New data unveiled by the UK Civil Aviation Authority data shows that over 81 million passengers have travelled through UK airports between April and June, breaking last year’s record for travel during the same time period.
These statistics show a continuation of a trend seen during the first three months of 2026, with holidaymakers choosing to fly to European destinations such as Madrid and Barcelona, which have seen an increase in passenger numbers of 15% and 11%, respectively.
Asian countries have also seen major growth in passenger numbers, with China, Pakistan and India seeing increases of 11%, 307% and 5%, respectively.
Ross Lydall, Spokesperson for the UK Civil Aviation Authority said:Demand for flying remains high, as passengers adjust their travel plans around global events.
These results highlight the sector’s resilience and hard work and keep it on course for another record-breaking year.
In total, 81,158,297 passengers either boarded or disembarked at UK airports between April and June – an increase of more than 120,000 on the 81,035,648 recorded in the same three-month period in 2025.
The quarter also saw a growth in the total number of passengers travelling with low-cost airlines, with 2.25 million additional customers choosing easyJet, Ryanair and Jet2 compared to the second quarter of last year.
Karen Dee, Chief Executive of AirportsUK, the trade association for UK airports, said:It is good to see that air travel has continued to grow, despite ongoing challenges in places like the Middle East.
As an island nation, our air links play a pivotal role in business, trade, investment and tourism so it is extremely important that we support and grow our connectivity.
This will contribute towards the economic growth which is key to the UK’s future prosperity.
Other findings from the data include large proportional passenger growth in Cardiff (16%), Newcastle (8%), and Inverness (8%), whilst the most popular destinations in Q2 2026 were Dublin, Palma de Mallorca, Amsterdam, Alicante and Malaga.
Whilst numbers were up across the board, the period coincided with a continuation of the conflict in the Middle East, impacting passengers in some regions and leading to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to advise against non-essential travel to the region until 18 June, leading to passenger numbers travelling to Dubai halving compared to last year, and Middle Eastern airlines also seeing significant reductions.
