London Heathrow no longer Europe's busiest airport
Istanbul overtakes Heathrow whose passenger numbers on Middle East routes fell 20.2% year-on-year.
Istanbul Airport has surpassed London Heathrow as Europe's busiest airport, according to new figures. In July, Istanbul Airport recorded 8.15 million passengers, compared to Heathrow's 7.86 million. The drop in Heathrow's traffic is attributed to the ongoing conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran, which has caused a 20.2% decrease in passenger numbers to Middle East routes compared to the previous year.
The UK trade body, Airports Council International, states that Heathrow held the title of Europe's busiest airport from 1996 to 2019, but lost it in 2020 due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. However, it regained the title in 2023 and has been holding it since.
Heathrow is currently operating its two runways at near-full capacity and is seeking approval to build a third runway. The airport saw a 1.8% decrease in passengers in June. Heathrow officials argue that the case for expansion is more compelling than ever, promising to maintain the country's competitiveness and stimulate economic growth.
In 2025, Heathrow recorded 84.46 million passengers, with July being its busiest day so far, processing 267,000 passengers as schools let out for summer. The airport also welcomed several new airlines in the previous month, indicating a growing demand for its services.
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