Heathrow airport gearing up for busiest Christmas Day ever with 210,000 set to travel

The west London airport expects 210,000 passengers to travel through its terminals on December 25, an increase of 21% on the same day last year

Heathrow is gearing up for its busiest Christmas Day on record, with expected passenger numbers to soar 21% higher than last year's festive period.

The bustling west London hub is anticipating a surge in travellers throughout December that could break the previous monthly record set in 2023 of 6.7 million globetrotters. Having already seen a jam-packed November with 6.5 million passengers – a 6.1% hike compared to 2022 and its highest November turnout ever - Heathrow is ready to handle this festive rush.

Not only are passenger figures on the up, but this year also saw an 11.2% spike in cargo volume over the first 11 months compared to the same timeframe in 2023. This boost has been credited to the beefed-up cargo capacity of modern aircraft coupled with intense demand.

Heathrow's chief executive, Thomas Woldbye, commented: "This year has been all about providing high levels of service for record amounts of passengers at Heathrow, and November was no different.

"As we embrace the festive season, our focus remains on ensuring smooth, joyful journeys – whether it is helping passengers get away for Christmas to reunite with their loved ones, or making sure cargo reaches its destination on time."