Southend Airport passenger numbers more than triple during first three months of 2026
Figures have been released by the Civil Aviation Authority
London Southend Airport's passenger numbers have more than tripled, with new stats from the first three months of the year showing a surge.
The figures, from the Civil Aviation Authority, show an increase of 247% compared to the same period last year.
The UK recorded an increase of 2.3%, whilst other London airports recorded a collective growth of 1.5% in the year's first quarter.
Jude Winstanley, CEO of London Southend Airport, said: "These latest figures show that more and more passengers are discovering what makes London Southend different. We're growing faster than any other airport in the UK while continuing to improve our national punctuality performance, which is a testament to the incredible work of our teams across the airport every single day.
"Looking at the last 12 months ending in March 2026, the award-winning airport, which is currently the 23rd busiest in the UK, has already smashed through the 800,000-passenger barrier, and has narrowed the gap to the airports in 22nd and 21st places.
Winstanley added: “If we continue to grow at the rate we are, as well as outpacing the growth of our nearest rivals, we could overtake them and end the year just outside the top 20 airports in the UK in terms of passenger traffic."