London Heathrow Airport. Photo: shutterstock More than 81 million passengers passed through UK airports between April and June 2026, a new record for the second quarter of the year, according to figures from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). A total of 81,158,297 passengers were recorded, compared with 81,035,648 in the same period in 2025.
Growth was recorded despite the impact of conflicts in the Middle East, which led to changes and cancellations on some routes. At the same time, Britons continued to fly in droves to European destinations, with more than a million more passengers flying to Western Europe compared to last year.
The destinations that recorded the most notable growth were Madrid, with a 15% increase, and Barcelona, with 11%. The most popular destinations in the quarter were Dublin, Palma de Mallorca, Amsterdam , Alicante and Malaga.
The biggest beneficiaries of the growth were low-cost carriers. EasyJet, Ryanair and JET2 together carried 2.25 million more passengers than in the same quarter last year. Ryanair and JET2 both saw 9% growth in passenger numbers.
The Asian market also strengthened: the number of passengers on routes to China increased by 11%, to India by 5%, while Pakistan recorded an exceptional jump of 307%.
On the other hand, routes to the Middle East have been significantly hit. The number of passengers to Dubai has been cut in half compared to 2025, and Middle Eastern airlines have also recorded sharp declines.
The British Civil Aviation Authority says that demand for flights remains high, and that the industry is showing significant resilience despite geopolitical events. The British government noted that less than one percent of flights were canceled at short notice between May and July, a figure that they said indicates the success of the measures taken to reduce disruptions.