Top 5: The UK Airports With The Longest Average Delays

Experiencing flight delays is an inevitable aspect of air travel, particularly for frequent flyers. With approximately 6,000 aircraft and 600,000 passengers navigating UK skies daily, delays are a common occurrence. London Heathrow, the largest and busiest airport in the country, handles the bulk of these flights.

However, despite its size and traffic volume, it may come as a surprise that LHR is not among the airports topping the list for longest average delays. Tripplo.com conducted a study delving into the data from the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), aiming to identify airports grappling with the lengthiest delays. Below are the leading five UK airports characterized by their notably prolonged average delays.

5 London Luton Airport (LTN)

Average delay time: 13.58 mins

Passenger capacity 2023	16.2 million
Airlines	Ryanair, easyJet, Wizz Air, Tui, FlyOne, Sun Express and El Al
Airport Carbon Accreditation	Level 4

To start our list of the five most infamous UK airports for delays, we have London Luton Airport (LTN). The facility recorded an average delay of 13.58 minutes across 23,156 flights studied. December data revealed an average delay of 19.76 minutes for that month.

Three passengers outside the entrance to the London Luton Airport terminal.

Photo: Lubo Ivanko | Shutterstock

It is worth noting that London Luton is coincidentally the fifth-largest airport in the UK and the fourth-largest in London. In 2023, the airport accommodated 16.2 million passengers, with 1.2 million passengers passing through the airport in December 2023 alone. Luton Airport serves as a base for low-cost carriers such as easyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, and Tui.

4 Manchester Airport (MAN)

Average delay time: 14.02 mins

Passenger capacity 2023	28.1 million
Airlines	AEGEAN, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air France, Air Malta, Air Transat, American Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Delta Air Lines, easyJet, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad, Eurowings, Hainan Airlines, Icelandair, Jet2, KLM, Loganair, Lufthansa, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Ryanair, SAS, Singapore Airlines, SWISS, TAP Portugal, TUI, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Air Arabia Maroc, Jet Airways, Vueling
Airport Carbon Accreditation	Level 3+ Neutrality

Manchester Airport (MAN) ranks fourth on the list, with an average delay of 14.02 minutes recorded for the year 2023 across 39,771 studied flights. Specifically, December 2023 data showed an average delay of 21.63 minutes for that month since December is always a high travel period.

Just outside the Manchester Airport departures entrance.

Photo: Clare Louise Jackson | Shutterstock

Manchester Airport is UK’s largest airport outside of London, accommodating more than 28 million passengers in 2023. The airport comprises three passenger terminals and a cargo terminal.

3 London Gatwick Airport (LGW)

Average delay time: 15.47 mins

Passenger capacity 2023	40 million
Airlines	British Airways, easyJet, Vueling, TUI, Wizz Air, Norse Atlantic Airways, Air China, Air Europa, AEGEAN, Air India, Air Malta, Air Mauritius, airBaltic, Azerbaijan Airlines, Azores Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Croatia Airlines, Corendon Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Eastern Airways, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Iberia Express, Icelandair, ITA Airways, JetBlue, Lufthansa, Norwegian, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Ryanair, SAUDIA, Singapore Airlines, Sky Express, SWISS, Sun Express, TAP Air Portugal, Tunisair, Turkish Airlines, Volotea, WestJet
Airport Carbon Accreditation	Level 4+ Transition

Placing themselves in the very center of this list of the longest average flight delay times, we have London Gatwick International Airport (LGW). According to the report, the UK’s second-largest airport comes in with an average delay of 15.47 minutes for 58,762 flights studied in 2023. Data from December 2023 showed the average delay for that month to be 24.31 minutes.

An easyjet airport parked on the apron at London Gatwick Airport.

Photo: nanka | Shutterstock

London Gatwick Airport ATC Tower With Plane Departing In The Background

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2 Isle of Man Airport (IOM)

Average delay time: 16.22 mins

Passenger capacity 2023	649,342
Airlines	Aer Lingus, easyJet, Loganair
Airport Carbon Accreditation	None

Claiming the second spot on the list is Isle of Man Airport, also referred to as Ronaldsway Airport. The airport experiences average delays of 16.22 minutes across 2,391 studied flights. In December 2023, the average delay climbed to 22.53 minutes.

An easyjet aircraft parked on the apron of the Isle of Man Airport.

Photo: Aristaetle2496 | Shutterstock

The primary civilian airport serving the Isle of Man is situated in the southern region of the island at Ronaldsway near Castletown. Together with the Isle of Man Sea Terminal, it serves as one of the island’s primary entry points.

1 Aberdeen Airport (ABZ)

Average delay time: 20.70 mins

Passenger capacity 2023	2.3 million
Airlines	Aer Lingus, airBaltic, BH Air, British Airways, Eastern Airways, easyJet, KLM, Loganair, Ryanair, SAS, TUI, Wilderoe, Wizz Air
Airport Carbon Accreditation	None

According to the Tripplo report, Aberdeen Airport (ABZ) has the lengthiest delays among all UK airports, averaging delays of 20.70 minutes across 6,757 studied flights. This duration surpasses other airports by over four minutes. Recent data from December 2023 reveals an average delay of 26.04 minutes for that month.

Just outside the entrance to Aberdeen Airport.

Photo: The Dark Knight | Shutterstock

Formerly under the ownership and operation of Heathrow Airport Holdings, Aberdeen Airport now falls under AGS Airports’ jurisdiction. Notably, it serves as a primary hub for Eastern Airways, Loganair, and TUI.

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