London Heathrow no longer Europe's busiest airport
Istanbul overtakes Heathrow whose passenger numbers on Middle East routes fell 20.2% year-on-year.
New data reveals that London Heathrow has been unseated as Europe's busiest airport, a title it has held for the majority of years since 1996. Istanbul Airport has now surpassed the West London hub.
In July, Heathrow reported 7.86 million passengers across its four terminals, while Istanbul Airport, located in Turkey's largest city, recorded 8.15 million passengers.
The ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran has impacted Heathrow's passenger numbers, with Middle East routes experiencing a 20.2% year-on-year decline in July.
According to annual figures from the Airports Council International, Heathrow maintained its position as Europe's busiest airport from 1996 to 2019. It temporarily lost this distinction in 2020 due to coronavirus travel restrictions but reclaimed it in 2023 and has held it until now.
Despite this shift, Heathrow continues to operate its two runways at nearly full capacity and is pursuing government approval for the construction of a third.
Earlier reports indicated a 1.8% decrease in Heathrow's passenger traffic in June, and rail services to the airport have faced disruptions due to a tunnel closure. Additionally, ticket prices are projected to increase by 15p as Heathrow is permitted to recoup funds spent on its runway project.
An expansion proposal by the airport's owners aims to boost its annual passenger capacity to 150 million. Heathrow stated that "the case for expansion has never been clearer," adding in a statement: "Our plans will ensure the country gets the infrastructure it needs to stay competitive and will deliver all-important economic growth."
In 2025, the airport served 84.46 million passengers. July 19 marked its busiest day of the year to date, with 267,000 passengers passing through as many schools began their summer break.
Heathrow also noted that several new airlines commenced services to the airport last month, which it believes demonstrates "clear demand for access to Heathrow."
Last month, it was disclosed that Heathrow would be allowed to increase charges to airlines for its services to recover costs incurred during the initial phases of its third runway project.