The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced it predicts this year’s festive period to be the busiest in history as tens of millions of flights are expected to be completed this December.
Data shows that Summer 2025 was the busiest ever recorded for passengers travelling through UK airports, with the first nine months of the year seeing 231 million passengers travelling.
New estimates now expect the total passengers travelling throughout 2025 may exceed 300 million – for the first time in history.
Last year; 295 million passengers flew through UK airports, with 22 million of those journeys being made in the month of December alone.
Selina Chadha, Group Director for Consumers and Markets at the UK Civil Aviation Authority said:We now have more people flying than ever before and are on track for the biggest Christmas getaway in history.
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.
The aviation industry will be working hard at this time of year. As the regulator we want to see passengers having the smoothest possible journeys.
The CAA has advised passengers to ensure they are prepared ahead of any travel plans this festive season, urging customers to check before they leave, know their rights and plan their packing in advance.
