Istanbul overtakes Heathrow as Europe's busiest airport

Istanbul Airport has overtaken London Heathrow as Europe’s busiest airport by passenger volume. According to data from Airports Council International, Istanbul recorded 8.15 million passengers in July, while Heathrow saw 7.86 million.

Heathrow’s passenger numbers fell by 1.5% compared to the previous year, a decline partially attributed to the ongoing Iran-US conflict, which caused a 20.2% drop in traffic on Middle East routes. In contrast, Istanbul reported a 2.3% increase during the same period.

Heathrow, which held the title of Europe’s busiest airport from 1996 to 2019, is currently operating its two runways near full capacity. In response to the shift in traffic, airport executives stated that “the case for expansion has never been clearer.” The airport is seeking government approval for a third runway as part of a £33bn expansion plan intended to increase annual capacity to 150 million passengers.