London Luton Airport has received final approval for a £2.4 billion expansion, enabling it to double its passenger numbers to 32 million by 2043. The plans include building a new terminal and upgrading the existing one.
Final Legal Hurdle Cleared
The initial plans were approved by the government in April 2025, and on July 31, the Supreme Court declined to grant campaigners final permission to appeal, allowing the plans to proceed unopposed.
Paul Kehoe, Chair of Luton Rising, which owns the airport, called clearing the legal hurdle a "landmark moment." He said: "We are very pleased to now have the certainty we have been working towards."
Expansion Details and Job Creation
The airport will build a new terminal and upgrade the existing one to accommodate 32 million passengers annually by 2043. Flights are expected to increase from the current average of 65,000 to 68,000 per year to 209,000 annually.
The expansion is expected to create 11,000 new jobs at the airport, with 4,400 of those in the town. Luton Airport was the UK's fifth-busiest hub, handling 17.5 million passengers.
Airlines and Recent Developments
The airport is home to carriers Ryanair, easyJet, and Wizz Air. In April 2025, Jet2 joined the hub with 17 new routes. This month, London Luton Airport launched free bus travel for passengers travelling to the terminal.
