London Gatwick Airport has reported that its proposed Northern Runway expansion could significantly enhance UK-China connectivity and deliver substantial economic benefits, as demand for travel between the two countries continues to grow.
The airport reported a 265% year-on-year increase in passenger volumes to and from China, with nearly 550,000 passengers travelling in 2024, compared to 150,000 in 2023.
China, the UK’s fifth-largest trading partner in 2024, accounts for 5.1% of the UK’s total trade. London Gatwick currently operates 33 weekly services to China, connecting with key cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Zhengzhou through airlines Air China, China Southern, and China Eastern.
Northern Runway Expansion
London Gatwick’s plans to bring its Northern Runway into routine use, subject to Government approval next month. This would unlock additional capacity for international services, including vital long-haul routes to China. The 2.2 billion GBP project, financed privately, could be operational by the end of the decade.
The Northern Runway Expansion is expected to generate significant economic benefits, including 1 billion GBP annually for the UK economy and the creation of 14,000 jobs.
Passenger numbers at Gatwick could increase from over 40 million today to 75 million by the late 2030s, supporting the Government’s growth agenda.
Jonathan Pollard, Chief Commercial Officer at London Gatwick said:China accounts for 5.1% of total UK trade and is the UK’s fifth largest trading partner in 2024. As demonstrated by the Chancellor’s recent visit to China, this market is vitally important to the UK economy in terms of both inbound visitors and trade and we are pleased to offer significant connectivity between the two nations from London Gatwick.
We have seen huge demand for growth of these routes, from airlines and passengers. If approved, our Northern Runway plans could provide even greater opportunity to support communities the economy and the Government’s wider plans for growth, through enhanced capacity for vital long-haul services.
Notably, VisitBritain estimated 647,000 visitors from China to the UK in 2024, a 76% increase from the previous year. The tourist board anticipates that visitor numbers and spending will return to 2019 levels in 2025, reaching over 873,000 visits and generating 1.71 billion GBP in spending.
