Key facts
- Heathrow Airport lost its title as Europe's busiest to Istanbul in July.
- Heathrow handled 7.86 million passengers in July, a 1.5% decrease year-on-year.
- Istanbul Airport recorded 8.15 million passengers in July, a 2.3% increase.
- Heathrow had been Europe's busiest airport from 1996 to 2019 and regained the title in 2023.
- Middle East route passenger numbers at Heathrow dropped 20.2% year-on-year.
- Heathrow is seeking government approval for expansion, including a third runway.
Heathrow Airport has lost its long-held title as Europe's busiest airport, being overtaken by Istanbul Airport in July. Heathrow recorded 7.86 million passengers, a 1.5% decrease from the previous year, while Istanbul handled 8.15 million passengers, a 2.3% increase.
The West London hub, which had been Europe's busiest from 1996 to 2019 before a dip during the COVID-19 pandemic, regained the title in 2023. The recent decline in passenger numbers, partly attributed to a 20.2% year-on-year drop on Middle East routes due to regional conflicts, has intensified Heathrow's push for government approval of its expansion plans, including a third runway, to maintain its competitive edge and drive economic growth.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander initiated a new consultation on the expansion policy in June, outlining conditions for approval. Former Chancellor Rachel Reeves has expressed a commitment to commencing construction of the third runway within the current parliamentary term, aiming for completion by 2035. Heathrow's chief executive, Thomas Woldbye, emphasized that the airport's privately-funded expansion plans are crucial for unlocking new capacity and delivering long-term benefits to passengers and the UK.
Heathrow stated that the case for expansion has never been clearer, as it was overtaken by Istanbul. The airport's owners propose an expansion that would enable it to accommodate 150 million passengers per year, compared to the 84.46 million recorded in 2025. Several new airlines have begun serving Heathrow, demonstrating demand for access.