Stansted tops 22 million passengers for first time in six years
Stansted Airport has topped 22 million passengers a year for the first time in over six years.
The number of passengers using Stansted during September increased by 9% over the same month last year as the airport served over two million passengers for the fifth consecutive month, the first time this has been achieved since 2008.
The month also saw the highest ever average load factor for any September at Stansted with 87.8% of all seats occupied on each flight.
The top five busiest routes during the month were Dublin, Edinburgh and Glasgow followed by Barcelona and Rome.
Managing director Andrew Harrison said: "The rapid and sustained growth we have experienced at Stansted since the airport was acquired by MAG has now seen us pass 22 million passengers a year for the first time since January 2009.
"To reach this milestone having begun the year at just below 20 million passengers is a fantastic achievement and testament to the strength of our catchment area as well as the continuing popularity of the airport’s extensive route network that serves 170 destinations – and more scheduled European destinations than any other UK airport.
"The extremely busy summer season has continued into the start of autumn with more than two million passengers again using the airport in the month, and the number of passengers travelling on each flight at record levels for any September in the airport’s history."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Global tourism exceeds 1.5 billion travelers announces UN-Tourism
Qatar Airways offers reduced timetable to over 60 destinations
WTTC global tourism reached record economic impact of 11 trillion in 2025
Marginal increase for New York City tourism in 2025
Hands In, UATP join forces for airline multi-card payments