UK airports are set to experience their busiest weekend of the year so far, as schools break up and millions of holidaymakers head overseas for summer getaways.
According to new data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, a total of 9,256 flights are scheduled to depart from UK airports between Friday 18 and Sunday 20 July, offering nearly 1.7 million seats to sun-seeking travellers.
Friday 18 July is forecast to be the single busiest day of 2025 for UK flight departures, with more than 3,244 flights set to take off in just 24 hours.
While overall departure numbers remain slightly below pre-pandemic levels, the sector continues to rebound strongly. Departures are up 2% on the same weekend in 2024, and have recovered to 95% of 2019 levels. In fact, thanks to the use of larger aircraft, there will be over 40,000 more available seats this weekend compared to the equivalent period in 2019.
Heathrow Airport is expected to see the highest number of departures across the weekend, followed by Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted and Edinburgh.
For those heading abroad, the most popular international destinations remain firm favourites with British holidaymakers. Dublin, Amsterdam, Palma, Alicante and Malaga top the list of projected hotspots.
In terms of airline operations, easyJet is set to run the highest number of UK departures this weekend, ahead of British Airways, Ryanair, Jet2.com, and TUI.
The data paints a positive picture for the aviation industry as it edges closer to a full post-pandemic recovery, with families and travellers eager to make the most of the peak summer season.
UK Flight Departures – Summer Getaways (18–20 July 2025)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total flights scheduled (18–20 July) | 9,256 |
| Total available seats (estimated) | ~1.7 million |
| Busiest day for departures (Friday 18 July) | 3,244 flights |
| Year-on-year change vs same weekend 2024 | +2% increase in scheduled departures |
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