Britain's airports are gearing up for an unprecedented festive surge, with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) forecasting the busiest Christmas travel period in history. Passenger numbers for December are expected to surpass last year's record of 22 million.
Record-Breaking Numbers Forecast
The CAA has revealed that more than seven million of those travellers will pass through Heathrow Airport's four terminals this month alone. This projection follows an already record-breaking summer for UK aviation. Between July and September 2025, airports handled a staggering 90.2 million passengers, marking a two per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024.
Summer Surge and Popular Destinations
Several regional airports saw significant growth this summer. Bournemouth led with a remarkable 28 per cent year-on-year increase in passenger numbers, followed by Liverpool (up 10 per cent) and Edinburgh (up nine per cent). European sun and city breaks remained the top choice for holidaymakers, with Palma de Mallorca, Dublin, Amsterdam, and Alicante ranking as the most popular international destinations.
Looking at the full year, the CAA indicated that total passenger numbers for 2025 could exceed 300 million for the first time, eclipsing the 295 million recorded in 2024.
Punctuality Improvements and Official Advice
While flight punctuality is recovering, it has not yet returned to pre-pandemic standards. In the third quarter of 2025, 64 per cent of flights arrived or departed within 15 minutes of schedule. This is an improvement from 57 per cent a year earlier but still below the 69 per cent achieved in the same period in 2019.
Selina Chadha, the CAA's group director for consumers and markets, urged passengers to prepare thoroughly. "We now have more people flying than ever before and are on track for the biggest Christmas getaway in history," she said. "With high passenger numbers and the potential for bad weather that winter brings, make sure you check for disruption, including on your route to the airport."
She also advised travellers to plan their packing to avoid security delays and to understand their rights in case of problems.
Aviation Minister Keir Mather commented on the sector's robust health: "We know Britain wants to fly. Airports and airlines nationwide reported their busiest summer yet, as record numbers of passengers head off on business trips and holidays." He added that government actions to secure expansion at Luton, Gatwick, and Heathrow, alongside airspace redesign, were aimed at "keeping Britain connected, supporting jobs and powering economic growth."
