A big rise in passenger numbers at Liverpool John Lennon Airport helps drive annual pre-tax profits close to the £10m mark, its latest accounts reveal. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA) is reporting healthy pre-tax profits for the second year in a row, driven by an increase in passenger numbers.

Yorkshire airline Jet2 took off from LJLA for the first time in March 2024. Its 20-plus routes, as well as continued expansion by easyJet and Ryanair, sent passenger numbers above 5m for the first time in several years in 2024.

Now the airport has posted its financial results for the 12 months to March 31, 2025, on Companies House. They show a 30% rise in revenues to £55m. Pre-tax profits hit £9.7m – up from £5.8m in the previous year.

The accounts show that 5.2m passengers were handled by LJLA in the accounting period, up from 4.3m in the previous year. And that momentum has continued into the current financial year.

August 2025 was the busiest month in the history of the airport with more than 616,000 passengers handled during the peak summer period. This smashed the previous record of 576,000 set a month earlier in July.

This was by far the most successful summer period in LJLA’s 92-year history. August’s figure alone was 12% up on the same month in 2024. It is estimated the airport’s boost’s Liverpool city region’s economy by £340m a year.

During August, 4,000 flights operated to 73 destinations in 24 countries via Liverpool, with eight of the top 10 busiest routes being to summer sun destinations.

More growth in passenger numbers is expected this year with more routes taking off and the airport overseeing a multi-million-pound expansion of hospitality outlets in the departure lounge, as well as the launch of a new, bigger executive lounge.

In September a new survey from consumer bible Which? gave LJLA a further boost. In 2022, 2023 and 2024 the Which? survey of almost 6,000 passengers rated LJLA as the top UK airport for passenger satisfaction.

This year it has been narrowly beaten into second place by Exeter Airport but still way ahead of all the country’s larger airports.

READ MORE: Liverpool Airport passenger numbers rise – as energy use falls

Last week longstanding shareholder Peel Group sold 47.1% stake in LJLA, exiting the business after 28 years. Infrastructure fund manager Ancala has acquired the stake for an undisclosed sum.

It is now the majority shareholder of LJLA with a 94.2% share. The only other shareholder is Liverpool City Council which owns 5.8%.