UK airports to face 'busiest summer ever' as worst days to fly are named

Hundreds of thousands of Brits will be jetting abroad this summer, as UK airports across the nation brace for a record-breaking rush.

Despite spreading wildfires, escalating anti-tourist sentiment, and the cost-of-living crisis still hitting cash-strapped Brits - many of us refuse to part with our beloved summer holiday. Whether you're heading for a booze-fuelled week in Benidorm, or plan on eating your body weight in feta cheese while exploring the picturesque Greek islands - surveys have found that around 55 per cent of Brits have or intend to book an overseas holiday this year.

For those restricted to school term time, travelling in the peak summer months is their only option - despite spiralling costs and intense temperatures. In the past, this has resulted in huge traffic jams, long queues in security, and jam-packed airports.

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According to aviation data from Cirium shared with The Independent, flying on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday could be your best bet - as these days tend to be much quieter than Fridays, Sundays, and Mondays. This particularly applies to London Heathrow Airport - the UK's biggest aviation hub - which is slated to handle a whopping 685 flights on the last Friday of August.

Heathrow has not confirmed how many passengers will be flying through the airport on this particular day, but Cirium states it could be as high as 151,155. It's a similar story for London Gatwick, which is slated for a five-day rush in August where there will be more than 900 flights.

"The air-traffic controllers will have their work cut out on the first two Sundays, 3 and 10 August, with 904 flights on both days," The Independent states. "The peak day for people [is] Sunday 17 August, with more than 160,000 passing through."

Up in the north, and things aren't much calmer. Manchester, the UK's third busiest airport following Heathrow and Gatwick, is bracing to handle a staggering 115,000 outbound and inbound passengers on Friday, August 22. The airport is highly popular amongst Brits wanting cheap flights to European hotspots such as Spain and Turkey.

Edinburgh has already witnessed its 'busiest day' which is likely due to differences in when schools break up for the summer holidays in Scotland. On Friday, July 11, the airport was thought to have handled around 61,636 passengers.

UK Airport's busiest day - full list

• Edinburgh - Friday, July 11
• Glasgow - Monday, July 14
• Newcastle - Monday, July 21
• Birmingham - Friday, July 25
• London Luton - Sunday, July 27
• Bristol - Friday, July 15 and Friday, August 22
• London Gatwick - Sunday, August 17
• Manchester - Friday, August 22
• Liverpool - Monday, August 25
• London Heathrow - Friday, August 29
• Stansted - Sunday, August 31

*Data supplied to The Independent by Cirium and individual airports.

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