UK aviation starts year with record passenger numbers

Image courtesy CAA

This period includes the initial period after the Middle East conflict started, impacting passengers in some regions.

Andrew McConnell, spokesperson for the UK Civil Aviation Authority said: “This strong start to the year shows just how high demand for flying remains, particularly to popular European destinations.

“Even in a more challenging time for aviation, services are continuing to operate reliably and passengers are travelling in strong numbers, with that momentum set to build towards the summer peak.”

The data from the start of the years shows trends of holidaymakers heading off towards sunnier European destinations, with the number of passengers travelling to Madrid and Las Palmas increasing by 14% and 11% respectively.

Other findings from the quarterly data included:

• Some of the airports with the largest proportional growth in passenger numbers included London Southend (+247%), Cardiff (+24%), Bournemouth (+14%) and Newcastle (+9%).
• The most popular destinations in Q1 2026 were Dublin, Amsterdam, Geneva, Tenerife and Dubai.

Karen Dee, chief executive of AirportsUK, the trade body for UK airports, said: “We are pleased to see that the number of passengers and the amount of cargo passing through UK airports has gone up in the first quarter of this year. 

“This shows the value that people put on air travel, keeping the UK connected with the world and increasing trade.

“Despite the difficult conditions we are facing at the moment, our members will continue to work hard to deliver the connectivity we need and drive economic growth, and we call on the government to ensure it delivers a competitive framework for the sector.”