Europe's Busiest Airport Just Set a New Record — and It's Expecting Even More Passengers

13.06.2024 - 14:11 / travelandleisure.com / Katy Nastro

Visitors to the largest airport in the United Kingdom should be prepared for packed crowds.

London's Heathrow recently broke a 12-month record with over 81 million passengers flying through the airport. Heathrow also had its busiest May ever, with 7.2 million passengers. It's the first time May numbers have ever surpassed seven million.

“Supporting 81 [million] journeys doesn’t just help families to make wonderful holiday memories, importantly it is about the vital trade and business links a hub like Heathrow creates for the UK’s economy,” Heathrow’s CEO Thomas Woldbye said in a release. 

Heading into the summer travel season, London has been top of the charts for international bookings. For example, Chase Travel shared their most booked destinations internationally, and London took the top spot, followed by Paris, Tokyo, Rome, and Cancun. The airport expects to break more records this summer, estimating it will see roughly 30 million pass through.

“London is consistently a go-to city for Americans because of its accessibility and similarities to other major metropolitan cities in the US,” Going.com spokesperson Katy Nastro shared with Travel + Leisure. “Additionally, London to NYC is one of the busiest global routes in air travel. It also provides some of the best (and cheapest) connectivity to the rest of the continent for those looking to travel beyond England's borders. 

Nastro says that she has tracked 136 different flight deals or fare sales to London's Heathrow specifically over the last 12 months. T+L spotted discount prices available to London's Heathrow throughout the summer, including deals from JetBlue starting at $388 one-way in Blue Basic, and $249 one-way on Icelandair with a layover in Reykjavík. Norse Atlantic Airways recently announced a fare sale with $149 flights to London, Paris, Rome, and other destinations throughout Europe. 

This summer, London is also home to major tourist events beyond people looking to sightsee throughout the city. Fans of Taylor Swift who are traveling to London for the run of the Eras Tour at the Wembley Stadium in June and August may want to plan ahead, as the concerts take place during a peak time of summer travel.