 2024

2023 data The following is a list of the 40 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic in 2023, from UK CAA statistics.

Rank2023Rank is by total passengers.AirportTotal passengersTotal passengers includes domestic, international and transit passengers.Aircraft movementsAircraft movements includes all commercial and non-commercial takeoffs and landings.20222023Change2022 / 2320222023Change2022 / 231 London Heathrow 61,611,838 79,180,434 28.5% 380,305 456,60020.1%2 London Gatwick 32,835,381 40,897,656 24.6% 217,622 256,89318.0%3 Manchester 23,364,471 28,096,783 20.3% 158,575 180,24613.7%4 London Stansted 23,290,097 27,951,291 20.0% 176,914 195,43810.5%5 London Luton 13,324,491 16,403,784 23.1% 118,063 128,4308.8%6 Edinburgh 11,250,211 14,396,794 28.0% 98,065 115,07617.3%7 Birmingham 9,597,485 11,481,365 19.6% 65,644 86,58431.9%8 Bristol 7,948,941 9,913,011 24.7% 65,909 77,26017.2%9 Glasgow 6,517,585 7,358,828 12.9% 70,391 74,5635.9%10 Belfast International 4,818,214 5,957,055 23.6% 49,942 57,76115.7%11 Newcastle 4,128,407 4,819,969 16.8% 41,187 45,2299.8%12 Liverpool 3,490,844 4,193,623 20.1% 47,526 49,4364.0%13 Leeds Bradford 3,288,635 3,989,405 21.3% 33,912 36,4137.4%14 East Midlands 3,186,367 3,932,497 23.4% 64,678 66,2122.4%15 London City 3,009,313 3,429,684 14.0% 49,937 52,1014.3%16 Aberdeen 1,960,307 2,229,918 13.8% 74,098 73,4420.9%17 Belfast City 1,655,164 2,115,153 27.8% 25,368 29,28215.4%18 Jersey 1,336,082 1,468,820 9.9% 32,185 30,8694.1%19 Bournemouth 734,530 950,206 29.4% 29,186 20,65029.2%20 Cardiff 859,805 838,529 2.5% 18,793 15,80615.9%21 Inverness 700,012 802,338 14.6% 23,820 23,8420.1%22 Southampton 631,458 754,931 19.6% 20,562 21,9987.0%23 Guernsey 654,446 694,958 6.2% 28,854 27,8723.4%24 Isle of Man 551,941 638,619 15.7% 15,208 15,7413.5%25 Glasgow Prestwick 445,211 524,880 17.9% 19,034 24,47128.6%26 Exeter 382,223 433,067 13.3% 30,874 27,08212.3%27 Newquay 244,675 408,870 67.1% 24,625 19,38421.3%28 Norwich 319,040 357,852 12.2% 31,434 28,6628.8%29 Sumburgh 247,538 259,068 4.7% 17,715 17,4261.6%30 Teesside 173,785 226,557 30.4% 20,319 21,1254.0%31 City of Derry 163,379 154,486 5.4% 7,1227,1100.2%32 London Southend 89,361 146,072 63.5% 26,624 31,54618.5%33 Kirkwall 133,410 143,093 7.3% 11,758 11,443 2.7%34 Humberside 92,465 136,976 48.1% 13,103 16,67827.3%35 Stornoway 102,331 106,237 3.8% 7,384 7,366 0.2%36 St Mary's 86,846 69,404 20.1% 10,381 8,84914.8%37 Land's End 63,737 54,517 14.5% 9,169 7,47518.5%38 Alderney 50,924 49,546 2.7% 7,629 7,2375.1%39 Farnborough N/ANot previously reported by CAA 38,827 100.0% N/ANot previously reported by CAA 32,622100.0%40 Dundee 38,451 38,508 0.1% 13,522 6,01955.5%TOP 40 TOTAL 223,379,401 275,645,634 23.4% 2,157,437 2,414,262 11.9%>40 Other UK Airports 1,070,406 126,129 88.2% 420,195 361,95013.9%TOTAL 224,449,807 275,771,763 22.9% 2,577,632 2,776,212 7.7% Source: UK CAA Airport Data 2023

2022 data The following is a list of the 40 largest UK airports by total passenger traffic in 2022, from UK CAA statistics.