London Heathrow anticipates handling 83.8 million passengers in 2024, marking a record year. The airport reports its first post-Covid profit, driven by a summer of sport and music events.
Poised to handle a record-breaking 83.8 million passengers in 2024, averaging 230,000 travellers per day. This forecast from the UK’s largest airport coincides with its first post-Covid profit for the nine months ending in September. Heathrow reported an adjusted profit before tax of £350 million, a significant turnaround from the £19 million loss recorded in the same period last year, equating to daily profits of £1.3 million.
The airport attributes part of its successful summer to the influx of iconic music stars passing through the UK. A vibrant summer of sport and music drew millions to the country, resulting in consecutive record-breaking weeks and robust operational performance. From June to September, Heathrow welcomed 30.7 million passengers, bringing the total for the first nine months of the year to 63.1 million.
The summer months were particularly notable, with Olympic travellers enjoying European city breaks and a late summer surge in departures. Heathrow experienced its busiest departure day on 24 July and its busiest arrival day on 2 September, marking historic highs for the airport.
As Heathrow prepares for a record year, the airport’s strong performance underscores its pivotal role in connecting the UK to the world. Travellers can look forward to continued improvements and a seamless travel experience as the airport builds on its recent successes.