A new report from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has found that aviation in the UK has seen major growth in 2025, with the number of passengers ever recorded between April and June.
The first half of the year has seen 141 million passengers pass through UK airports, with numbers over the summer projected to indicate a record-breaking travel season.
Punctuality has also improved across the board. Within the time period, 75% of flights operated on time, an improvement of 8% over 2024, with April seeing 82% of flights departing on schedule.
Overall passenger numbers have increased by 3% since 2024.
Selina Chadha, Group Director for Consumers and Markets at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said:Aviation is experiencing strong growth, with record passenger numbers as millions take to the skies this summer.
Reliable, on-time flights remain a priority, and it’s encouraging that delays are falling year-on-year.
These numbers are a great achievement and we continue to work across the sector to drive ever higher standards.
Of all destinations travelled internationally, Dublin, Amsterdam, Palma de Mallorca and Alicante were the most visited.
Elsewhere, cargo operations by tonnage grew by 6% when compared to 2024, exceeding pre-pandemic levels, with 700,000 tonnes of cargo shipped through UK airports between April and June.
The top destinations for international cargo included Dubai, New York, Doha Hamad and Leipzig, with a high growth rate for cargo sent to Asian markets.
Delhi and Mumbai also saw increases of 61% and 41%, respectively.
Finally, airports across the north of England saw significantly high growth in terminal passengers, with almost 750,000 additional passengers travelling through Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Leeds Bradford airport.
Aviation Minister Mike Kane, said:The UK aviation sector is booming with a record number of people taking to the skies over the past few months.
Our airport expansion plans will make sure the industry continues to benefit from and keep up with growing demand.
More passengers travelling through UK airports means increased economic growth and more jobs for people up and down the country, supporting the delivery of our Plan for Change.
