London Heathrow Airport celebrates record month and seventh consecutive win as Europe’s most punctual major hub

London Heathrow Airport (LHR) has achieved its seventh consecutive month as Europe’s most punctual major hub, outperforming rivals including Amsterdam Schiphol, Frankfurt, Madrid and Paris Charles de Gaulle. The airport attributed the achievement to close collaboration with airline partners and the wider airport community.

In July, Heathrow welcomed 7.9 million passengers, making it the busiest month in its history. The airport also recorded its busiest day ever on 1 August, with 270,869 passengers. Security queues remained short, with 95% of passengers clearing security in under five minutes.

North American traffic reached record levels in July, up 0.9% on the same month in 2024. The rise was partly driven by increased demand around US Independence Day, with elevated traffic before and after the celebration period.

Passenger experience improvements continued across the terminals. lululemon opened its first European airport store in Terminal 5, while Marks & Spencer launched its first airside locations in Terminal 5 and 5B. Heathrow also partnered with WHSmith and Lagardère Travel Retail to bring RELAY stores to the UK for the first time and to introduce three global flagship WHSmith travel retail stores across the airport.

Heathrow has submitted plans to the Government for a 100% privately funded third runway, which could be operational within a decade. The proposal aims to lower air fares, expand destination choice and increase cargo handling capacity by 50% at the UK’s most valuable trading port. The project is projected to boost the economy by 0.43% of GDP.

The expansion plan includes an upgrade to the M25 designed to avoid traffic disruption. Heathrow’s proposal aligns with the Government’s deadline to secure planning permission by 2029 and builds on years of policy support, including recommendations from the Airports Commission and cross-party backing in Parliament. The plans aim to minimise disruption to local communities, with fewer homes required for purchase and reduced noise impact compared to other options.

Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye said: “It’s that time of year when everyone is looking forward to their well-earned summer breaks and Heathrow is proud to play our part in delivering smooth and reliable journeys. We continue to break records as Europe’s largest and most punctual hub – adding value for our airline partners and passengers. To build on this success, we’ve set out a 100% privately financed plan to expand Heathrow, deliver extraordinary service, create wider and better choices for our customers, and grow the UK economy.”

Traffic data for July shows stability in overall passenger numbers, with growth in Africa (up 5.2%) and North America (up 0.9%), while Non-EU Europe and the Middle East saw declines. Cargo volumes rose by 4.7% year-on-year, driven by strong performance in the UK, North America, Latin America and Asia/Pacific markets.

Heathrow’s continued operational performance and strategic expansion ambitions reflect its intent to remain Europe’s leading hub for both passenger and cargo services well into the next decade.

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