New figures from Cirium show that during Q3 2024 UK airports surpassed pre-pandemic levels, experiencing a record-breaking surge in passenger activity.
The aviation analytics firm has found that over 51.24 million passengers departed from UK airports on 282,775 flights, marking the busiest quarter for UK aviation this year.
This surge is attributed to airlines introducing larger aircraft and increasing the seating density on existing aircraft. Popular destinations like Dubai, Amsterdam, Mallorca, Alicante, and Malaga saw a significant influx of UK travellers.
Key highlights from the report include the highest-ever recorded number of departing seats from UK airports, exceeding peak 2019 levels. Meanwhile, with over 10,508 flights and 1.5 million seats, Dubai was found to be the most popular destination, and the Heathrow to New York JFK route was the most popular individual route, offering over half a million seats across 2019 flights. Supporting the growth in low-cost carriers, easyJet was found to operate the most flights (57, 527), with Ryanair operating 41,099 and British Airways operating 46, 296.
According to Cirium Q4 is set to be slightly less busy, however the overall trend suggests continued growth in demand.
Image: easyJet at Liverpool
