Edinburgh Airport (EDI), located in the southeast of Scotland, is one of the busiest air hubs in the United Kingdom. Along with Glasgow Airport (GLA), situated an hour’s drive to the west, the airport serves as a key connector for Scotland with a variety of routes and aircraft. From regional hops to long-haul flights, Edinburgh Airport offers a diverse range of options for travelers.
In 2020, the airport saw a record-breaking year, surpassing its annual passenger record by over a million. With the demand for travel on the rise after the pandemic, 2021 is expected to be even busier for Edinburgh Airport. Let’s take a closer look at the facts and figures that demonstrate the airport’s strong performance in recent years and its top routes.
By crunching the numbers, it is evident that Edinburgh Airport is one of the top air hubs in the UK. It is the second busiest airport outside of London, after Manchester (MAN). It is also the busiest airport in Scotland, with Glasgow Airport ranking fifth among non-London hubs. When including London airports, Edinburgh ranks as the sixth-busiest airport in the UK.
According to data from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of the United Kingdom, Edinburgh Airport has been on an upward trajectory for several decades, with the exception of pandemic years. In 1985, the airport handled just under 1.6 million passengers, which had more than doubled to 3.3 million by 1995. The growth continued, and by 2005, the airport had almost tripled its 1995 figure, reaching 8.5 million passengers.
Despite economic uncertainties in the late 2000s, the airport sustained growth, exceeding 10 million passengers for the first time in 2014. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused a significant drop in passenger traffic, with only 3.48 million passengers passing through the airport. This was the lowest total since 1995. In 2021, the figure dropped further to 3.02 million, the lowest since 1994. But, things quickly picked up in 2022, with a total of 11.25 million passengers, almost quadrupling the previous year’s figure. In 2023, the passenger total rose to 14.4 million, and in 2024, the airport broke the 15 million passenger mark for the first time, making it the busiest Scottish airport.
The airport attributes its record year in 2024 to various factors, such as Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concerts at Murrayfield stadium and Scottish football fans flying out for the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament. Additionally, new routes such as JetBlue to New York JFK Airport and WestJet to Toronto and Halifax contributed to the airport’s success.
With the relaxation of travel restrictions in 2022, passengers were eager to satisfy their travel desires, resulting in a 10% year-on