Heathrow passenger volumes inch closer to pre-Covid levels

Heathrow passenger numbers are closing in on pre-Covid levels, with the airport welcoming seven million travellers last month.

The figure is in touching distance of the 7.2 million passengers that travelled through Europe’s busiest airport in June 2019, with Heathrow reporting significant jumps in trips to North America and Asia Pacific.  

Passengers travelling to the European Union continue to be the biggest cohort with over 12.2 million recorded from January to June 2023, a 33.6 per cent increase on the same period last year. 

Trips to Asia saw the biggest increase in percentage terms during the first half of 2023, increasing by 123 per cent year-on-year to just under 4.5 million passengers. 

North America also saw a substantial increase from January to June 2023, with 49.3 per cent more passengers travelling over that time period than last year and over 9.2 million making the journey.

It follows a bumper performance in May, when Heathrow was buoyed by three bank holiday weekends.

Bosses told investors last month that that 6.7 million passengers used the airport in May, as it benefited from the extra bank holiday weekend for the King’s coronation.

The airport has revealed numbers jumped by a quarter with particularly strong demand for flights between the UK and US. 

John Holland Kayne, CEO of Heathrow, said: ‘I am very proud of the way that everyone at Heathrow has been working together to deliver excellent service at our busiest time of year. Summer at Heathrow is all about family holidays and we are ready to make sure yours gets off to a great start.’