New research has unveiled the airports which you are most likely to experience a delay at this Christmas, as well as the best airports for a breezy check-in, boarding and take-off time
Passengers have been warned about the UK’s best and worst airports for delays this Christmas.
Research conducted by Good Travel Management has found the best and worst airports for disruptions over the Christmas period, by analysing delays from last December. Coming out on top is Teesside International Airport, which is the UK’s most delayed airport over December, according to the study.
Last Christmas, passengers experienced an average delay of 37 minutes and 40 seconds and almost 25 per cent of all flights were delayed by at least an hour. Despite only serving a small number of routes such as Lapland, Teesside International Airport also had the highest cancellation rate of the most disrupted airports, with 6.8 per cent of flights grounded.
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Following closely behind Teesside is Aberdeen Airport, which ranks second with more than 13 per cent of flights delayed by over an hour. The average delay at the airport last December, sat at 30 minutes and 35 seconds. Aberdeen, which is often subject to wintry weather, has struggled with operational issues due to icy conditions in previous years. In addition, in December 2023, a vehicle collided with a British Airways plane on the tarmac, which caused further delays and left some passengers grounded while engineers inspected the aircraft for damage.
At the other end of the scale, Cardiff Airport was found to be the UK’s least disrupted airport in December last year. Cardiff is a busy airport with over a million passengers passing through each year, yet its average delay was just 7 minutes and 24 seconds. As a consequence, this makes it the most reliable option for Christmas travellers.
There have also been reports of a £206 million investment in Cardiff Airport over the next decade, which could lead to even shorter delay times in the future.
Laura Busby, commercial director at Good Travel Management, said: “Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year for travel, regardless of whether you’re flying for business or pleasure. While delays are frustrating, understanding which airports are most affected can help alleviate some stress.
“As these statistics show, delays are a reality of December travel, but knowing which airports are most likely to experience problems can help both business travellers and holidaymakers plan ahead, choose more reliable options and reduce stress during the festive period. For those looking to avoid lengthy waits, Cardiff and Southend are standout options for smoother journeys if available.”
Southend Airport, which is one of the UK’s fastest-growing regional airports, appeared as the second least disrupted airport, performing well with average delay of only 12 minutes.
Full list of most disrupted airports in December
(Airport, percentage of flights delayed by one hour, percentage of flights cancelled, average delay in minutes and seconds)
- Teesside International, North East England: 24.4%, 6.8%, 37:40
- Aberdeen, Scotland: 13.4%, 5.6%, 30:35
- Exeter, South West England: 12.5%, 0.9%, 26:03
- London Gatwick, South England: 11%, 2.2%, 23:44
- Jersey (Channel Islands): 11.6%, 0.6%, 23:12
- Liverpool, North West England: 11.1%, 1.1%, 22:25
- Isle of Man: 11%, 3.3%, 21:56
- East Midlands International, North England: 9.1%, 0.2%, 21:49
- Edinburgh, Scotland: 10.2%, 2.7%, 21:46
- London Heathrow, South England: 8%, 4.5%, 21:41
Full list of least disrupted airports in December:
- Cardiff, Wales: 1.6%, 6.1%, 07:24
- Southend, South East England: 5.6%, 0%, 12:08
- Bournemouth, South West England: 6.4%, 0%, 13:09
- Belfast City, Northern Ireland: 5.2%, 9.7%, 14:13
- Newcastle, North England: 5.3%, 3.5%, 14:35
- Southampton, South England: 6.5%, 5.6%, 15:11
- London Luton, South East England: 6.4%, 0.6%, 15:56
- Leeds Bradford, North England: 7.8%, 13.8%, 18:01
- Birmingham, North West England: 8.2%, 3.3%, 18:11
