Liverpool John Lennon Airport handled the highest number of passengers in its 92-year history in 2025, new figures reveal. Tony McDonough reports
Liverpool John Lennon Airport handled more than 5.6m passengers in 2025 – the highest number in its 92-year history.
Underlining what has been a spectacular comeback since the dark days of the COVID pandemic, LJLA has reaped the rewards of continued expansion by stalwarts Ryanair and easyJet and the arrival of Jet2 in 2024.
This latest figure beats the previous record of 5.5m passengers set in 2007. News of the record-breaking year follows one of the busiest Decembers for the airport with passenger numbers up 11% on 2024.
John Irving, chief executive of LJLA, said: “To break our all-time passenger record last year is a tremendous achievement for the airport and all our business partners based here and is testament to all the hard work that has gone into making Liverpool the successful airport it is today.
“It is something we are all tremendously proud of and as we look ahead at the start of 2026, I firmly believe we will go on to greater success, continuing to grow the business and give passengers across the city region, the wider North West and North Wales ever more opportunities to continue to make Liverpool their airport of choice.”
2025 has been a year of passenger improvements at LJLA too, ensuring the airport’s reputation for offering one of the UK’s best airport passenger experiences.
This included the installation of the latest generation security equipment and the completion of an 18 month multi-million pound programme developing a range of new and upgraded food and beverage areas in the departure lounge.
And in autumn LJLA opened its expanded Aspire Executive Lounge. Operated by Swissport, the new lounge replaces their previous smaller Aspire Lounge which first opened its doors in May 2012.
In late October LBN revealed LJLA had seen a big rise in pre-tax profits in the 12 months to March 31, 2025, coming in at just under £10m. Its accounts also showed a 30% rise in revenues to £55m.
Also in October 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%.
In September a 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.
It was narrowly beaten into second place by Exeter Airport but still way ahead of all the country’s larger airports.