After the most successful summer season in its 92-year history, Liverpool John Lennon Airport continues to smash passenger numbers records into the autumn. Tony McDonough reports
More than 527,000 passengers passed through Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA) last month, making it the busiest October ever.
August 2025 was the busiest month in the 92-year 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 latest passenger data shows LJLA has taken its strong momentum into the autumn. Passenger numbers in October were 13% ahead of 2024. At the end of the month airline schedules switched to their winter programmes.
From April to October the airport handled 3.8m passengers – an increase of 10% compared to summer 2024.
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.
During October 63 destinations were served during the month with the top five routes being Dublin, Alicante, Malaga, Majorca and Belfast, whilst the most popular international city breaks were to Barcelona, Amsterdam and Krakow.
Paul Winfield, LJLA’s aviation director, said “This has been a great summer season for the airport, with growing passenger numbers regularly breaking previous monthly records.
“Maintaining the highest levels of customer satisfaction has been just as important, with all the developments to improve facilities in the departure lounge and the new security equipment all helping to continue to give the growing numbers of passengers the faster, easier, friendlier experience that we have become renowned for.”
2025 is likely to see another annual rise in passenger numbers 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.
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.
This year it has been narrowly beaten into second place by Exeter Airport but still way ahead of all the country’s larger airports..