Heathrow Airport in London has concluded 2024 with a “record-breaking December.”  

More than seven million travellers passed through the airport in December 2024, contributing to a total of 83.9 million passengers for the year, which is three million more than the pre-pandemic 2019 record.  

Christmas Day alone had a 13% increase in passenger numbers, reaching a new high of 160,000 travellers compared to 142,000 in 2023.   

The airport handled almost 138,000 tonnes of cargo in December last year, culminating in an annual total of over 1.5 million tonnes, a growth of more than 10% compared to 2023.  

Where to?  

Heathrow’s most popular destinations in 2024 included New York, Los Angeles, Dublin, and Madrid.  

For December 2024, the passenger traffic numbers increased significantly domestically and to the EU, Latin America, Middle East, and Asia/Pacific regions. However, there was a slight decline in non-EU Europe and Africa destinations.  

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The full-year performance reflected a consistent upward trend, with a 5.9% increase in overall passenger numbers compared to 2023.  

  Credit: LHR Airports Limited/ Heathrow.  

Cargo flight detail 

Air transport movements in December 2024 grew by 2.8% compared to December 2023, with notable market increases bound for the UK and Latin America.  

The full-year figures for 2024 indicate a 4.4% rise in total movements, with robust growth in the domestic UK market.  

The cargo report for December 2024 highlights a 3.5% increase in volume for the December month and a 10.4% increase for the entire year of 2024.   

2025 

Looking ahead to 2025, the airport forecasts 84.2 million passengers and plans to invest more than £1bn ($1.21bn) to enhance its facilities.  

Last month, Heathrow Airport unveiled a £2.3bn ($2.9bn) investment plan to upgrade the airport facilities to enhance service for passengers and businesses.  

The airport also ranked fourth among the world’s busiest airports, according to data from the commercial aviation data insights firm OAG.