Q3 busiest quarter ever for UK airline seats
November 7, 2024
The third quarter of 2024 has officially become the busiest on record for UK air travel, with 282,775 flights departing from UK airports, offering a record-breaking 51.24 million seats, according to Cirium.
This surge in capacity outstripped even pre-pandemic levels in 2019, reflecting a trend of airlines operating larger and denser aircraft on UK routes to meet increasing demand.
Dubai emerged as the top destination, with 10,508 flights from the UK and 1.5 million seats available. Amsterdam followed closely, with Mallorca, Alicante, and Malaga completing the list of the five most popular destinations, the aviation analytics firm said.
The most heavily trafficked single route was the London Heathrow to New York JFK service, with 2,019 flights and over half a million seats offered during the quarter.
Among UK-based airlines, easyJet led the pack with 57,527 flights in Q3, followed by British Airways with 46,296 flights, and Ryanair with 41,099 flights.
The Q3 record continues a year of impressive growth in UK aviation.
Flight numbers have steadily climbed throughout 2024, with 208,546 flights in Q1 and 264,158 in Q2.
Although slightly lower traffic is expected for Q4, with an estimated 236,002 flights, the industry anticipates maintaining strong momentum through the end of the year.
