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UK Airports are preparing for their busiest Christmas period in history, with December passenger numbers forecast to exceed last year’s record by 22 million.
Civil Aviation Authority ,CAA) said that more than seven million of these passengers will travel of heathrow Four terminals this month.
CAA Said this summer was the busiest on record UK Airports handled 90.2 million passengers between July and September, two percent more than the same period in 2024.
The major airports with the biggest year-on-year growth in passenger numbers this summer were Bournemouth (up 28 per cent), Liverpool (up 10 per cent) and Edinburgh (up nine per cent).
The most popular international destinations were in Europe, with Palma de Mallorca, Dublin, Amsterdam and Alicante topping the list.
CAA Said that by 2025, the number of passengers may exceed 300 million for the first time. Last year this total was 295 million.
Punctuality is also improving UK Airports but remain below pre-coronavirus levels. About 64 percent of flights in the third quarter of 2025 arrived or departed within 15 minutes of their scheduled time, compared with 57 percent a year earlier and 69 percent during the same period in 2019.
Celina Chadha, group director for consumers and markets CAASaid: “We now have more people flying than ever before and we are on track to have the biggest Christmas holiday in history.
“Given the high passenger numbers and potential for inclement weather over winter, make sure you check for any disruption, including your route to the airport.
“Before traveling, we encourage people to plan their packing to avoid delays at security and to know their rights if things go wrong.”
Aviation Minister Keir Mather said: “We know Britain wants to fly.
“Airports and airlines across the country reported their busiest summer ever, as record numbers of travelers set off on business trips and holidays.
“As another busy festive period begins, we have secured the future of the sector.
“Expansion is taking place on the ground in Luton, Gatwick and heathrowAnd redesigning our airways – to keep Britain connected, support jobs and drive economic growth.