Istanbul Airport has surpassed Heathrow Airport as Europe’s busiest airport, handling 8.15 million passengers in July compared to Heathrow’s 7.86 million. This shift in rankings comes as Heathrow experienced a 1.5% decline in passenger numbers from the previous July, whereas Istanbul saw a 2.3% increase. Heathrow has pointed to disruptions related to the conflict in the Middle East as a contributing factor to its decrease in traffic.
This development has intensified calls for the UK government to greenlight Heathrow’s proposed third runway. The airport, currently operating at near full capacity with its two runways, has outlined a £33 billion expansion plan that could boost its annual capacity to approximately 150 million passengers. According to Heathrow, the latest figures underscore the urgent need for expanded capacity to enhance the UK’s global connectivity, trade, and tourism opportunities.
Istanbul Airport, which began operations in 2018, benefits from a larger site and operates 24/7. It currently features three runways, with a fourth scheduled to be operational by the end of 2026. This additional capacity allows Istanbul to handle more traffic, contributing to its recent passenger growth and surpassing of Heathrow.
Amid these developments, other UK airports have recorded significant achievements. London Stansted and Manchester airports marked their busiest July on record, with Stansted handling 3.1 million passengers and Manchester 3.4 million. These figures highlight a broader trend of increasing passenger numbers at major UK airports, despite the challenges faced by Heathrow.